The Center for Scholars and Storytellers works with leading social scientists to develop research insights and tools that are useful for content creators crafting authentic and inclusive stories for youth (ages 2-25). We work with a wide range of organizations from traditional media, tech and gaming, consumer products, and public health and education. When content is created from a research-informed perspective that is authentic and inclusive, it can deliver strong financial returns and support the mental health of the next generation so they can thrive and grow.
Dr. Yalda Uhls is the Founder and Executive Director of CSS. Uhls is an internationally recognized, award-winning research scientist, educator, and author, studying how media affects young people. In her former career, she was a senior movie executive at MGM and Sony
Stephanie Rivas-Lara (she/her) is a 1st year graduate student working to obtain her Master of Social Welfare at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she also received her BA in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. She currently works as the Research Coordinator for the Center for Scholars & Storytellers where she focuses on providing support on varying projects focused on diversity and representation. She is broadly interested in working with marginalized communities, particularly children and adolescents, to support their needs and ensure their well-being. As a first generation, Latina, and queer individual, she feels that media has played a huge role in understanding her own identity and that of others.