October 27, 2025

DemocracyReady NY Unveils Priorities at State Bar Association’s Media Literacy Event

It’s Media Literacy Week!

In the run-up to Media Literacy Week, taking place from October 27 - 31, the NYS Bar Association hosted a conference titled "Media Literacy Education: Safeguarding Democracy in a Digital World.” DemocracyReady NY members dominated the list of speakers at the Albany convening, giving our coalition an opportunity to highlight our near-term priorities to advance civic education and media literacy instruction. The event was organized by Jay Worona and Gail Ehrlich, both active Coalition members.

DemocracyReady NY Coalition members on the speakers’ list included Chris Sperry of Project Look Sharp at Ithaca College; Howard Schneider of the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University; Melinda Person of NYSUT; Nicholas D'Amuro of the Civi Coalition at Genesee Valley BOCES; and Dylan Lemberg and Oliver Kaiden of NY Student Engaged Citizenship. Nan Eileen Mead, co-executive director of DemocracyReady NY, and Michael Rebell, a senior advisor to the Coalition, were also among the day's panelists. Throughout the day, coalition members collectively articulated some of DemocracyReady NY’s near-term priorities for policymakers' consideration: 

  • Solidify civic preparation as a P-12 endeavor that includes models for civil discourse in covering controversial issues; 

  • Provide universal access to the Seal of Civic Readiness and other experiential civic learning opportunities.

  • Support universal media literacy education with library media specialists in every school;

  • Expand efforts to preregister 16- and 17-year-olds to vote.

The day also featured remarks from Rowan Wilson, Chief Judge of the NYS Court of Appeals, and other luminaries in the legal community, as well as NYS Education Commissioner Betty Rosa and NYS Senator Shelley Mayer, who also serves as the Senate’s Education Committee Chair. We’re thrilled to have been able to reach a broad audience and make new connections among like-minded advocates for civic preparation. Stay tuned for more updates!