by Leah Debber

In 2011, Miss Representation sparked an international conversation around the media’s inaccurate and demeaning portrayals of women and girls – and how they have led directly to the severe lack of women in positions of power and influence around the world. As part of our growing effort to challenge the media to do better, we asked our supporters a simple question: how can the media do a better job of representing you?

From India to Illinois, participants uploaded their videos to our Represent Us campaign page to tell us exactly what they really want to see on screen. The submissions urge media makers to capture “the realities of our own lives” and ask for action on issues such as “better representation of women of color” and “media which does not perpetuate harmful stereotypes.”

We have compiled a few of our favorite submissions for media makers and the general public to view and share. With the help from our participants, we can expose those in charge to what consumers are really interested in seeing:

It’s not too late for you to become a part of this movement! Just record a short YouTube video of yourself responding to the question “How can the media represent you better?” and then upload it at Represent-Us.org. Share your video with friends and family and encourage them to make one themselves. For every thousand videos submitted, MissRepresentation.org will hand deliver them to a top media executive!

Leah is an intern with MissRepresentation.org studying at the University of California-Santa Cruz