Call for Photos! A chance to contribute to a public mural

We are very pleased to announce that in the spring of next year, AjA will be unveiling a large-scale mosaic mural at the City Heights Square Mini Park. The Price Charities commissioned the project that will consist of over 1,300 custom printed tiles depicting photos taken by City Heights youth and residents.

Community members will have the chance to contribute to the mural by bringing family portraits to the photo scanning event held by The AjA Project on December 17th at the City Heights Library from 10 a.m. until 2p.m. The photos will be scanned, added to the photo database and returned to their owners that day.

AjA photographs displayed at Harvard University Peabody Museum

The AjA Project’s sister program in Colombia, Shooting Cameras for Peace, as well as selected work from AjA’s San Diego Journey program, will be part of a photography exhibit at Harvard University’s Peabody Museum, from November 17, 2011 – May 31, 2012. If you’re in the Cambridge, Massachusetts area, please stop by and view the students’ work. More information is provided here: http://www.peabody.harvard.edu/node/720.

City Heights Explores Food Justice

The Speak City Heights collaborative hosted a community event for residents and community members on Nov. 12 at the City Heights Wellness Center. The event included a multi-media presentation, cooking demonstration and a panel discussion about food access in City Heights. Speak City Heights is a media collaboration between The AjA Project, KPBS, Media Arts Center San Diego (MACSD) and voiceofsandiego.org working to give a voice to the community of City Heights and provide a place for dialogue on healthy community living and how to overcome any barriers preventing access to healthy food. Saturday’s event showcased AjA student photographs, videos created by MACSD Teen Producers, samples of traditional East African food and a discussion mediated by KPBS and voiceofsandiego.org reporters. Panel members included Anchi Mei of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Lisa Vandervort of the City Heights Wellness Center, Diana Moss of the Project New Village and Djoha Uwamwira, member of Swahili Speaking Cooking Group.

To learn more about the collaborative, visit speakcityheights.org

APA Photo Contest Exhibition

Join us this Thursday, September 15th from 6-10 PM for a Photo Contest Exhibition at Subtext Gallery to support our friends, American Photographic Artists (San Diego Chapter).  The AjA Project will also have a collage of student photographs on display at the exhibit.  There will be live music by The Red Fox Tails.  A portion of the proceeds from the silent auction will benefit The AjA Project.

So come on down and enjoy a fabulous night filled with art and music!

Subtext Gallery : 2479 Kettner Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101

For more information about the event visit: APA Photo Contest Exhibition’s Facebook

The AjA Project featured on Groupon

Groupon, the popular daily deals & discounts sites, has selected The AjA Project as “Today’s Featured Campaign” from August 30-September 1^st.

100% of the proceeds raised through Groupon will go to The AjA Project, but only if the “deal” gets tipped!  That means, when at least 45 people purchase the deal from August 30 – September 1^st, AjA is funded to buy more cameras!

Thank you to all our supporters who are able to give a donation and/or share this offer with your network of friends! (A tweet or post on your Facebook wall will do wonders too: http://www.groupon.com/deals/gt-the-aja-project)!

How do I donate through Groupon?
1. Go to: http://www.groupon.com/deals/ajaproject
2. Click “BUY” and select quantity, e.g., 1=$10, 2=$20, etc.
3. Complete Order

Spread the word so more people can participate!

1. Copy and Paste this tweet/Facebook post and spread the love:
Support @TheAjAProject via @GrouponSanDiego Aug 30-Sept 1 http://www.groupon.com/deals/gt-the-aja-project Let’s help them capture this moment!

Thank you for all your support!

Shape our student leaders: Donate today!

The AjA Project is raising $25,000 from now until September 30th to fund our Youth Leadership Program, Youth Advisory Council. For internships, college prep opportunities and career development, we need your action by Donating Now… so we can all watch leaders grow!
http://ajaproject.kintera.org/donate

Josh Groban will meet AjA students backstage during his San Diego concert

Great News!  The AjA Project has been selected by multi-platinum singer-songwriter Josh Groban to receive a donation from his new Find Your Light Foundation, which is dedicated to enriching the lives of young people through arts, education, and cultural awareness. The AjA Project is one of just 15 arts education nonprofit organizations selected by Groban to receive funds from The Find Your Light Foundation during his “Straight to You” tour.  Groban has also invited AjA students to his San Diego concert on August 16th where the students will have a chance to meet him back stage prior to his performance. Groban will recognize The AjA Project on stage during his show.

“Ensuring every child has the opportunity to experience an arts education is very important to me,” said Groban. “The AjA Project shares this goal with me, and it gives me great pleasure to highlight the work they do.”

Thanks Josh! We’re looking forward to meeting you!

Art of Photography Show is opening on August 13

The Art of Photography Show’s Opening Reception is on August 13, 2011 at at the Lyceum Theatre Gallery in Horton Plaza. A total of 15,444 entries were submitted by artists from 72 countries around the world. The judge for this exhibit is Anne Lyden, Associate Curator of Photography at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. It’s suggested that you arrive close to 6 p.m. as there will be a large attendance at this reception. All attendees of the Opening Reception Gala will receive a complimentary copy of the show catalog. All the proceeds from art sales go to The AjA Project.

Opening Reception: Saturday, August 13th, 6-10 p.m.

Exhibit: August 13 – October 23, 2011

The Lyceum Theatre Gallery: Open  seven days a week. Gallery hours during this ten-week exhibit: Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Weekends: Noon to 6 p.m.

Website: www.artofphotographyshow.com

2011 San Diego World Refugee Day

More than 600 people attended the World Refugee Day Event, held at the Museum of Photographic Arts on Sunday, June 19th. The event highlighted the contributions refugees make to their new communities in San Diego and across the country. During panel discussions, several Crawford High School students accompanied photographers Bear Guerra and Sam Hodgson on stage where they shared their experiences of migration and resettlement with the audience. The AjA Project presented a multimedia installation in the museum’s atrium that depicted students’ experiences of resettlement, acculturation and displacement. The event also included the screening of “Where We Live”, a documentary film by Fady Hadid, and traditional signing and dancing by local refugees. During the reception, participants enjoyed food prepared by a variety of refugee owned restaurants and catering businesses. Councilmember Marti Emerald attended the event, along with Councilmember Todd Gloria, who proclaimed the day “San Diego Refugee Day”.

WORLD REFUGEE DAY EVENT

Join us for World Refugee Day Celebration Event on Sunday, June 19, 2011 from 1pm to 6pm at the Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego. We will celebrate San Diego’s diversity with Pulitzer Prize winner Don Bartletti and local photography heroes Sam Hodgson and Roberto “Bear” Guerra, as we learn about refugees who contribute to their new communities in San Diego after being forced by war and persecution to flee their homes abroad. The event will also feature fantastic food representing various refugee cuisines, the San Diego premiere of “Where We Live,” a documentary by award-winning Iraqi director Fady Hadid.

The AjA Project will be presenting a multimedia installation in the museum’s atrium from 1pm to 5pm.

Entry to the event is FREE and includes access to the museum’s regular galleries.

For more information visit event website: http://www.refugeedayevent.org/