FOCUS Youth Photography Project

… a knowledge of photography is just as important as
that of the alphabet. The illiterate of
the future will be ignorant of the
use of the camera and pen alike.
– Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, 1936

History:
Founded in 1999 by photographer Michelle Longosz, Focus is a youth photography program committed to offering interdisciplinary, photo-based education to young people from economically challenged communities. Seed money for the project originally came from Echoing Green, a foundation that supports sustainable social change projects.
Local visual artist, Carolyn S. Carr, joined Michelle in the fall of 1999 to help launch the Focus Project in West Oakland.

Mission:
To develop and enhance students ability to see, observe, and pay attention to the world around them.

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