NexGen intern Hedda Rejsjoe (middle)
ROCKVILLE, Md. – Montgomery Community Media (MCM) is proud to announce that high school NexGen intern Hedda Rejsjoe has received a national Hometown Media Award from the Alliance for Community Media for her original video podcast episode, YouthTalks – Beyond Borders: Being a Young Immigrant. This is the second Hometown Award for YouthTalks.
The episode earned the award for Best of Entertainment & Arts Single Episode – Student, competing against hundreds of student productions from across the country.
Developed and hosted by Rejsjoe, YouthTalks – Beyond Borders: Being a Young Immigrant explores the experiences of first-generation immigrants in Montgomery County. Rejsjoe, a Swiss immigrant, joins other first-generation immigrants in a candid conversation about immigration bias in America. The discussion examines how race, nationality, and appearance shape an immigrant’s experience, while highlighting the different perceptions and privileges often associated with European immigrants compared to immigrants from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
“When Hedda first approached me with the Beyond Borders podcast, I was intrigued because it challenged the stereotypes many people associate with immigrants in America,” said Danielle Ricks, MCM Director of Education and Community Engagement. “Although Hedda did not fit that traditional image as a Swiss immigrant, she still experienced the pressure of being seen as ‘other.’ Having her begin the podcast off camera was intentional because I wanted audiences to confront their own assumptions before seeing her on screen. The result was a powerful and honest conversation about identity, bias, and belonging.”
The episode reflects Montgomery County’s diverse community and encourages audiences to examine unconscious biases surrounding immigration and identity, centering honest conversations about belonging and representation.
“I am so grateful for Montgomery Community Media and look forward to continuing my passion in media,” said Rejsjoe.
The Education and Community Engagement team
The production is part of MCM’s YouthTalks podcast initiative through the Digital Futures Institute (DFI) NexGen youth media program, overseen by the department Education & Community Engagement Director, and the Media & Education Production Manager, Delmar Patterson. The podcast creates space for meaningful dialogue among local youth, residents, and local organizations and businesses.
The DFI program at MCM is designed to train the next generation of content creators in digital storytelling and production, with a strong focus on racial equity and social justice. Through programs like NexGen and the BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ Digital Storytelling Fellowship, DFI equips emerging storytellers with the skills, mentorship, technology, and support needed to create impactful, inclusive, and equitable media.
To learn more about the Digital Futures Institute, the fellowship, and NexGen youth media initiatives, visit: https://www.mymcmedia.org/the-digital-futures-institute
YouthTalks can be found wherever you get your podcasts including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and YouTube.
Media Contact:
Olivia Goldstein
Marketing Coordinator
Montgomery Community Media
P: 240-630-0609
ogoldstein@mymcmedia.org
