Radical Citizen Media

Radical Citizen Media is an independent media outlet that visually documents the peace movement, activist community, and contemporary issues from a progressive perspective in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The site operates with the philosophy that the best way to report on an event or issue is to present it as it happens, so that viewers can draw meanings for themselves.

Originally known as RaiseMyVoice.com, the site got started in 2005. Paula E. Kirman is the main photographer/videographer behind Radical Citizen Media. She is an Edmonton-based freelance writer, editor, and photographer who is involved with community media as the editor of Boyle McCauley News. Paula was formerly with Our Voice Street Magazine, where she wrote the Active Observer social justice column, and is now the webmaster/contributor with Alberta Street News. One of her goals is to empower people to tell their own stories through writing and photography, engaging them in citizen journalism.

In 2012, Paula received the Salvos Prelorentzos Peace Award. The Salvos Prelorentzos Peace Awards is an annual event organized by Project Ploughshares to honour someone in Edmonton who has contributed to the cause of peace but who has not been formally recognized for their work. She was chosen for the award for her work documenting the local activist community, and getting the community online with social media, blogs, and websites. As well, she was noted for her role as a musician at many events. Salvos Prelorentzos was a veteran of WWII who returned from battle a committed pacifist.

Most of the photos are hosted at Paula’s Flickr. Videos for most of these events can also be found at Paula’s YouTube site.

For more coverage of Edmonton’s activist scene, you can read Paula’s blog Sacred Social Justice. Contact Paula at paula@raisemyvoice.com.