A New Perspective (pt. 1 of 2)
Posted by Bronson Enriquez on March 29th 2008 in UncategorizedIssue 04 | KIDS
Writer: Aditi Naik in cooperation with: Briget Ganske
Photographers: Thomas Lee & Students
elvis (foreground) and danyamara (in orange) photograph their surroundings during a walking tour of harlem. photo | courtesy of mentor thomas lee
“The goal was to prepare urban youth to be global citizens, to show them that they can make an impact, that they have a story to tell. The idea was to teach awareness about their own community as the beginning stage of an intercultural exchange.” —francine frazier wallace co-founder, my community, my perspective
Educators now realize that a good high school education reaches beyond reading, writing and arithmetic. Opportunities for creative expression are needed in order for students to flourish in and out of school. A study conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles demonstrates that students of low socioeconomic status are less likely to graduate from high school than their more privileged peers. However, students of disadvantaged backgrounds benefit from involvement with the arts since this improves graduation rates and their chances of higher education and future employment. Whether they paint, draw, sing or dance, students who participate in some form of arts education are more likely to succeed in their adult lives.
photo | jacklyn
In my project, I want to show these overlooked buildings. Every building has a story and a history. In my photos, I wanted to show you these stories and histories. For example,“Why is this building here?” -Jacklyn
photo | jacklyn
photo | elvisMy Community/My Perspective (MCMP) is an afterschool program that started in Harlem, New York to address students’ need for arts education. The project was founded by the Five Pearls Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works with youth programs in under-served communities.
With MCMP a group of high school students took part in an interactive photography project. According to Francine Frazier Wallace, a co-founder of MCMP, the project’s goal is to show urban youth that they have a personal story to tell. Through hands-on learning about the art form, they deepened their understanding of their communities.
photo | elvis
photo | Marilyn
In my photos, I portrayed different forms of art in my New York City neighborhood. In the world, there are many different types of art, even if it’s not obvious at first. Art can be found virtually anywhere. A building, a painting, even a country’s flag are different forms of art. These photographs also show what I love — the arts. I had the chance to show the world who I am in a form of art, including photos of the Puerto Rican festival. It represents my culture. -Marilyn
photo | Marilyn
photo | Danyamara
danyamara takes photos in a salon. photo | courtesy of mcmp
Photography has really influenced the way I see life because when I take a picture I’m storing a moment of life that I want to share with others. People who see your photo understand the condition of the situation, such as people struggling with their lives and seeking help from others. It’s a good way to share messages and influence people. -Danyamara
photo | Jeffery
The Harlem borough of New York City, once associated with crime and violence, is experiencing a social and economic revival. However, the rapid gentrification of the past decade overshadows the neighborhood’s rich cultural history. To increase the students’ understanding of their cultural heritage, the program began with an historical walking tour of Harlem. Mentors skilled in photography guided the students around their community to examine architecture and landmarks that they might have missed on their daily walks to school. The mentorships connected people with similar interests whose different backgrounds and ages might have otherwise kept them apart.
Many of the student participants had little prior experience with photography because their school offers no art classes. One student says, “I did not feel as though photography was really an art — more of a technology. [I now] view photography as something more than just a snapshot.”
photo | Jeffery
After two months, the students displayed prints of their photographs at a local community center. Locals visited the exhibit and saw the images of the neighborhood. Public recognition of their work allowed the students to take pride in their accomplishments. Mentor Michelle Cohen says, “The immediate benefit of the project was the empowerment the students gained in being given an opportunity to tell the story of their lives through photography, a medium of art new to almost all of them. … This was the chance for the students to reach beyond their normal boundaries.” Challenged to take a fresh look at themselves and their communities, the students gained new perspectives on their lives.
(story continued tomorrow)
