07 PHOTOGRAPHY
ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY


ROLE: PHOTOGRAPHER

CLIENT: PERSONAL PROJECTPhotographs taken while working alongside an indigenous community in Límon, Ecuador. St. John’s University has partnered with local community members for over 11 years working to strengthen long-term partnership and develop global relations through student volunteers. 

I was invited as a member of the Ozanam Scholar program, a platform for students to critically examine the systems that perpetuate poverty and take action to advance social justice through academic scholarship, to take part in the parternship. Every year students provide a financial grant to put forth effort on a community project (ie. bathroom construciton, playground development, community center renovation). We then participate in the labor of costructing the projects. While building, we conduct research for next years students to determine what the community deems the most important project for the following year. My first year, I worked as a student researcher, completing a full report and conducting community meetings. 

I was invited back a second time to photograph and capture experience to prepare students who will attend in the future and facilitate as a research lead for my peers. I continued to grow my relationship with community members (even with the language barrier). 

Some captured moments can be found below:


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