It's pretty easy to dismiss the bulk of media efforts as useless. What, with movies that stimulate less brain activity than watching a Chia pet grow, news programs that stand on the legs of half truths and newspapers where only the sensational rises above the fold, one's hope in the efficacy of media can start to dwindle.

But certainly the fault doesn't lie with media—media is starving for meaning and truth—it's just that media doesn't have a venue in which to be meaningful. I think it's awesome that some students at Marquette have taken action on this matter.

The "Reel" Poverty Film Festival is trying to provide an opportunity for students to display and view meaningful media. Now, the definition of what's meaningful should probably be whittled down a bit. While a video proving that you can eat 60 circus peanuts in as many minutes might be meaningful to you, this film festival focuses on the meaningful issues that contribute to poverty in the Milwaukee community.

As I am writing this from the comfort of my dorm room, there are people sleeping outside in a -23 degree wind chill, and some probably dying of exposure. The meaning behind realities like this can be paralyzing, and can often leave us choking on our own rage. The film festival is giving a unique opportunity to channel passion through a creative medium of art, a concept I feel is overdue at this university.

Hopefully, in times that seem hopeless, people may hear each other's stories and be inspired to act. Sometimes telling a story is all we can do. I encourage students to take advantage of this film festival idea, and any other similar ways of sharing.

Filming equipment and assistance will be provided, so there's no excuse if you've got a story about poverty in Milwaukee and are being weighed down by that debilitating question of, "What can I do?"

An information session for the "Reel" Poverty Film Festival is taking place tonight at 8 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union Room 252. The actual festival will take place on April 17 in the Annex.

The issues behind poverty are complicated, and the fingers we point at the causes can sometimes get tangled in a big knot of confusion. I don't know the answers, and probably neither do you—but what we do know is that this is not how life is meant to be. By breaching the gap between media and meaning, we can begin to answer some of these questions together.