Crisis and Hope youth turn a lens on the world a project of adobe youth voices and what kids can do Edited by Barbara Cervone, Ed. D.
Crisis and Hope youth turn a lens on the world a project of adobe youth voices and what kids can do
Edited by Barbara Cervone
Providence, Rhode Island
Contents Copyright Š 2010 by What Kids Can Do, Inc.
foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
All rights reserved.
yin and yang
No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form,
worth a thousand words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
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without written permission from the publisher.
juxtapositions Printed in Hong Kong by Great Wall Printing, Ltd.
a hard look
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Distributed by Next Generation Press
street photography
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ISBN 978-0-9815595-2-0 CIP data available. Book design by Sandra Delany. Next Generation Press, a not-for-profit book publisher, brings forward the voices and vision of adolescents on their own lives, learning, and work. With a particular focus on youth without economic privilege, Next Generation Press raises awareness of young people as a powerful force for social justice. Next Generation Press, P.O. Box 603252, Providence, Rhode Island 02906 U.S.A. www.nextgenerationpress.org 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
youth photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 about adobe youth voices and wkcd
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Foreword
W
ritten in chinese or japanese, the word “crisis” consists of two characters: one
representing crisis or danger, the other representing hope or opportunity. Like yin and yang,
it depicts seemingly contrary forces as interconnected and interdependent, each continually giving rise to the other. Crisis and hope, yin and yang became our touchstones in April 2009, when Adobe Youth Voices, a global youth media initiative, and the nonprofit What Kids Can Do, Inc. launched an international photo competition. Then, as now, we faced a world engulfed by economic disaster, yet seeds of promise continued to yield new growth. We invited youth worldwide to show us, through their own eyes, what troubles them and gives them hope in their close-by world – whether a deeply etched slum in East Africa or a well-off suburb in the northwestern United States. Across four continents and sixteen countries, young people responded to our call by sending their photos and captions – crisp, light, dark. We heard from fledgling photographers working alone, but eager to find a public stage for their private vision. We heard from groups of youth encouraged by photography teachers in school or community classes.
foreword
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This small book gathers these extraordinarily diverse images and artist statements into a compelling
living conditions in her city, the largest in Armenia and one of the oldest continually inhabited
whole. It has five sections:
cities in the world. “This small box is the habitat of the Grigoryan family,” she writes. “Seven other families live on the same stage, and there is only one bathroom for all of them. Thirteen-year-old
Yin and Yang presents photo pairs, intended by the young photographers to work off one another.
Narek dreams of his own bathroom.”
In “Streets of Saigon,” seventeen-year-old Katherine Goudsouzian points her camera through a dark tangle of telephone wires and onto the chaotic traffic below in Vietnam’s largest city. “The
For Street Photography, Latino middle school students took cameras into their neighborhoods in
atmosphere was breathtaking,” she writes, ”but looking past all of this you see the poverty on the
Austin, Texas and Los Angeles and Oakland, California. They were looking for images that captured,
streets, the beggars in the gutter.” In “Two for a Dollar,” Goudsouzian captures the bright face of a
as one student put it, “the sweet and the sour.”
young girl selling flutes outside an ancient temple in Cambodia, after a morning in school. “Two for a dollar, miss, wooden flutes, two for a dollar,” the girl says.
We hope that the images and words on the pages that follow take your breath away – as they did ours. We hope they remind you of the vision and compassion that today’s youth bring to our 21st
Worth A Thousand Words features single photos that capture either crisis or hope – or both at
century world, caught between crisis and hope.
once. In “Hut Burning,” sixteen-year-old Kyle Weiss from Danville, California (USA) catches the expressions of children fleeing a fire in a refugee camp in Northern Uganda. He and classmates were there to build a soccer field for the children. “As we got closer,” Weiss writes, “the smoke got
Barbara Cervone, President
thicker. We saw a hut on fire, engulfed in flames. Yet the village was calm. We listened for the
What Kid Can Do, Inc (WKCD)
sirens we hoped were close by, but there weren’t any. We remembered we were in Uganda, not the U.S. No fire truck. No water. We stood and watched the hut burn.”
Miguel Salinas, Senior Manager Adobe Youth Voices
Juxtapositions offers a collection of photo collages submitted by students at Heritage High School
Adobe Systems Incorporated, USA
in Vancouver, Washington (USA). The young artists have given them titles like “Dear John,” “Poor Little Boy,” “Death and Dance,” “Hands of Truth.” A Hard Look presents images gathered by teenagers at the Manana Youth Center in Yerevan, Armenia. In a photo simply called “Box,” fourteen-year-old Kristine Sargsyan shows the cramped
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Yin and Yang There are no greater adversaries than yin and yang, because nothing in Heaven or on Earth escapes them. But it is not yin and yang that do this, it is your heart that makes it so. chuang tzu (c. 360 bc - c. 275 bc)
yin and yang
yin and yang
Streets of Saigon
Two for a Dollar
This photo was taken in Saigon, Vietnam while on a family holiday. I was on the second floor balcony of a
I took this photo just outside Siem Reap, Cambodia, at an ancient temple. I suddenly heard footsteps and
bakery called “Tous Les Jours,” after a long day of sightseeing. I looked through the large mass of messy
a little voice behind me saying, “Two for a dollar, miss, wooden flutes, two for a dollar.” I turned to see a
telephone wires outside the building and down onto the busy traffic of Saigon. The atmosphere was
very pretty, young local girl holding several cased wooden flutes in her hand and a bag full of them over
breathtaking: the roar of the chaotic traffic below and the beeping of horns. But looking past all this you
her arm. She told me how she goes to school in the morning and then comes to the temples in the after-
could see the poverty on the streets, the beggars in the gutter. The streets of Saigon are a place of poverty
noon to sell flutes to the tourists. I bought two of the flutes.
and lack of opportunity.
Katherine Goudsouzian, 17, Tasmania, Australia Katherine Goudsouzian, 17, Tasmania, Australia
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The Aging Problem
The New Generation
This photo was taken in a public home for the elderly in rural Taiwan. This summer I was part of a group
This photo was taken in a more developed region of Taiwan, near Tainan. Pictured are three young chil-
of 25 high school and college students who traveled to Taiwan from the United States under the Interna-
dren playing in a public park. While they are living a carefree childhood, little do they know that they rep-
tional Red Cross to assist the needy. I couldn’t help but notice that the elderly homes that we visited were
resent a shining beacon of hope for Taiwan’s impending crisis. These are the productive members of society
quite full. I did a bit of research and I found out that, soon, the elderly (60+) population in Taiwan would
that the country needs to replace the growing ranks of the elderly. This crisis will not only affect Taiwan,
be over-represented, leaving fewer and fewer individuals to work.
but also extend to other developed countries such as France, Sweden, and Japan.
Chyi-Dean Shu, 16, North Tustin, California, USA
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Chyi-Dean Shu, 16, North Tustin, California, USA
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A Distant Dream
The Bubbles of Knowledge
The picture reflects all forms of child labour. The first part shows a young girl working in a hazardous
After winter comes spring. After darkness comes light. And after despair
situation. The second submits a child hawker trying to sell Indian flags, but actually represents the thou-
comes hope. This image represents hope, which will bridge the gap between
sands of children who sell flowers or magazines at the traffic signals to earn a penny. The third puts forth
today’s present and tomorrow’s future. The picture portrays a young girl who
children who become domestic helpers to households in urban areas to support their families back in the
is getting enlightened by knowledge and acquiring power. As the bubbles of
villages. The image of handcuffs symbolises how these children are caught in the chains of poverty and
knowledge increase around her, her power will increase, society will be
exploitation. They dream of going to school, of learning, but they are trapped in a selfish world.
reformed, and every spring will be saved.
Avni Jain, New Delhi, India
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Avni Jain, New Delhi, India
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Lost
Found
The left photo expresses my sadness from being laughed at or bullied, having someone betray me, or
The photo on the right shows my joy being found once more. I went on a long journey up the mountain
fighting with a friend. When I feel this way, I go to that imaginary, cold and lonely place. I feel empty and
to find, by surprise, my happiness: a caterpillar. So small and slow-moving, it means so much to me. It has
forgotten. It is a world of black and white. I am lost in a labyrinth, nothing to comfort me, stuck out in the
a large effect on the world. I need it to be relaxed and comfortable with my life. Finding this small cater-
cold, sitting on concrete. I am gone until my happiness is discovered again.
pillar, my happiness, makes things feel better. I am now one again. Not lost anymore, but found.
Alexis Cole, 13, Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
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Alexis Cole, 13, Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
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Hampered Communities
Walking with Purpose
I decided to take this photo because I thought this was an eccentric piece. It’s rare
This person, whose name is unknown, captivated me. She had just gotten off the
to see a device that helps the needy thrown away as if it weren’t important. The
train and had a struggle getting out and walking with all of her baggage. I saw her
trees in the background symbolize life and the wheelchair symbolizes attention and
walking toward the sun and yet she looked like a shadow. Shadows are a universal
hope. I found it disappointing that some people have no consideration for the phys-
concept. Everyone carries emotional baggage, yet people live on, day by day. You
ically, mentally, or emotionally impaired. Every living being has a purpose in life.
struggle at first, but later you manage to regain your posture. You can’t let the littlest
Danny Rodriguez, 16, South Gate, California, USA
things hamper you from a zealous lifestyle. Danny Rodriguez, 16, South Gate, California, USA
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Everything for Sale
Dignity
Because of the financial crisis, all the factories in Nor Hajn, the town where I live, are closed. People sell
Little Davit, who lives in the same town, doesn’t want to sell
their property to get money for living. All these papers are announcements about selling something:
his toy car and dreams of owning a big, real car one day.
apartments, houses, garages, furniture, etc.
Hovnan Baghdasaryan, 13, Yerevan, Armenia Hovnan Baghdasaryan, 13, Yerevan, Armenia
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Items on Ground
Woman at Cash Register
Signs of shattered lives fill every inch of this photograph. The clothes represent
This photograph resembles some of the hope in this world. It displays a
everyday people that have been kicked out of their homes to live on the streets. The
woman’s struggle to keep her business running. Her life depends on that small
clothes are different shades and styles, showing that people of any race, shape,
liquor store on the corner in Mexican Town. With the income, she has sent her
color, size, or ethnicity can face the same challenges during these hard times. The
sons to college and made them lawyers and doctors. Today’s economic recession
scattered clothing, and a suitcase, rests by a street in Detroit’s Mexican Town.
hasn’t changed the way she does business. The big guns on Wall Street breathe
Mawj Mohammed, 14, Detroit, Michigan, USA
business with clenched teeth. She’s service with a smile, the only way out. \Mawj Mohammed, 14, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Crunched Dollar in Fist
Cross on Dollar
Due to the global economic crisis and its effect on my family, I chose the theme of money. The idea
You pray that you can stay on your own two feet, financially. You hope that good fortune will come your way.
behind this photograph is that you want to strangle money because you hate the things that come with it.
The cross and chain is a symbol of your prayer. The way the chain is wrapped around the dollar represents
You hate the stress, the power it holds over you, your dependence on it, and the violence, greed and hate it
your desperate attempt to cling to your money. It’s almost as if you are wrapped around your well-being,
brings. You hate all of these things. Yet you can’t let it go. You need it to survive.
trying to protect it.
Ethan Burnette, 18, Bowdoinham, Maine, USA
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Ethan Burnette, 18, Bowdoinham, Maine, USA
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Destiny Meets Disaster
You Must Be Strong
In the night street of a small town within the north of Thailand, many struggle to face the destiny which
Every Sunday night, in the same small town, a group of men gather at the Chiang Mai Walking Street,
life seems to have given them. For years, people have visited and passed by this road, seeing the images of
making music out of cans, bottles, and old instruments. For years, they have been a special interest for
people who have been left aside. In this picture, a man who barely survived an infectious disease begs for
those who pass by. They are not very talented, fascinating, or better than any others. They are disabled, and
some money. Without a shelter, and with barely any food, he travels from place to place, searching for the
most of them are blind, from accidents or disease, or from birth. Even though their lives are really difficult,
money that he thinks will be the answer to all questions of life.
not having much of anything, there’s one thing that they always have. And that is hope. And once they
Nattakarn Limphaibool, 14, Chiang Mai, Thailand
choose hope, anything’s possible. Nattakarn Limphaibool, 14, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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Damaging Expression
Peaceful Expression
This photo was taken in the streets of my city, Al Daih, while citizens were cel-
This photo was also taken in a street where citizens had gathered to celebrate the national day of Palestine.
ebrating the national day of Palestine. You can see the man expressing his opin-
You can see people (males and females, old and young) holding flags and photos, feeling happy for
ion, but damaging the wall, which is government property. He could have done
expressing their opinions and celebrating together in peace. The man riding the motorcycle is an organizer
something better to express his feelings than writing threats with spray paint.
for this celebration.
Zainab Alsatrawi, 15, Al Daih, Bahrain
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Zainab Alsatrawi, 15, Al Daih, Bahrain
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Homeless on the Beach
Hopeful for the Future
This photo was taken on the beach, in the early hours of the day, just before an eclipse of the sun. The
This picture shows a child being served food as part of a midday meal scheme to encourage children to
homeless boy on the right just woke up after a cold night on the sands. It’s not clear what he is going to do
attend school. One of the reasons children don’t attend school is that they must earn money to feed them-
with the rest of his day—or if he will get any food to eat.
selves and their family. This school, which belongs to the midday meal program, also provides free Avinash Chandrashekar, 19, Chennai, India
schooling and accommodation to those who cannot afford to pay. Avinash Chandrashekar, 19, Chennai, India
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Lost and Scared
I’ll Find My Way
The first photo shows a child who is scared of this world.
Here the same the little girl finds hope, she finds the light that
The little girl is frightened and does not know what will hap-
can lead her through the darkness that surrounds her. The
pen, what the future holds for her, and whether the world
bright light gives her courage to overcome what is hard in her
will always carry pain. Her facial expression shows her fear.
world. The child in the pictures is my sister (4 years old).
Flavia Mutenau, 14, Chisinau, Moldova Republic
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Flavia Mutenau, 14, Chisinau, Moldova Republic
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Homeless Man
Hold on to Your Friend
This shot is from my hometown Brno in the Czech Republic. I was taking photos of sunrise when I saw a
Another day I was walking through Brno with a camera in my hand and trying to catch the day life of people
homeless man. He did not see me but I went down to him. He had some old clothes, a cigarette, and a
around me. Most of them were in a hurry, going to work, home, or shopping. Everybody seemed to be
small bag. It was probably all his possessions. He was not very talkative. It was about 2C, all the benches
closed, just with their own thoughts. Suddenly I saw a young couple, not caught up in the frantic atmosphere
were wet and he seemed quite miserable. I had a loaf of bread with cheese, which I planned to eat for
that surrounded them. They were holding hands and full of love, peace, and happiness. The advertisement
breakfast. I gave it to him because he needed it more. I can have breakfast when I come back to my warm
above them says “...hold on to your brand,” but they knew it is more important to hold a person close.
home. I said to myself. But he has just a wet bench and no hope in his eyes.
Helena Brunnerová, 18, Brno, Czech Republic
Helena Brunnerová, 18, Brno, Czech Republic
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Imbalance
Harmony
This photograph was taken in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in October of 2009.
I took this photograph in April of 2005 in Rome, Italy. At the time, I was attending boarding school in
It shows how careless our society can be. This is a perfectly good house, a family
Poland. When Pope John Paul II died that April, it was shocking and tragic, especially for the Polish
could definitely live in it, if everyone were willing to help out a bit. But we
nation, since he was born there. We traveled to the funeral and this is what all of Rome looked like. It was
have become a society where we are not eager to help each other out if it does
amazing to see so many people unite over one man’s death, to see so many people travel for miles on end
not benefit us directly, in some way or form. We are in an economic crisis and
to be around Vatican City at the time of the Mass. While there we slept in buses, tents, everyone helped
houses are being taken away or abandoned. If people mattered as much as
everyone out with food, water and even a shower in a hotel room. As this photo shows, it was a time of
money, houses like this could still be home for the people who lived there.
true love towards God, John Paul II, and each other.
Ania Puciata, 18, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Ania Puciata, 18, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Anxious to Get Blessed
Her Hopes Come True
Good luck and blessing from Buddha are every Tibetan’s wish. I took this photo while traveling in Qinghai
A Tibetan girl near Qinghai Lake carries a lamb waiting for people to take her photo. Sometimes she sings
Province. Though the Lama had passed by, these two Tibetans still kowtow to pray for godliness. Maybe
a song for the people also. She gets $0.74 for one photo (about 5.00 RMB in Chinese money). Her hope is
they are having a critical issue or need to be blessed eagerly.
just so small and easy to fulfill. She looks happy with a hoping gaze. Zhang Yi Chi, 11, Beijing, China
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Zhang Yi Chi, 11, Beijing, China
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Worth a Thousand Words When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence. ansel adams (American photographer, 1902 - 1984)
worth a thousand words
worth a thousand words
Smile in the Rain
Backyard Friends
This photo is taken in our school after classes end. Our school is a residential school for orphan children.
My little brother and his friend are playing in the water sprinkler in our backyard.
More than 1,000 students reside in this campus, which we rarely leave. A rainy day is a day all the children enjoy with each other. We consider it a blessing. In this photo we tried to show the happiness
Luke Midgley, 13, Brooklyn, New York, USA
brought by nature in the form of little drops of water on the faces of the most wonderful gift of God, i.e., innocent children. Kamaldeep, 19, and Abhishek, 15, Delhi, India
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worth a thousand words
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The Beauty of Dreams I took this picture in the Mathare Slum in Nairobi, where I live. Many children here dream of how to improve their living standards by studying hard at school so that they can kill the monster called poverty. As they say, the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams, no matter how displaced. Obstacles should never stop us from dreaming. If we run into a wall, we must not turn around
Water Scarcity
and give up. We must figure out how to climb it, go through it, work our way around it. That is how we Many children living in the slums are orphans like me. I take pictures
can achieve our dreams. Let us fill our minds with thoughts of peace, courage, health and hope. Our
of what is happening in my area. Everything is scarce, even the water.
dreams are what thoughts make them.
Frederick Ochieng, 16, Nairobi, Kenya
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Irene Esonga, 16, Nairobi, Kenya
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America Is Not Free
Street Play
This picture was taken on the sidewalk outside a hotel. The suitcase represents how people run away from
This picture shows children playing in the street in my neighborhood in Chennai. They are making their
home for a better life, the phone represents how people struggle to stay in contact with their family, the
own game. It is not exactly the safest of places to play, but due to poverty and a lack of proper play areas
flag represents our wish for freedom, the shoes represent how no one can stand in someone else’s shoes
they have no choice.
and feel the same, and the clothes represent that everyone looks and thinks different. I am trying to communicate that even though they say the U.S. is a country full of opportunities, that you’re free to express
Avinash Chandrashekar, 19, Chennai, India
your feelings and to start a good life, in reality this is not true. This country is full of prejudice, racism, and unfairness. Cecilia Ornelas, 15, South Gate, California, USA
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Hut Burning
Release
I co-founded a nonprofit called Fund A Field, made up of classmates at my high school. This past summer
Good luck and blessing from Buddha are every Tibetan’s wish. It is the date that all people get released
we traveled to Northern Uganda to finalize plans to build a soccer field for kids in Paicho, an IDP (Inter-
when the Buddha’s photo opens and rolls down from the hill. This occurred for me on a summer trip to
nally Displaced Persons) camp. We saw smoke as we approached. As we got closer, the smoke got thicker.
Qinghai Province, where this picture is taken.
We saw a hut on fire, engulfed in flames. Yet the village was calm. We listened for the sirens we hoped were close by, but there weren’t any. We remembered we were in Uganda, not the U.S. No fire truck. No
Zhang Yi Chi, 11, Beijing, China
water. We stood and watched the hut burn. Kyle Weiss, 16, Danville, California, USA
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worth a thousand words
worth a thousand words
Cave Fire Spilling Flowers
Icons
This boarded-up house is in a part of Austin where all of the city’s African-Americans once had to live,
This picture captures a window display in a restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. It shows the U.S. Presi-
whether they wanted to or not. The building is empty, but its spirit lives on. The flowers spill from what
dent, an image of Jesus, and a photo of Michael Jackson. All three are famous icons that believed in hope
looks like the mouth of a fire cave.
and change, in how people can come together and live well, day in and out. Jailene Delacerda, 12, Austin, Texas, USA
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Students at Los Angeles Academy of Arts & Enterprise, Los Angeles, California, USA
worth a thousand words
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worth a thousand words
worth a thousand words
Batima Batima is six years old and lives in the remote village of Bokoro, in Mali, Africa. I lived in Bokoro for two
A Light in His Future This photograph was taken in the Felipe de Neve Public Library a few blocks from our school. Even kids who live in struggling neighborhoods strive for a better future. Students at Los Angeles Academy of Arts & Enterprise, Los Angeles, California, USA
weeks this past April, building a school and living with Batima’s family. Each day as we worked in the hot sun, building, Batima did too. This picture was taken the night before we were leaving the village, the children enthusiastic about their soon-to-be completed school. Their school will be much larger, and the government of Mali will provide a teacher. A covenant was signed upon our arrival agreeing upon equal enrollment of boys and girls in the school. Without an education, Batima would be expected to marry outside her village when she turns 15. Erica Lipoff, 16, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Juxtapositions jux·ta·po·si·tion [ juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uh n] –noun 1. an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, esp. for comparison or contrast. Photo collages by students at Heritage High School Vancouver, Washington, U.S.A.
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juxtapositions
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Dear John
Poor Little Boy...
For this photo I really wanted to capture what people feel when they miss someone, whether the person
In this picture a young boy is happily playing his video games and having a good time. He is just nine
has gone to war, gone on business, or even passed away. For the image on the left, I was walking around
years old and he knows about all the great ways to have fun. But then a crisis comes and his family
downtown Portland, Oregon and saw these words written on this old shack: “Dear John, I think about you
becomes bankrupt. He has to sell his video games to his neighbor. These shots were taken at my house.
all the time.” I came back the next day with my sister’s friend, Natalie, and took her picture by the shack.
The boy is my brother, Brandon, and the woman taking the controller and giving him money for it is my
The image on the right represents her finding “John”’ and being happy. It was taken in my sister’s room.
mother, Samantha.
This photo overall means a lot to me because I think everyone in their lifetime has missed someone. I know that I have.
Derek Julian, 15
Emily Myers, 15
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juxtapositions
juxtapositions
Hands of Truth
One Way to Hope
In this photo, I try to portray the difference between the hardship of living without a lot of money and the
The left photograph aims to show the crisis of shutting down a park to change it: cutting down all its envi-
bright, attractiveness that credit cards convey. The image was inspired by people around me who live in
ronmental features and trees in order to put up play sets for people to play on. Actually, doing this is
debt because of credit cards. They work hard, day after day, but get paid little. Those entranced by the
harmful to nature and the animals that live there. The photo on the right, of the bridge, is a metaphor: we
bright colors and promise of money that credit cards offer face even more hardship, in the end.
can cross a bridge to forget all that’s happened. We can start anew, and get over our past problems.
Alicia Burgett, 17
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Alex Ellinburg, 16
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juxtapositions
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Death and Dance Getting Rid of Sad As I was looking through my house to see if we had any good subjects, I found the Bible and this firefighter’s hat. It was given to my dad after he had passed away. Together, these two items made me think of
These pictures were taken by a track shed at my school. My friend Roberto
a funeral and the death of a loved one. I desaturated the picture quite a bit to make it look bleaker. I also
and I decided to blow up a balloon. He found a marker and started drawing
found a rose sitting in my room and noticed the vibrant colors. I put petals on my light box and snapped
on the balloon. An idea suddenly came to me. I told him to draw the sad-
some shots, and then this idea came to me: when a loved one is away from home, they are often welcomed
dest face on the balloon that he could, and this is how it turned out. This
back with a bouquet. I took one rose petal and wrote homecoming on it to symbolize hope, and the return
picture, to me, shows the hardship of being sad and the hope of getting rid
of a loved one
of the sadness. Who doesn’t wish that getting rid of sad could be that easy? Lindsey McKim, 16
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crisis and hope
Devin Napier, 15
j u x ta p o s i t i o n s
53
juxtapositions
juxtapositions
The Mask
Stoplight
This photograph was taken in my kitchen, of my mom’s face. The left side of the face is sad and has one tear
A homeless man sits on the exit from I-5. I’ve seen him there every time I use that exit. He doesn’t seem
drop in the shot. The right side of the face is happy and shows a half-smile. The left side represents hardship:
to ever leave. My dad was driving by him when I got the image and I just happened to get the “wrong way”
the dark color of the shot and the teardrop emphasizes a sad dark time in life. The right side of the face
sign in the picture. It was a lucky shot. The second picture is of a student in my film photography class. I
represents opportunity: when you have a good outlook on life, doors just seem to open up for you, and
wrote “HOPE” on his hand because people need to be reminded to hope for the better. I feel many people
everything goes like it should. The photo looks like one face representing two different emotions at once.
don’t hope for anything, and need to be reminded with an in-your-face picture.
Robert Fykes, 17
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crisis and hope
Jamie Winter, 17
j u x ta p o s i t i o n s
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A Hard Look This small box is the habitat of the Grigoryan family. Seven other families live on the same stage, and there is only one bathroom for all of them. Thirteen-year-old Narek dreams of his own bathroom. kristine sargsyan (age 14) Photo collages by youth at the Manana Youth Center, Yerevan, Armenia
a hard look
a hard look
Waiting . . .
Women from Ujan Village
This old man and woman are the oldest people in Arzakan village. Nearly all of the inhabitants of this vil-
Women from Ujan village, Armenia, are making food both for their families and for selling.
lage are old. Their children don’t live with them, they went abroad to find a job.
by Arpen Chichakyan, 15 Lilit Karapetyan, 16
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crisis and hope
a hard look
59
a hard look
a hard look
Light and Shadow
Anxiety
Armine and Anahit are sisters. Both of them are handicapped. Their father became handicapped during
Maria lives with her mother in a dormitory. Her mother has a fatal disease. Maria has no one else in her
the war conflict and is in the hospital now. Their mother stays with him there and the sisters live alone.
life but her mother.
They don’t believe that anything will get better.
by Eva Hakhverdyan, 14 by Lusine Hambardzumyan, 12
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crisis and hope
a hard look
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a hard look
a hard look
Shadows of Our Ancestors Armenia is very rich with historical monuments. But because of the horrible economic situation of the last 20 years in Armenia, neither the government nor other powers are able to care for them, especially
Blind Windows
Christian churches, which have a history of more than a thousand years. As a result, most are ruined, as is the dome of this church (Deghdznut, VII Century). And parallel to this, the connection between our gen-
People in the dormitories for refugees live in the worst conditions. Narek Javadyan, 17
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crisis and hope
eration and our ancestors who built these churches is being lost. Tsovinar Talyan, 18
a hard look
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a hard look
a hard look
Box
Waiting for a Customer
This small box is the habitat of the Grigoryan family. Seven other families live on the same stage, and
Because of the unemployment, people in my village, Nor Hajn, earn their living by selling everything they
there is only one bathroom for all of them. Thirteen-year-old Narek dreams of his own bathroom.
can. Even their own clothes.
Kristine Sargsyan, 14
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crisis and hope
Lili Zakaryan, 15
a hard look
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Street Photography Street photography is a renewable resource. If you don’t like what you see, wait five minutes or walk a hundred feet.. craig coverdale (photographer) photos by students at East Austin College Prep Academy, Austin, Texas and Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, Los Angeles, California
street photography
street photography
Power Plant Pollution
Tough Pride
This is a power plant creating pollution, a crisis for our
The Hemi truck is shiny and proud, but it uses up a lot
world. It is bad for kids and creates illness. This plant,
of gas. There are skulls on the mirrors to make it look
right off Cesar Chavez Boulevard in Austin, is in the
tough. But big trucks contribute to the environmental
middle of a Hispanic neighborhood. There’s even a
crisis. They may give power but they take power. They
school right next to the plant! The school and the com-
represent a mixture of feelings.
munity protested for many years and the plant was recently closed. Arlette Flores, 12, Austin, Texas, USA
Free Purifier
Ezekial Ortiz, 12, Austin, Texas, USA
Saving the Planet in Style
In the same Cesar Chavez neighborhood, the beautiful
The guy on this bicycle has a lot of style, and bikes are
Mexican Bird of Paradise plant grows. It cleans and
good for the environment because they don’t use any gas
purifies the air for us, and it is free. The power plant
at all. Most people have to use cars and trucks to get
says, “Stay Away,“ while the green plant invites us to
around. But bikes are cool and help out the Earth.
come closer to enjoy beauty.
Ezekial Ortiz, 12, Austin, Texas, USA
Arlette Flores, 12, Austin, Texas, USA
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crisis and hope
street photogr aphy
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street photography
street photography
Community Tearing Apart
Don’t Litter Please
This Quickie Mart sells things that are not healthy for
The image represents the crisis of pollution in our
the community. Flavored drinks and cigarettes aren’t
country. We live in this city and we dirty this city, too.
good for us. People might want to buy them, but they
Kevin Sanchez, 13, Los Angeles, California, USA
damage our health. There’s a health crisis. The wire over the windows tells of crime. It’s dirty and looks sad. It makes me think of a community falling to pieces.
Mural of Hope
One World
This is a picture of a mural of our neighborhood in the
This image represents the many different cultures and
old days, when people were proud of their history. It is
languages that live together, with hope, in our community.
Jonathan Henderson, 12, Austin, Texas, USA
made of little pieces all brought together to show a bigger picture of a healthy and safe community, a strong
Kevin Sanchez, 13, Los Angeles, California, USA
African-American community. Jonathan Henderson, 12, Austin, Texas, USA
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crisis and hope
street photogr aphy
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street photography
street photography
Abandoned
Overflowing Waste
This fabric store was shut down and all of the good
I took this picture because it shows the abundance of
unused fabric was put to waste. The reflection of the
trash in our lives. The man sits amongst the trash and
stop sign in the window could mean that there needs to
doesn’t seem to bothered-—he has grown used to living
be a STOP to the economic crisis and that our country
with trash. This is a crisis to me because we need to care
can start over again.
about our community and not make so much waste
Stefany Mendez, 13, Los Angeles, CA, USA
from unnecessary things.
Alive The streets of downtown Los Angeles are filled with
crisis and hope
I took this picture because it shows how two little girls
people and the shops are full of customers. The reflec-
can become something great in the future. They repre-
tion of the people walking shows that our community is
sent what our future can become if we treat each other
full of life. This barbershop is open six days a week.
with respect.
Estefany Mendez, 13, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Naomi Penã, 13, Los Angeles, California, USA
Hope for Our Future ?
Naomi Penã, 13, Los Angeles, California, USA
street photogr aphy
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youth photographer s
about adobe youth voices and wkcd
adobe youth voices
what kids can do, inc.
next generation press
Adobe Youth Voices is a global
What Kids Can Do, Inc. (WKCD)
Next Generation Press is the
philanthropic initiative to
is a U.S.-based nonprofit organ-
book publishing arm of WKCD.
East Austin Preparatory School, Austin, TX, USA: Jailene
empower youth in underserved
ization founded in 2001 for the
With a particular focus on youth
Delacerda, Arlette Flores, Jonathan Henderson,
communities. Demonstrating
purpose of making public the
without economic privilege,
Ezekial Ortiz, all age 12.
the power of technology to engage
voices and views of adolescents.
Next Generation Press raises
Heritage High School, Vancouver, WA, USA: Alicia
middle- and high-school-age
On its website, WKCD documents
awareness of youth as a powerful
Burgett, 17; Alex Ellinburg, 16; Robert Fykes, 17;
youth, Adobe Youth Voices pro-
young people’s lives, learning,
force for social justice.
Katherine Goudsouzian, 17, Tasmania, Australia
Derek Julian, 15; Lindsey McKim, 16; Emily Myers, 15;
vides breakthrough learning
and work, and their partnerships
Avni Jain, New Delhi, India
Devin Napier, 15; Jamie Winter, 17.
experiences using video, multi-
with adults both in and outside
media, digital art, web, animation,
school. WKCD also collaborates
Kamaldeep and Abhishek, 19 and 15, Delhi, India
Los Angeles Academy of Arts & Enterprise, Los Angeles,
and audio tools that enable youth
with students and educators
Nattakarn Limphaibool, 14, Chiang Mai, Thailand
CA, USA: 9th and 10th grade Visual Arts Collaborative.
to explore and comment on
around the world on photography
Erica Lipoff, 16, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Manana Youth Center, Yerevan, Armenia: Arpen
their world.
projects, books, curricula, and
Zainab Alsatrawi, 15, Al Daih, Bahrain
Camino Nuevo Charter School, Los Angeles, CA, USA:
Hovnan Baghdasaryan, 13, Yerevan, Armenia
Estefany Mendez, Naomi Peña, and Kevin Shanchez,
Helen Brunnerová, 18, Brno, Czech Republic Ethan Burnette,18, Bowdoinham, Maine, USA Avinash Chandrashekar, 19, Chennai, India Alexis Cole, 13, Green Bay, WI, USA Irene Esonga, 16, Nairobi, Kenya, 16
Luke Midgely, 13, Brooklyn, New York, USA Mawj Mohammed, 14, Detroit, Michigan, USA Flavia Mutenau, 14, Chisinau, Moldova
all age 13.
Chichakyan, 15; Lusine Hambardzumyan, 12; Eva Hakhverdyan, 14; Narek Javadyan, 17; Lilit Karapetyan, 16; Kristine Sargsyan, 14; Tsovinar Talyan, 18; Lili Zakaryan, 15.
Frederick Ochieng, 16, Nairobi, Kenya Cecilia Ornelas, 15, South Gate, California, USA Ana Puciata, 18, Philadelphia, PA, USA Danny Rodriguez, 16, South Gate, California, USA Chyi-Dean Shu, 16, North Tustin, California, USA Kyle Weiss, 16, Danville, CA, USA Zhang Yi Chi, 11, Beijing, China
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crisis and hope
with special thanks to Sandra Delany, Graphic Design Cyrus Rolbin, Educator
Next Generation Press P.O. Box 603252 Providence, Rhode Island 02906 USA www.nextgenerationpress.org
research to expand current views Adobe Systems Incorporated Corporate Headquarters
of what constitutes challenging learning and achievement.
345 Park Avenue San Jose, California 95110
What Kids Can Do, Inc.
USA
P.O. Box 603252
www.adobe.com
Providence, Rhode Island 02906 USA www.whatkidscando.org
Abe Louise Young, Writer and Poet Tricia Wang, Sociologist and Media Producer Kathleen Cushman, WKCD Senior Writer
about adobe youth voices and wkcd
75
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crisis and hope