"In an information economy, access to and control over media messages is critical. If knowledge is power, then the production and distribution of ideas and information are the tools to transform that power into positive change. For groups supporting youth empowerment, we must ask: How can we put these powerful tools to work to produce, analyze, and control information so that power ultimately resides in the hands of young people?..."

This article examines the Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth strategy for working with media.

This strategy includes the following 3 key principles:

1. Get support from the experts.
2. A strong communications strategy and message depend on a clear organizing goal.
3. Reframe the problem and offer a solution.

Examples from Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth are provided.