“Ask Me What Is True?” (90 Minutes)

This interactive training session offers librarians a hands-on introduction to “What Is True?” — a media literacy initiative from the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at The University of Southern Mississippi designed to help the public separate fact from fiction. Participants will learn how to recognize common types of misinformation and disinformation, spot red flags in news and social media, and practice basic fact-checking techniques using real-world examples. Attendees will complete a short quiz at the end of the session to earn a media literacy certificate. This session is ideal for those looking to strengthen their own skills or bring practical media literacy tools back to their communities.

Facilitators include Nichole Cyprian, the center’s director, and Joshua Wilson, the center’s community liaison. Cyprian, with more than 16 years of experience in television news, has led newsrooms across the Southeast and most recently served as senior director of news at KATC-TV in Lafayette, Louisiana. Wilson, a longtime journalist, has worked as a reporter, editor, and communications professional across the state and serves as an adjunct professor of media and communication at Southern Miss.