Photography has always played a huge role in my life.
It’s been a career goal, a hobby, a therapeutic outlet and a conversation starter. It’s a tool I’ve used for visual documentation, a method of communication and a way to connect with myself and others. Time and time again, photography has taught me what it means to tell my story, and how my story is woven into the larger stories of my community.
So when Lillian Hochleutner, the Co-Executive Director of Community Voice from Asians for Collective Liberation in Spokane (ACL) reached out to invite me to do a story on Spokane’s first National Geographic Photo Camp, I felt honored.
The Spokane Photo Camp, one of eight statewide camps, took place from June 26 to 30, as a collaboration between ACL, the National Geographic Society and Allen Family Philanthropies.
Not only did students get to learn from National Geographic Explorers Dominic Bracco II, Kiliii Yuyan, Gab Mejia, and Vishal Subramanyan, they also got to learn from local artists and organizers in our community.
Just like the larger international program it’s part of, the Spokane Photo Camp was designed to empower youth through photography and storytelling, deepen their connections in their own communities and learn from National Geographic Explorers and other camp staff.
Photography as a common language
For Eugenia Quintero, a student at North Central High School, participating in the Photo Camp was a big deal for her and her family.
Her grandfather, who was a big fan of National Geographic, would get their magazines consistently. Quintero added that she appreciates the variety of photos that National Geographic features like wildlife, nature and society.
She gained valuable technical skills from the classes, like how to use light and composition while taking photos. But some of her favorite moments from the Photo Camp were the connections and new friendships she made, and listening to a classmate play the piano every day and getting to “goof off.”
Sadaf and Yalda Sarabi, two sisters who attend Lewis and Clark High School, reflected on photography being a conduit that can help connect people, help understand other perspectives and document valuable moments within people’s lives.
These sentiments weren’t just felt by students.
Frances Grace Mortel, one of the Photo Camp team leaders, reflected on how everyone in her group spoke different native languages: English, Spanish, Dari and Tagalog — and how this actually brought her team closer together.
“Instead of English actually becoming the common language, the common language became photography,” Mortel said.
Mortel described how storytelling is crucial to activism and movement building, and how arts and culture can become creative pathways for young people to tell their stories.
“I noticed that photography as a storytelling tool became this thread that weaved a lot of things that we couldn't say in words,” Mortel said. “It just transforms into this kind of language that we can share somehow.”
Another team leader, Margaret Albaugh, described feeling inspired not only by the Explorers, but also by the Photo Camp students and witnessing their excitement about life despite the hardships they’ve faced. It reminded her why she does advocacy work.
“This is why we do this, right?” Albaugh said, “It’s because these generations are so meaningful and you just hope that they can keep doing these silly, joyous, beautiful things in the future.”
‘Out in the world, exploring their own communities’
One of the camp’s photography sessions was held the same Saturday as basketball lovers gathered for Hoopfest.
Among the crowds of people that lined downtown Spokane sidewalks, spilling into the streets in front of makeshift basketball courts, were myself and the Photo Camp group.
While the other mentors and students split off into small groups to walk around, I spoke with Bracco, one of the National Geographic Explorers. We weaved through crowds of loud spectators as he told me about the Photo Camp program’s recruitment process in places with established community organizations.
“It is better when we’re working with organizations that have an existing relationship,” Bracco told me. “There's a trust there between the student and their families and that organization.”
As the local partnering organization for the Spokane Photo Camp, ACL took the lead on recruiting the 14 local participants. Focusing their outreach on young people between the ages of 16 and 20 from immigrant and refugee communities, ACL tapped partner organizations and local community leaders – such as school teachers – who could directly recommend individuals to participate in the Photo Camp.
Bracco said the program does more than teach photography skills.
“Having [the students] out in the world, taking pictures and exploring their own community… It does something to their ability to feel like there's more possibilities out there for them, you know?” he said.
‘This little story of Spokane’
Yuyan, one of the National Geographic Explorers, spoke about the growth he’s seen within the students, from their confidence to ask strangers if they can take their photos to them building up their friendships with each other.
By the end of the program, the students had taken about 15,000 photos. Mejia, another National Geographic Explorer, said it had been amazing to see the students’ progress, development and the images they took.
Speaking to a room full of the Photo Camp students and their family and friends, Mejia explained that they had visited different places like Waikiki Springs and the downtown area.
“I hope you enjoy this little piece, this little story of Spokane,” Mejia said.
And with that, two videos were shown: the first being a final photo slideshow and the second being a “behind the scenes” video.
During the first video, some students nudged their peers when specific photos popped up, while others watched silently. A couple people in the audience cried, demonstrating just how much the program had impacted them.
The “behind the scenes” video elicited laughter from people. Once both videos were over, Bracco thanked the Photo Camp students and shared words of encouragement, before handing out certificates.
“I really hope that y’all stay in touch with each other and that you continue this kindness that y’all were able to build here with you as you move onto the rest of your lives,” Bracco said.
Photos taken during the Final Showcase. (Photos by Pascal Bostic.)
Editor's note: Pascal previously was employed by ACL and continues to be involved on a community level.
