Finding aid for the L.A. Youth newspapers and records, 1989-2013 LSC.2297

Machine-readable finding aid prepared by Caroline Cubé.

UCLA Library Special Collections

Online finding aid last updated 16 December 2016.

Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library

Box 951575

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575

Business Number: 310-825-4988

Fax Number: 310-206-1864

spec-coll@library.ucla.edu

URL: https://www.library.ucla.edu/special-collections

Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections

Title: L.A. Youth newspapers and records

Identifier/Call Number: LSC.2297

Physical Description: 4.2 Linear Feet (1 box, 7 flat boxes, 5 CD boxes)

Date (inclusive): 1989-2013

Abstract: This collection documents the publications, copyright agreements, digital archives, and release forms of the independent student-written publication L.A. Youth, which ran from 1989 to 2013. It was the largest teen-run newspaper in the United States, and became known for tackling controversial topics like gang violence, mental illness, teen homelessness, and partner abuse.

Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Language of Material: Materials are primarily in English.

Conditions on Access

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Condtions on Use and Reproduction

Copyright to portions of this collection has been assigned to the UCLA Library Special Collections. The library can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the copyright. All requests for permission to publish must be submitted in writing to Library Special Collections. Credit shall be given as follows: The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the UCLA Library Special Collections.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital materials. All requests to access digital materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of Youth News Service, dba L.A. Youth, 2015.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], L.A. Youth Newspapers and Records (Collection 2297). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Processing Information

Processed by Melanie Jones in 2016 in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT) under the supervision of Courtney Dean.

Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.

We are committed to providing ethical, inclusive, and anti-racist description of the materials we steward, and to remediating existing description of our materials that contains language that may be offensive or cause harm. We invite you to submit feedback about how our collections are described, and how they could be described more accurately, by filling out the form located on our website: Report Potentially Offensive Description in Library Special Collections.

UCLA Catalog Record ID

UCLA Catalog Record ID: 9979898633606533

Biography/History

L.A. Youth was an independent, city-wide, teen-written newspaper that ran for 25 years, from 1988 to 2013. It was created by former teacher Donna Myrow in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, which empowered school administrators to control the content of school publications.

By 2002, L.A. Youth had an estimated readership of 350,000, making it the largest teen independent newspaper in the United States. The newspaper, published every two months, was distributed for free to teachers in public, private, and charter schools, community-based youth programs

, and libraries, as well as centers for juvenile justice and foster care. The paper was also sent abroad to students in China, France, and Africa.

In 2003, L.A. Youth's Foster Youth Writing and Education Project expanded its staff of writers to youth in foster care and probation systems. As a tax-exempt non-profit, L.A. Youth partnered with organizations to fund their magazine and promote awareness on issues like destigmatizing mental illness and advocating green living. Issues tackled subjects as wide-ranging as homelessness, gang violence, suicide, sex education, electoral politics, educational reform, immigration, and homophobia.

From 2002-2005, eight L.A. Youth students were recognized at the Los Angeles Times High School Journalism Awards, and L.A. Youth stories were reprinted in the Los Angeles Times (who provided major funding for printing costs) and The New York Times, as well as adapted for NPR. Alums went on to work at the Baltimore Sun, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, NPR, Newsweek, and the Chicago Reporter, among other top publications.

California's financial crisis and the 2008 recession hurt L.A. Youth's funding, and the newspaper closed shortly after publishing its 25th anniversary issue. Their sister publication in New York, Represent Magazine, is still running.

Scope and Content

This collection documents the writings of the independent student-written publication L.A. Youth, which ran for 25 years before closing operations in 2013. By 2002, it had an estimated readership of 350,000, distributed for free to teachers in public, private, and charter schools, community-based youth

programs

, and libraries, as well as centers for juvenile justice and foster care. In addition to print issues and a digital archive, the collection contains a guide to student journalism, copyright forms, and release form by writers' parents and juvenile courts.

Materials are largely textual, comprising print issues of the publication and copyright and court release forms. Among other formats are CDs and DVDs.

Some significant topics represented in these files are: gun violence, poverty, homelessness, mental illness, religious intolerance, immigration, racism, police brutality, homophobia, domestic abuse and partner violence, sexual assault, gang warfare, addiction, the foster care system, school shootings, weight issues, self-harm, school censorship, environmental activism, affirmative action, and student employment.

Organization and Arrangement

This collection has been arranged in the following series:

Series 1: Print Issues (1989-2013)
Series 2: Digital Archives and Production Files (1996-2013)
Series 3: Copyright and Release Agreements (1998-2013)

The collection's series have been organized by publication date or subject name.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Student newspapers and periodicals

Print Issues 1989-2013

Scope and Content

This series comprises copies of the paper issues published every two months by L.A. Youth from 1989 to 2013. Significant topics include gun violence, poverty, homelessness, mental illness, religious intolerance, immigration, racism, police brutality, homophobia, domestic abuse and partner violence, sexual assault, gang warfare, addiction, the foster care system, school shootings, weight issues, self-harm, school censorship, environmental activism, affirmative action, student employment, and the LA art scene.

Organization and Arrangement

This series has been organized chronologically.

box 1, folder 1

Feb - June 1989-1991

box 1, folder 2

Feb - July 1992

box 1, folder 3

April - October 1993

box 1, folder 4

April - July 1994

box 1, folder 5

Sept - Dec 1994

box 1, folder 6

March - Dec 1995

box 1, folder 7

Nov - Feb 1995-1996

box 1, folder 8

May - Feb 1996-1997

box 1, folder 9

March - May 1997

box 2, folder 1

May - Oct 1997

box 2, folder 2

Nov - Feb 1997-1998

box 2, folder 3

March - June 1998

box 2, folder 4

Sept - Dec 1998

box 2, folder 5

Jan - April 1999

box 2, folder 6

May - Oct 1999

box 2, folder 7

Nov - Dec 1999

box 2, folder 8

Jan - April 2000

box 2, folder 9

May - Oct 2000

box 3, folder 1

Nov - Dec 2000

box 3, folder 2

Jan - April 2001

box 3, folder 3

May - Oct 2001

box 3, folder 4

Nov - Dec 2001

box 3, folder 5

Jan - April 2002

box 3, folder 6

May - Oct 2002

box 3, folder 7

Nov - Dec 2002

box 3, folder 8

Jan - June 2003

box 4, folder 1

Sept - Oct 2003

box 4, folder 2

Nov - Feb 2003-2004

box 4, folder 3

March - June 2004

box 4, folder 4

Sept - Dec 2004

box 4, folder 5

Jan - April 2005

box 4, folder 6

May - Sept 2005

box 4, folder 7

Oct - Nov 2005

box 5, folder 1

Jan - April 2006

box 5, folder 2

May - Sept 2006

box 5, folder 3

Oct - Nov 2006

box 5, folder 4

Jan - April 2007

box 5, folder 5

May - Sept 2007

box 5, folder 6

Oct - Dec 2007

box 5, folder 7

Jan - April 2008

box 5, folder 8

May - Sept 2008

box 5, folder 9

Oct - Dec 2008

box 6, folder 1

Jan - April 2009

box 6, folder 2

May - Sept 2009

box 6, folder 3

Oct - Dec 2009

box 6, folder 4

Jan - April 2010

box 6, folder 5

May - Sept 2010

box 6, folder 5

Oct - Dec 2010

box 6, folder 7

Jan - April 2011

box 6, folder 8

May - Sept 2011

box 6, folder 9

Oct - Dec 2011

box 7, folder 1

Jan - June 2012

box 7, folder 2

Sept - Oct 2012

box 7, folder 3

Jan - April 2013

box 7

Death by Cheeseburger: High School Journalism in the 1990s and Beyond (The Freedom Forum) 1994

Scope and Content

Book on the history of high school journalism published by Freedom Forum in 1994.

Digital Archives and Production Files 1996-2013

Scope and Content

This series comprises digital records of the artwork and articles published by L.A. Youth from 1996 to 2013, as well as advertisements, image files, teachers' guides, and other web materials. Significant topics include gun violence, poverty, homelessness, mental illness, religious intolerance, immigration, racism, police brutality, homophobia, domestic abuse and partner violence, sexual assault, gang warfare, addiction, the foster care system, school shootings, weight issues, self-harm, school censorship, environmental activism, affirmative action, student employment, and the LA art scene.

Series contains 239 CDs (digital issues), 45 DVDs (designs, photos, ads).

Organization and Arrangement

This series has been organized chronologically.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.

box 10

Jan - Feb (1-2) 1996

box 10

March - April (1-2) 1996

box 10

May - June (1-2) 1996

box 10

Sept - Oct (1-2) 1996

box 10

Nov - Dec (1-4) 1996

box 10

Jan - Feb (1-2) 1997

box 10

Mar - April (1-2) 1997

box 10

May - June (1-3) 1997

box 10

Sept - Oct (1-2) 1997

box 10

Nov - Dec (1-2) 1997

box 10

Jan - Feb (1-2) 1998

box 10

March - April (1-2) 1998

box 10

May - June (1-2) 1998

box 10

Sept - Oct (1-2) 1998

box 10

Nov - Dec (1-2) 1998

box 10

Jan - Feb (1-2) 1999

box 10

March - April (1-2) 1999

box 10

May - June (1-2) 1999

box 10

Sept - Oct (1-2) 1999

box 10

Nov - Dec (1-2) 1999

box 10

Jan - Feb (1-2) 2000

box 10

March - April (1-2) 2000

box 10

May - June (1-2) 2000

box 10

August 2000

box 10

Fall (1-2) 2000

box 10

Sept - Oct (1-3) 2000

box 10

Nov (1-2) 2000

box 10

Jan - Feb (1-4) 2001

box 10

March - April (1-4) 2001

box 10

May - June (1-5) 2001

box 10

Sept - Oct (1-4) 2001

box 10

Nov - Dec (1-2) 2001

box 10

Jan - Feb (1-6) 2002

box 10

March - April (1-4) 2002

box 10

May - June (1-4) 2002

box 10

Sept- Oct (1-2) 2002

box 10

Sports Fall (1-3) 2002

box 10

Nov - Dec (1-2) 2002

box 10, box 11

Jan - Feb (1-5) 2003

box 11

March - April (1-6) 2003

box 11

May - June (1-4) 2003

box 11

Fall Jobs (1-4) 2003

box 11

Sept (1-4) 2003

box 11

Nov - Dec (1-4) 2003

box 11

Jan (1-5) 2004

box 11

March - April (1-4) 2004

box 11

May - June (1-4) 2004

box 11

Sept (1-4) 2004

box 11

Oct (1-4) 2004

box 11

Nov - Dec (1-4) 2004

box 13

LA Youth Beta Tape 2005-2007

box 13

Jan - Feb (1-5) 2005

box 13

March - April (1-6) 2005

box 13

May - June (1-4)

box 13

Sept (1-4) 2005

box 13

Oct (1-4) 2005

box 13

Nov (1-2) 2005

box 13

Jan - Feb (1-4) 2006

box 13

March - April (1-4) 2006

box 13

May - June (1-4) 2006

box 13

Sept (1-4) 2006

box 13

Oct (1-4) 2006

box 13

Nov (1-4) 2006

box 13

Jan - Feb (1-4) 2007

box 12

March - April (1-6) 2007

box 12

May (1-6) 2007

box 12

Sept (1-6) 2007

box 12

Oct (1-3) 2007

box 12

Nov (1-3) 2007

box 12

Jan (1-10) 2008

box 12

March (1-2) 2008

box 12

May - June (1-2) 2008

box 12

Sept (1-2) 2008

box 12

Oct (1-2) 2008

box 12

Nov - Dec (1-2) 2008

box 12

Jan - Feb (1-2) 2009

box 12

March - April 2009

box 12

May - June (1-2) 2009

box 12

Sept (1-4) 2009

box 12

Oct (1-3) 2009

box 12

Nov - Dec 2009

box 12

Jan - Feb (1-2) 2010

box 12

March - April 2010

box 12

May - June 2010

box 9

Sept (1-2) 2010

box 9

Oct (1-3) 2010

box 9

Nov - Dec (1-2) 2010

box 9

Jan - Feb 2011

box 9

March - April 2011

box 9

May - June 2011

box 9

Sept 2011

box 9

Oct 2011

box 9

Nov - Dec 2011

box 9

Jan - Feb 2012

box 9

March - April (1-2) 2012

box 9

May - June (1-2) 2012

box 9

Sept (1-3) 2012

box 9

Oct (1-2) 2012

box 9

Nov - Dec (1-2) 2012

box 9

Jan - Feb (1-5) 2013

box 9

Foster Youth EPS (Jan) 2001

box 9

Fonts (March) 2001

box 9

Education Report (March) 2001

box 9

CTI Reports (May) 2001

box 9

Dinner Programs (May) 2001

box 9

Anniversary Campaign (Sept) 2001

box 9

Ads (Oct) 2001

box 9

Invites (Nov) 2001

box 9

Moritz Design (Jan) 2002

box 9

Newsletters (Jan) 2002

box 9

Youth Chronicles (May) 2002

box 9

Website Postcard (March) 2002

box 9

Get Real Campaign (May) 2002

Scope and Content

This series comprises copyright forms allowing L.A. Youth to publish teen writers' works and confirm that they will be credited as authors, as well as releases from parents and juvenile court, including the Foster Youth Court, to allow interviewing, photographing, videotaping, and publishing works by minors. This series spans 1989 to 2013.

Organization and Arrangement

This series has been organized by last name.

box 8, folder 1

box 8, folder 2

box 8, folder 3

box 8, folder 4

box 8, folder 5

box 8, folder 6

box 8, folder 7

box 8, folder 8

Releases: A-G 2005-2013

box 8, folder 9

Releases: H-P 2004-2009

box 8, folder 10

Releases: R-Z 2006-2011