Photographer Edward Steichen once said, “Photography is a major force in explaining man to man.” Photographs speak to our emotions and allow us to tell our story by showing others how we interpret the world.
For this reason, photography is a powerful driver of social change and individual growth – two major components of The AjA Program’s mission in San Diego.
AjA uses photography as a tool for underserved young people to tell their story. AjA believes the power of storytelling through the arts is a crucial catalyst for self-agency and positive change – participants learn they are much more than passive observers in a story that’s already been told about them.
Participants in AjA’s Photographers 4 Change program take a break from photos and play a trustbuilding game with their peers. Photographers for Change works with young women from Karen refugee backgroundsin City Heights. Armed with a camera, participants document their environments and use their images as a platform for identifying opportunities to create positive community change.
