Youth Voices, a mentorship-based program, engaged 20 at-risk youth in a year-long program using storytelling projects, photographic education, and mentorship. Teens interacted regularly with experienced photographers and storytellers to create impactful work, learn communication and presentation skills, and have fun. During weekly group meetings and one-on-one sessions with mentors Ben Brody, Nina Robinson, Tsar Fedorsky, and Alison Morley, they learned life and photographic skills, looked at inspiring pictures (including their own) and worked toward creating a final public exhibition. They created self-directed documentary projects focused on representing their neighborhoods and lives from their own perspectives, learned to see with emotion and understanding, and make photographs reflecting their own personal voice and vision.

Along with their mentors, a diverse network of guests and advisors introduced the students to a range of photographic concepts and skills including:

• Personal Vision
• Identity and Authenticity
• Lightroom/Workflow
• Editing and Sequencing
• Picture Story
• Photobooks, Zines and Guerilla Exhibits
• Problem Solving

PhotoWings partnered with VII Foundation to support the mentors, guests and advisors, and online training materials. Cameras were donated by Fujifilm USA, Adobe provided software licenses, the YMCA of Boston donated computers, notebooks/swag were donated by Report for America and Digital Silver Imaging made prints of the students' work. 

Learn more about the YMCA + VII Academy Youth Voices program here.