In response to a question about how I would bring diversity to a First-Year Photo Project at University of Minnesota.
Last summer I would’ve answered this question very
differently. I would have spoken about how I went to a diverse high school,
right next to the large city of Chicago, and surrounded by the natural beauty
of Lake Michigan- and that my photography would pull together urban diversity
of nature, or something like that. For the past year though I was an Americorps
member with the program City Year. I was a tutor, mentor and role model for
at-risk 7th graders working 60-70 hours a week. I lived in San
Antonio and was exposed to a couple entirely different cultures. Within my
program, I was surrounded by an enthusiastic group of 17-24 year olds who were
constantly inspiring me to change the world. The ethic of service was
undeniably strong and enthusiasm and idealism ran high. Then there was the
community where I worked on the East Side of San Antonio. It was an at- risk
middle school where tensions constantly were running high between teachers and
administrators because of a restrictive curriculum and an imposing state test.
However, outside of the school tension was not to be found- the community cared
for each others children when a parent was in jail or in the hospital, even
when money was tight or a brother had just joined a gang- people looked to the
church for reassurance that everything happened for a reason, when the school
systems were in effect destroying their children’s opportunity for an equal
chance- they didn’t lash out at the young naive volunteers trying to help- they
cherished us and let us in to their close-knit community. So while many freshmen
come to the University with one culture, I come with three. My “urban diversity
of nature” years 0-18, my high spirit of idealism and belief that anyone can
change the world with the right amount of passion, and the belief that even in
the face of hardship- the most important thing to hold on to is community. I
think my photographs will not just focus on the campus, but will challenge
viewers to think further into the multitude of cultures that each student brings
that makes University of Minnesota a supreme campus of knowledge.
