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We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
— Winston Churchill
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Explore. Create. Connect. | |
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As we approach the end of the year, UMA reflects on the stories that have emerged from our community which exemplify and express our value. We hope these reflections, organized around our new tagline, inspire you to offer what support you can!
Explore. Create. Connect.
UMA is a vibrant and vital resource to the community. We are a window to the unique people, history, and possibilities of Malden. Yet, to continue to thrive in this age of declining cable revenues, we require the financial support of the community we serve.
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Design by Aliyah Dominguez | |
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From the Executive Director,
Tina LeGarde
When I arrived in Malden two and a half years ago, I was filled with excitement for the future of Urban Media Arts (UMA) and eager to truly understand what it means to be a New Englander. I wanted to experience the warmth of a close-knit, supportive community and learn how I could contribute to it. My goal was to help create a sustainable future for UMA—an organization with a deep, longstanding commitment to community media and empowering voices through creativity.
Today, I’m thrilled to say I have fallen in love with the Celtics and indulge in all the seafood the East Coast has to offer, and I’m still learning what it means to be a New Englander.
Malden has embraced my family with open arms, and we feel so loved and supported by the incredible community members we’ve met, who continue to inspire and uplift us every day.
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And I am even more excited about the future of UMA. We are actively developing a bold new strategic plan that will elevate our services to youth, foster deeper community partnerships, and embrace innovative ideas in the media arts. With a clear vision for growth and impact, UMA is poised to expand its reach, create new opportunities for creative expression, and strengthen our commitment to empowering individuals through the transformative power of media. The possibilities are endless, and I am thrilled to be part of this exciting journey.
Gratefully, Tina
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EXPLORE:
DISCOVER AND SEE WHAT EXISTS
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This year, thanks to your support, we've been able to expose new members to opportunities that have helped them discover abilities, explore interests and create positive impact. | |
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Housing Families is an organizational member of Urban Media Arts. Middle school students from their afterschool program come to UMA each week to learn media production skills which also transfer to important life skills as well.
- Learning to direct a show teaches leadership and the agency to make things happen
- Tech set-up teaches how to handle technology and solve problems
- Camerawork teaches a conscious way to look at the world
- Hosting and interviewing teaches poise, confidence and conversational skills;
- Media production as a whole teaches teamwork, cooperation and social interaction.
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"Visiting UMA every week has been such an awesome opportunity for students in our after-school program! Staff create an intentional, supportive space for students and staff to come together to learn new skills, grow in confidence, and build relationships as we collaboratively work towards creating our own show. It's truly such a special place for people of all ages! We love UMA!"
— Julia Ryan
Enrichment Coordinator, Housing Families
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YWCA TASK (Teen Advocates Sharing Knowledge) | |
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“While working with UMA, I was able to learn a lot about teamwork and the effort it takes to put work into media production. I think it's important because there’s so much to learn and it can even help you figure out your career path or even just everyday life essentials. The skills I’ve learned in UMA about cameras have helped me in my photography club.”
— Waina Coles
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“I enjoy going to UMA since every time I go there, I’m always learning a new skill or transferable skill within video production that I can use in my life later on. It’s always a learning experience in a fun way!”
— Leica Naceus
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"UMA has made a difference to the YWCA TASK program in numerous ways. UMA has been so welcoming and patient with the girls who have spent a vast amount of time there over the years learning about the cameras, audio equipment, lighting, and control room, as well as editing material.
These learning opportunities have educated the girls and opened up their media world. By gaining this valuable knowledge, they are able to produce and edit monthly podcasts as well as successfully produce shows on important topics that have been shown on YouTube [and the cable channel]. UMA has truly been a place for them to show their creativity."
— Sabrina Monteiro, Senior TASK leader
& Christina Murphy, TASK Coordinator
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Malden High School Youth Program | |
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“Our students have been given the opportunity to engage in Project Based Learning (PBL) at UMA, through a combination of service and learning. They gain valuable work skills on both maintenance of the facility and learning to use all the equipment and resources at UMA.
Their enthusiasm is matched by the energy and opportunities of all the staff at UMA; they have made time, space, and knowledge available to all. More importantly, our students have learned that they are part of the larger community of Malden. This has been, and will continue to be, a wonderful community experience for all involved.“
— Kelli Collomb, MHS Transition Coordinator
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CREATE:
MAKE SOMETHING NEW.
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UMA provides the atmosphere and conditions for the creation of media, stories, community and shared meaning. This year several new creative ventures were born and are already making an impact. | |
Contro-Verse Poetry Open Mic | |
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Nearly one year ago, a group of local poets started a bi-weekly poetry open mic that has steadily built a following, inspiring local amateur and professional poets to share their work in a welcoming community space.
Contro-Verse meets every 2nd and 4th Monday in Studio A. The program is recorded. All are welcome to attend or sign up to read your poetry!
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"Urban Media Arts has allowed us to realize our vision of creating a performance space for poets which hasn't existed in Malden prior to the Contro-Verse project.
We produce a show that captures a live performance and then broadcasts it to a larger audience. UMA also makes it possible for us to grow an inclusive community that affords the opportunity for diverse groups of people to perform on stage and give voice to their experiences.
Our show is truly community driven and we learn how to produce the best show possible through the dedication of staff and team members at UMA. We can now can proudly say that there is a safe performance space for poets to come and perform their art for the Malden community."
— Chris Hickey, Contro-Verse team member
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Creating a Waterfront Park by the Malden River | |
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Malden River Works is a coalition of community leaders of color, environmental advocates, and government stakeholders in action to achieve a common goal: to create a climate resilient waterfront park on the Malden River for all.
"The Malden River Works Steering Committee and Team are thrilled to be utilizing the resources at Urban Media Arts to create a collaborative social media project. Our goal is to continually engage the Malden community with the construction of the Malden River Works waterfront park and the Malden River.
In the past, The Friends of the Malden River and members of Malden River Works have worked with UMA on different community media projects such as the "Voice of the River" youth photo project and youth-run Public Service Announcements. The productions introduced a greater community to the Malden River to explore and enjoy Malden's Blue Gem! Malden River Works' Social Media Project will further this message of community engagement."
— Karen Buck, Malden River representative
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Over the past several months, a team of friends from Malden's gaming scene have been working on rolling out a video game competition show called "Couch Quests."
"This project has been a great creative outlet for us all on the production team! We're all driven to do this by our passion for video games, both as an art form and as a medium to build community. We couldn't have formed this production team without the Malden Gaming District, so including more of our fellow Maldonians was the next logical step.
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Urban Media Arts has been very welcoming to our local gaming community, and we couldn't be more thankful for the staff! Not to mention, UMA is such a powerful resource for fellow creatives/artists; the fact this exists within our community was inspiring to say the least, and we couldn't wait to see what was possible.
Soon, we will see the final results of months of practice, lots of teamwork, and plenty of help from UMA and the MGD community. We are very thankful for this moment!"
—Jacquay Spradley, "Couch Quests" producer
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CONNECT:
SHARED SPACE AND EXPERIENCES THAT LEAD TO CHANGE
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When people gather and share ideas, energy, and skills, they achieve more. When diverse ideas combine or even collide in community, this can lead to innovation. UMA has been focused on gathering diverse members of the community to work together toward a common goal. It also invites people to share stories that raise awareness and inform. Your generosity will help us continue the multiplying effects of community initiatives, stories, and creative collaborations. | |
Community Calendar Initiative | |
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Urban Media Arts (UMA) is spearheading a Community Calendar Initiative in Malden to meet a longstanding need for a central calendar that is up to date, comprehensive, and centralized. Working with a team of partners, including the City of Malden, Creative Malden, and several other pillar organizations representing various sectors across the City, the goal is to effectively showcase Malden's unique events, places, people, activities, and cultures in ways that attract attendance.
The calendar is useable now. All are welcome to submit and search for events for free. Note: the tool and the associated processes are being honed. The tool will officially be launched in 2025.
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SUPPORT UMA
DONATE. BECOME A MEMBER. VOLUNTEER.
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Make a gift of any amount and know that your generosity helps us immediately. Ask your employer to match the donation. | |
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Become a sustaining member
by giving regularly, and help us
plan for long-term success.
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Thank you for being part of our community.
We look forward to all that we will achieve together in 2025!
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