In Our Media Literacy Era: Fandom, Politics, and the Power of Critical Support

A Pre-Recorded Webinar | MediaEd Insights | Music Education Edition | March 2026

Hosted by the Media Education Lab, Swifties for Hope, and Ocean State Media, with guest speakers David Cooper Moore and Jennifer K Armstrong. Opening reflection written by Swifties for Hope's Olivia Richard. 

Music has always been more than entertainment. It is a shared language, a cultural force, and a catalyst for collective action. Last October, Swifties for Hope partnered with the Media Education Lab for In Our Media Literacy Era: Fandom, Politics and the Power of Critical Support, where we saw and discussed firsthand how music can serve as an entry point into deeper civic engagement, particularly for young people who may not see themselves reflected in traditional political spaces.

Our work is rooted in meeting audiences where they already are, within fandom and within culture. From that starting point, we transform passive consumption into critical thinking, and critical thinking into action. Media literacy is the bridge that makes this transformation possible. It equips individuals not only to analyze the messages embedded in the media they love, but also to question power, identify misinformation, and understand the broader systems shaping the content we all consume.

In today’s digital landscape, where narratives are constantly constructed, amplified, and contested, media literacy is foundational to both individual agency and collective resilience. When paired with the emotional resonance of music, it becomes a powerful tool for political and social mobilization. It allows communities to move beyond awareness and into participation by organizing, advocating, and shaping the conversations that ultimately influence policy, culture, and public life.

At Swifties for Hope, we see fandom not just as community, but as infrastructure. Music creates connection. Media literacy gives that connection clarity and purpose. Together, they form a framework not only for understanding the world, but for actively changing it.

Olivia Richard

Swifties for Hope

Media Director