Stickers.

Get your very own sticker and support youth in fotography! (stickers on their way)

No doubt.

You may have reservations about donating your money to help me reach my goal of $5,000. A kid with a camera? You may think what's the big deal? I can assure you, to educate is to motivate. To teach a skill gives an individual assurance and purpose. To provide opportunity where there is a lack of, is to empower the powerless.

Over the summer one of my jobs was to be the lead photographer for San Anto Cultural Arts photo week. I have folders full of photographs that the kids took. I think it's time to share them. Here are just a few of the snapshots they took with disposable cameras. They were each given a camera at the beginning of the week and told to tell the audience a story of their lives through photographs. Here are a few of the results:

These photographs were taken by students between the ages of 8 and 15 years old.

The plan.

The idea of putting together a permanent mobile (youth) photography program that I can take wherever I would like has been in the making for a while. Based off of my experiences working with youth and facilitating photography workshops I have compiled my needs. The plan is basic, and I have a few goals that I intend to meet while I work through the details of planning the program/curriculum.

I need $5,000 ::crickets::

It's a good thing I am half optimist, because I feel confident in reaching my goal. I know how I will attain funds.

Q: What's the $5,000 for?

A: O, I'm so glad you asked. It's to purchase 15 digital cameras and 2 laptop computers.

Q: Who will use this rig of very nice equipment?

A: The Nin@s!

Q: What is the name of your program?

A: That's a hard one, I have been brainstorming. I've spent many hours on rhymezone searching for words that rhyme with Photo, but to no avail. It will come to me..

Q: Where will you conduct workshops?

A: In the hood, at community centers, at arts organizations, apartment buildings, at the park, in the schools, at museums.

Q: How are you gonna raise all this money, mija?

A: For now I have some merchandise in the making. I have my eye on this nice little artist grant. Kind donors and supporters of youth in the arts.

Q: Do you think this can really happen? Do you think you can make a program, attain equipment, and empower youth through photography?

A: No doubt.

It's on.

Sources.

My two sources of inspiration for my next long term goal:

Tony Rocco

and

Donna Ferrato

Why fight it.

On June 25th 2009 I wrote my first blog, and I used this space as a chronicle of accomplishments (and setbacks as well). A year and some months later I hope that it will serve it's purpose once again. I set a few goals for myself, and Im proud to say that I lived up to them, plus some.

Here I am again, with ideas and goals in mind. I have no choice but to take the plunge, I allow myself to follow the signs, and trust me. The once far fetched anticipation of photography school still hovers close. My love for photography, and working with youth is a definite fact. I must face it, I have to keep going and take the next step. What's hard to face down is the nagging pull of security. It's hard to fight myself, when the tendency to settle and give in seems like the best thing to do. How do I conjure that youthful indifference to complacency that fueled me for so long. It's been a while since I needed to do that.

I'm working on my plan, I'm pulling at my resources, and I'm gonna go for it (once again).

The first thing I need is a name. A name for my photography program for youth. A program that will be free to participants, one where they will each have a camera to use and computers and programs to learn and work with. It's time to build my rig of equipment. Here is my most recent addition, a Beseler enlarger:

Wish me luck.

My Homegirl Kristin

The series I did of Kristin for our show "HOMEGIRLS" in Wilmington.

Los Angeles, California.