I am Jessica Sass, a master’s student at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, in the Education, Culture, and Society Program. I work for Courier Newsroom with their Pennsylvania-based Keystone Newsroom. In this pro-democracy, progressive news space, I serve as a content development organizer focused on amplifying grassroots efforts on a variety of issues through digital and written stories. 

I am passionate about leveraging multimedia to create comprehensive storytelling that delivers factual and accessible news and history. My commitment lies in speaking truth to power while also uplifting communities during a time when many institutions have failed.

Some of the questions that guided this portfolio were: How do restrictions on content and censorship dehumanize and invalidate lived experiences? Can extra-textual storytelling democratize the retelling of history? How might multimedia create protected spaces for what we consider factual amidst increasing censorship and surveillance? Finally, what role and responsibility do schools, informal educational spaces, and digital platforms have in shaping our understanding of multimodalities and digital literacies?

I often reflect on the invaluable support I’ve received from my family and the educators in my life, who have shaped my journey and convictions. I see myself standing on the shoulders of giants, uplifted by the lessons of both formal and informal mentors (family, friends, educators, mentors, co-workers) who have provided me with a deep sense of grounding and responsibility for community building. I currently live in Philadelphia, where my apartment is filled with vintage paintings and knick-knacks that remind me of my home in Los Angeles. My love for antiques, passed down from my mom, brings a sense of home and history wherever I am.