When did your organization launch and why?
The Getting Better Foundation (GBF) launched in August, 2014. Founder and CEO, Joe Phelps identified a perception gap — while the facts reflect this as being one of the best times to be alive, most people do not recognize this. As a result, they mistrust their fellow man, fall prey to anxiety, depression, substance abuse, suicide ideology, crime, racism, and stagnation. We believe in empowering people through media and information literacy (MIL). The GBF supports MIL curriculum in schools, legislative efforts, and has produced a documentary film, “TRUST ME” that will help identify the problem and provide tools to help teach critical thinking skills for the masses.
What makes your organization stand out? What would you say is the most unique thing about your organization?
The Getting Better Foundation supports media literacy curriculum in schools, legislative efforts, and has produced a documentary film, “TRUST ME” that will help identify the perception gap problem – providing tools to help teach critical thinking skills for the masses.
What are recent projects or new resources that your organization would like to share with other NAMLE members?
The Getting Better Foundation is uniquely positioned to help educate the masses due to our esteemed advisory board, built of renowned psychologists, neurologists, journalists, and educators. These advisors are highlighted in our upcoming documentary film, “TRUST ME”. We’ve also built a collaboration of experts and organizations, like NAMLE, who have similar goals — helping empower people to own their own futures through media literacy.
What are the connections between the work of your organization and media literacy?
GBF’s “TRUST ME” film explores why humankind is attracted to stories about violence, how media outlets capitalize on that, and how we gather and share information and misinformation in the digital age. We explore confirmation bias and how innate neurological traits interact with web algorithms to distort how we see the world. “TRUST ME” gives audiences a front row seat to the efforts of individuals, educators, and government regulators all the way up to the United Nations, in promoting journalistic integrity and media literacy around the world.
Viewers will hear stories from teachers and students in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Durango, CO schools, Parents in Chicago, law enforcement in India and anti-vaxxers in New Zealand. World-renowned scientists and journalists then provide accountings of how media “ill-literacy” has led to these most sensational news stories and how media literacy helps overcome anxiety, depression, even violence and crime. Oscar-nominated Director, Roko Belic interviewed an aggregate of prominent social scientists, journalists and educators, like Steven Pinker – behavioral psychologist and author of “Enlightenment Now”, Matt Ridley – member of the UK House of Lords and author of “The Rational Optimist” and Paul Zak – Neuroscience professor at Claremont Graduate University and author of “Trust Factor”, as well as other leading experts in education, journalism and healthcare.
Our compelling human stories and expert interviews unveil ways audiences can detect manipulation from media sources, how they can identify valid messaging and self-limit their own sharing/reporting of credible facts, leading to a positive influence on the state of mental health.
Why is media literacy important to your organization?
The Getting Better Foundation supports Media Literacy curriculum in schools, legislative efforts, and has produced a documentary film, “TRUST ME” that will help identify the perception gap problem – providing tools to help teach critical thinking skills for the masses.
Anything else you want our readers to know about your organization, your mission, or your staff?
We believe media literacy is essential to helping bridge the gap between generations, races, cultures and all people. When people trust one another, they help one another. When people work together, progress occurs.