Teens' Decode Hate Video Challenge Awards Ceremony and Follow-Up Discussion

Join the top five finalists of our Decode Hate Video Challenge for a LIVE judging panel and awards ceremony to celebrate the winners with cash prizes!

Dr. Matthias Becker will be attendance as one of the judges and will hold a public Q&A forum for participants who would like to debrief around his April 21st event.

About the Challenge

In connection with the Decoding Hate and Bias on Social Media with Dr. Matthias Becker event, teens have the opportunity to engage, create and compete — and to rethink how social media shapes hate by making a 1-2 minute video that exposes how hate and bias spread on social media — and shows how we can push back.

Click here for more information about the contest, including guidelines, structure, and prizes. (Win up to $1000!)

Powered by... The Westport Library and Gerber Family Foundation

Decode Hate With Us

As social media transcends the boundaries of the digital world, how do we differentiate between free speech and hate speech online — and how do we combat its harmful effects?

The Westport Library is excited to present a special interactive Common Ground experience that will answer these questions and more, giving participants of all ages the tools they need to Decode Hate — by identifying harmful discourse and recognizing how it shapes our worldview online and offline.

Led by renowned research scholar Dr. Matthias J. Becker, the centerpiece of this three-part experience is a 90-minute seminar on April 21 at 7 pm, free to attend and open to all.

Prior to the seminar on April 21, high school students are invited to join us in Brooks Place at 6 pm to learn about the second component of this experience: an accompanying Decode Hate Video Challenge for Teens. We'll kick things off with pizza as we spark the conversation on bias and hate — from slurs to memes to microaggressions and more.

This challenge offers teens the chance to speak up and create a compelling 1-2 minute video that demonstrates how social media shapes hate. Together, we’ll expose how bias spreads and flip the script toward respect, empathy, and real conversation.

Use your voice for change and win cash prizes! First place wins $1000; second place: $750; third place: $500. Click here for more details and challenge guidelines.

Following this informative session, challenge participants will join us for Dr. Becker's talk at 7 pm. Learn something new and get inspired to turn Dr. Becker's expertise into a narrative that shines a light on hate and makes your audience think.

Challenge participants and seminar attendees are then invited to return on Thursday, May 28 at 6 pm for a LIVE judging panel and awards ceremony with the top five finalists. Join us as we award the winners and celebrate the impact of our community as it comes together to uplift each other's voices.

Support for this Common Ground Initiative special presentation with Matthias Becker is provided by CT Humanities as part of its America 250 | CT program.