LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA
100CAMERAS X PEACE4KIDS
100cameras X Peace4Kids is a part of a 8 class course that is custom designed by 100cameras to equip passionate creatives with the tools to empower youth in a community they care about with the opportunity to learn how to process their stories and create change. Pictured here is a 100cameras student during the course.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
100cameras X Peace4Kids took place during the summer of 2021 in Los Angeles in partnership with Peace4Kids, a grassroots, non-profit organization that has served thousands of current and former youth in foster care. For 23 years, Peace4Kids has built community in South Los Angeles where youth in foster care discover a shared cultural experience. Their vision of "community as family" provides consistency, stability, and trust. With participants ranging in age from 4 years old through adulthood, the organization is uniquely positioned to provide valuable insight of individual resilience and health within a safe community.
As expressed by Peace4Kids, “Los Angeles represents a unique climate by sheltering the most foster youth in the country, and a disproportionate number of these youth are minorities. In creating a community where their insight is valued, we recognize that people with a lived foster care experience have learned to emerge from crisis while living in a shroud of uncertainty about the present and future. Many skillfully adapt with pathways to personal restoration and create a global impact. As a society, in conjunction with mitigating the difficulties of their circumstances, we must collectively honor their journey by lifting up their narratives of resilience, learning from their insights, and supporting them as they lead us into the future.”
Katie Doherty led the summer program in collaboration with Program Consultant, Diane Martell, from Peace4Kids. They worked alongside a group of students aged 10 to 14 years old, as they explored the nearby parks, neighborhoods, and beaches to document their unique perspectives on Los Angeles. Martell noted, “The 100cameras program and educator, Katie Doherty were incredibly effective in encouraging young folks to engage with their surroundings, react, feel and understand how to use effective techniques to captivate the viewer. This experience imparted skills, knowledge and memories that will last a lifetime."
“Creative exploration is a cathartic means of self care and healing. Particularly emerging from the pandemic, it was powerful to observe youth discover the value of photography as a way to consider their environment and share experiences and stories that are important to them.”
During the 100cameras program, the educator, Katie Doherty, reflected upon the lessons and the pivotal points where students started to really see and connect with how their perspectives and stories could be shared through photography. “In Lesson 5, entitled Something of Me, it was a great lesson for students to start seeing how their perspectives and stories could be shared through photography. We talked about their interests, where they see themselves in the future, and some of the communities they are a part of. Students had a range of interests from comedy to animals to painting. Later in Lesson 7, students were encouraged to create self-portraits of their interests, memories, or role in the community. One young lady came back the following week, very proud of her self-portrait showing herself working on a painting in her room.”
“The 100cameras program curriculum will be helpful in empowering these youth because art is a beautiful, therapeutic means of expression. Photography is a way to express your interests and your feelings. It’s a way to look for beauty in your everyday life, no matter what your circumstances are.”
MEET THE STUDENTS
ABOUT THE PROGRAM LEADER
Katie Doherty is a Los Angeles based portrait and wedding photographer, who also dabbles in travel and film photography. She is a former elementary school teacher, so leading a 100cameras program perfectly combined her passions for photography, art, youth, and education. In her eyes, one of the biggest gifts of photography is being able to find interest and beauty in everything, everywhere. For Katie, it was exciting to see what students were innately drawn to in the parks, neighborhoods, and beaches of Los Angeles.
“On the final day of the 100cameras program, we had a gallery walk that showcased the students’ printed photographs. Up until that point, they had only seen their images in digital form. But the prints really brought the pictures to life, and they were really proud of their artwork.
Being a 100cameras Program Leader has given me useful experience in working alongside youth in a creative capacity. My passion for working alongside youth continues. This experience with 100cameras has given me valuable experience.”
STUDENT IMAGE GALLERY
Follow us on social media to see images from the field as captured by the 100cameras X Peace4Kids team and the student photographers.