History

Free Spirit Media was established in 2000 with the formation of HoopsHIGH, a sports media educational program. Jeff McCarter, a cameraman, editor, and Emmy Award-winning producer in the film and television industries, developed the idea of matching youth passion for basketball with his media expertise to allow students to broadcast high school sports, creating FSM's first program, HoopsHIGH. Free Spirit Media immediately saw the effectiveness of its method and expanded beyond sports broadcasting to include documentary, drama, and public service announcement production.

In 2001, FSM and Umoja Student Development Corporation's summer Community Builders program began creating documentaries. Together, FSM and Umoja have covered a variety of topics, including the history of North Lawndale, the value of urban green space, equity in public transportation, youth voice in educational practices, and school violence. These documentaries have won top awards at the Chicago Youth Media Festival and the National Alliance for Community Media's Hometown Video Festival.

In 2004, North Lawndale College Preparatory Charter School (NLCP) welcomed FSM into their school, allowing FSM to add in-school video production classes to its offerings. FSM also works with students on senior and independent projects and offers extra-curricular activities in video, music, and journalism. In 2007, NLCP opened a second campus at Collins High School and invited FSM to expand with them to teach video production classes and lead after-school programming.

In 2006, FSM entered a new partnership with the Gary Comer Youth Center on Chicago's south side. The Gary Comer Youth Center (GCYC), which opened in the spring of 2006, includes a television control room with audio-video connectivity to the theatre and gymnasium, as well as multiple edit suites dedicated for FSM programming. FSM runs an after school program at GCYC in which students produce a talk show called Perspectives of Teens in Chicago, as well as short documentary-style packages.

FSM has served more than 800 students since its inception in 2000 and now serves over 500 participants each year. FSM continuously strives to create innovative programs and establish unique partnerships that will impact the lives of our young people.