Through a Creative Lens (TCL) integrates the objectives of Youth Study Circles and Media Literacy and Me Programs. Through a twelve session curriculum teens are empowered to make better decisions by analyzing what they see, hear and read in the media. Through the TCL curriculum, participants identify important issues then develop action plans and video or other media projects to address them. Youth in the first TCL series wrote, produced and acted in a powerful video about use of “The N Word”. This approach is both unique and creative which allows the youth an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogues around specific issues within their community.