TMN Recognized with 'Media Literate Media Award' During U.S. Media Literacy Week

In recognition of its innovative work in empowering young people to navigate and shape today’s media landscape, Teens Media Network (TMN), a project of Colectivo Piloto, has been awarded the prestigious "Media Literate Media Award" by the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE). The award, which honors organizations making significant contributions to media literacy, highlights TMN’s commitment to fostering independent storytelling and critical thinking among youth across Europe and the United States.

Teens Media Network - Media Literate Media Award 2024.

I can’t help but reflect on how far we’ve come since I founded Colectivo Piloto nearly 20 years ago in Barcelona. At the time, I was driven by a passion to help people use technology in meaningful ways—to not just consume it, but to create something powerful with it. I remember launching our first project, the miniFILM festival, back in 2004. It was a festival that encouraged people, who weren’t professional filmmakers, to pick up their digital cameras and tell stories through film. This was right around the time YouTube was just beginning, and while platforms like that provided a space, we were focused on providing the content, the stories, and, most importantly, the critical thinking behind the technology.

Now, almost 20 years later, Teens Media Network feels like the natural continuation of that vision. TMN is a platform where young people from all over the world can come together, use the technology they’re so familiar with, and tell their own stories—unfiltered. We’ve got over 30 young creators in Europe and more than 30 in the U.S., all contributing to a global conversation that’s entirely theirs. What makes this network unique is that it’s not driven by a commercial agenda or traditional editorial control. It’s driven by the voices of young people themselves.

That’s why receiving the 'Media Literate Media Award' from NAMLE is such a significant moment for us. It’s a recognition of the space we’ve carved out for youth, where they can gather, create, and grow in a safe, collaborative environment. In an age where mainstream media often overlooks youth perspectives, we’re proud to be filling that gap and offering a platform where their voices truly matter.

We rely on donations and support to keep TMN running and expanding. If you believe in our mission to amplify young voices and provide them with a platform to learn, create, and grow, we invite you to consider making a donation. Your support helps us continue offering young people the opportunity to engage in media literacy, creative content production, and storytelling—skills that are essential in today’s media-driven world. By donating, you are directly contributing to the next generation of storytellers, journalists, and content creators. Every bit of support helps us take this project to new heights.

The award ceremony will be held this Thursday, October 24, as part of U.S. Media Literacy Week, and it’s open for anyone to attend online. Beyond the ceremony, Media Literacy Week is a chance to focus on the essential skills of media literacy—Access, Analyze, Evaluate, Create, and Act. These are the same skills we’ve been championing through TMN, and they’re more important than ever in today’s media-saturated world.

What is NAMLE?

The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) is at the forefront of media literacy education in the U.S., promoting the ability to critically engage with media in all its forms. NAMLE envisions a world where everyone can access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication, and their work has been instrumental in shaping how media literacy is taught across the country.

For us at TMN, this award is a reminder of the impact we’re making. Our network is growing, and so is our influence in the media literacy space. We’re not just teaching young people how to use media; we’re giving them the tools to think critically, express themselves creatively, and engage with the world in meaningful ways. This is only the beginning, and I’m excited to see where the next chapter takes us.