Video Volunteers Winter 2022
Five students teamed up with Video Volunteers to create a database of content creators who amplify marginalized voices by sharing first-person narratives on social media.
Video Volunteers asked a team of five students to research content creators who share their personal “lived experiences” in an effort to find and magnify marginalized voices who shed light on important social problems in our society. They specifically had a goal of finding individuals on YouTube who speak about personal experiences with racial injustice, reservation life, disabilities, and seeking refuge. The team also explored ways to reach a larger audience through strategic tactics such as search engine optimization.
Within a semester, the students developed a social media strategy, created issue-specific YouTube playlists, and compiled research summaries. Additionally, they provided social media templates and recommendations for implementation that included ready-to-post content.
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Research Findings
The team found that many times in various departments, there would be two similar products packaged very differently. One would be packaged exclusively in plastic, while the other was in a cardboard box. Cardboard is much better for the environment than plastic, and changing this packaging is an easy way to increase sustainability. As they did walkthroughs, they noted each time this occurred and recommended that cardboard packaging be adopted as the standard.
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Social Media Strategy
As the team conducted walkthroughs, they documented products that had received either of two critical certifications: the Forest Stewardship (FSC) certification and the Energy Star certification. The former designates whether paper and wood products were sourced sustainably, while the latter indicates that the product uses power more efficiently and can save the consumer money in energy bills. If a product was certified but not labeled as such, it was reported to a department representative.
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Content Creator Index
To create a more circular economy, it’s important to keep packaging out of landfills. As the team did walkthroughs, they noticed that some products used coated paper instead of regular cardboard. In most cases, coated paper cannot be recycled. They also noted the frequent use of plastic trays in packaging. Because plastic trays cannot be recycled easily, they recommended that plastic zip ties be used to hold a product to a piece of cardboard as an alternative.
“This opened my eyes to the reality of how rare & important first-person narratives about social issues are.”
Kelly Branson, SIP Team Member
Team Members
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Amanda Gardner
Amanda is a psychology student interested in creating positive social change. She has volunteered at Springville City Youth Court and Impact Y-Serve. Amanda joined this project to cultivate project management and teamwork skills.
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Isaac Jepson
Isaac is a business major from Mansfield, Texas. He fluently speaks Tagalog and served an LDS mission in the Philippines. Isaac joined the Video Volunteers team to help amplify unheard voices in marginalized communities.
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Kelly Branson
Kelly is a BYU student from Redwood City, California.
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Colin Iund
Colin is a BYU student.
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Annabelle Peterson
Annabelle is an advertising major working toward a minor in design thinking. She served an LDS mission in Franc and Switzerland. Annabelle is an art director at the BYU AdLab and joined the Video Volunteers team to embrace new creative opportunities.