Through Their Eyes: An Illustrative Walk Through Culture will use photography as a tool to develop an artistic lesson of culture as it is seen through the eyes of youth.  Using concepts learned from our 2019 Through Their Eyes:  The Beauty in a Bando, in which participants researched the Glenville and Collinwood communities and discovered the heritage of the abandoned commercial real estate,  Through Their Eyes: An Illustrative Walk Through Culture will go beyond the culture of the structure and to the inhabitants of the community.  Participants will engage in photography and culture discussion workshops and field trips to develop an illustrative travel guide of culture from the vantage point of youth. Youth will photograph their cultural journey and compile complete projects into one comprehensive e-book. As the concept of culture has become as diverse as “diversity,” participants will be permitted to target both broad and specific ideas of how they view culture.  

 

The project is designed to link Artistic Photography with Research, Literacy,  and Critical Thinking.  In the past, Through Their Eyes projects have been linked to competitions; this year, we will feel it is important to use current terminology and replace competition with “Challenge.”  The Challenge is a critical component to the project as it here where the community and participants have the opportunity to engage in conversation about the final products. 

 

Through Their Eyes: An Illustrative Walk Through Culture gives youth a platform from which their voice can be heard. The project will launch and build relationships with community leaders and youth while developing youth in roles as change agents.  To understand diversity, we must experience the culture.  Youth are more receptive to diversity and culture than many adults; this project will illuminate youth as both change agents and educators to the community, dispel personal challenges youth experience in school by linking academics to application in an artistic format.

 

Goal:  To use photography as an illustrative artistic tool  to present and discuss culture 

 

How will you know you have accomplished or made progress towards your goal?

• Participants will be able to define the typical definition of culture.

• Participants will be able to identify different aspects of culture.

• Participants will submit projects for the challenge and elicit community conversations and responses through their projects. 

• Participants will have a voice in discussions of culture.

 

COVID-19 Project Adjustments:

 

Due to safety, the following adjustments were made:

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1.  The education sessions focused on subculture

2.  The Summer Camp session was held virtually, while the youth employment sessions          were conducted in a hybrid format (virtually and onsite)