Environmental Mini PSA

Provide a summary of the contents of your video and a rationale for why YOU chose this topic, in paragraph form. - The Philadelphia PSA on lead poisoning opens with a image of the city skyline and background music, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation right away. The story highlights how common lead poisoning is and how easily it can be avoided by highlighting the impacted families and communities. Expert research from Jahad highlights the causes and effects of lead exposure, and interviews with those affected, like Sa’d and A’aniyah, offer a firsthand account of the psychological and financial costs. Testimonials from a medical practitioner and a concerned citizen emphasize the need of awareness and action. The PSA ends with a call to action, offering resources for assistance and prevention and imploring viewers to join the fight against lead poisoning. The relevance of lead poisoning as a public health issue impacting many families—especially in older metropolitan neighborhoods where lead paint and tainted water pipes are common—led to the decision to focus on the issue in Philadelphia. The subject was chosen to make viewers aware of how serious the problem is and to give them the tools they need to take action to safeguard their communities and themselves.

What did you do well and what could you have done differently? - The PSA uses a compelling mix of calls to action, human tales, and factual information to effectively raise awareness about lead poisoning. The message gains credibility and emotional impact when it incorporates expert opinion and testimonials. Still, the PSA need to have used more images to draw in viewers and emphasize important ideas. The impact of the call to action could also be increased by outlining specific steps viewers can take to combat lead poisoning outside of getting tested and treated.

What was the most meaningful part of the experience of creating the PSA? - Hearing directly from those affected by lead poisoning and knowing that the message might help stop others from going through similar struggles made crafting the PSA the most meaningful aspect of the process. It was also immensely satisfying to work with specialists and activists to raise awareness of a crucial public health issue and rally support for reform. In the end, the event demonstrated the effectiveness of community involvement and storytelling in tackling pressing health issues.