Offering inspiration during pandemic through storytelling

Tariana Little, DrPH ’20, has been recognized as a “student who rocked public health” in 2020 for producing a series of inspiring videos during the pandemic.

Little was one of nine students from across the U.S. highlighted for their public health efforts in a January 22, 2021 article in JPHMP Direct, the companion site of the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. The students were recognized for working to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, advocating for racial and social justice, encouraging civic engagement, capturing stories of frontline workers, and inspiring hope in those feeling the weight of this difficult year.

Little and her partner Jonas Meyer—who run EmVision Productions, a media agency focused on social impact storytelling—produced  #StayHopeful, a series of short videos aimed at inspiring hopefulness. People featured in the videos included an emergency room doctor who founded an initiative to register patients to vote in between appointments, a restaurant owner who was providing food for healthcare workers, and an elementary school student who advised peers to “keep going … don’t worry, do what you want, and follow your dreams.”

“These everyday people are doing amazing things,” said Little. “They can inspire us and give us something to look forward to in the face of uncertainty. We’re social beings. We hug each other, we embrace inside and out, and when we can’t physically connect in the ‘real world,’ digital media can provide some human closeness.”

Read the JPHMP Direct article: Students Who Rocked Public Health 2020

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Student-produced video series promotes ‘stay hopeful’ message amid pandemic (Harvard Chan School feature)