SF Camerawork’s First Exposures & Ghana Youth Photo Project Fundraiser

Students from SF Camerawork’s First Exposures youth photography mentoring program have a unique opportunity to travel to Ghana, West Africa this June to participate in a cultural and photographic exchange with members of the Ghana Youth Photo Project.

On April 17 SF Camerawork’s First Exposures hosts a special fundraising event of music and art at the popular 111 Minna Gallery and nightclub. The funds raised by this benefit will help us to send six of our older and more experienced youth photographers to collaborate with the Ghana Youth Photo Project in West Africa for 2-3 weeks in late June - early July 2008. While there, the First Exposures students will teach Ghanaian youth photography and will learn from them about their country and culture. The trip will expand beyond photography as we will travel to cultural heritage sites and participate in African drumming and dance classes. This trip will build on a previously established photo exchange and provide these deserving students a rare opportunity to travel to a foreign land and participate in an amazing photographic and cultural experience.

“I plan on gaining from this experience really beautiful pictures, learning from the children in Ghana and building connections that will last a lifetime.” - First Exposures student, Jontonnette Clark, age 18
The benefit event, to be held at the lively 111 Minna on Thursday April 17th, from 8:00pm until 2:00am, will allow us to raise funds necessary to cover all travel and photography expenses. The evening will feature a musical performance by Haphrodesia (a Special Acoustic performance from members of the Bay Area’s Aphrodesia), as well as DJ Toph One (of the Red Wine DJ’s), DJ TRUE VERSE, and DJ RasNii.

You can purchase advance tickets through the Camerawork website or a sliding scale donation of $10-$20 will be accepted at the door, and we will also have First Exposures books and photographic prints for sale from both programs, along with a raffle including great prizes donated by Foreign Cinema, Chow, Butterfly, Foto-Grafix Books and more. All proceeds benefit the Ghana trip.

“I hope that my pictures will hold my memories and help me remember the fun I will have with the Ghanaian youth. I will have a bigger appreciation for the life I live and I will have happiness.” - First Exposures student, Bethany Castro, age 18

First Exposures is a mentoring and art education program offered free of charge by SF Camerawork to young people from the Bay Area. Our goal is to provide art education to low-income and otherwise disadvantaged youth ages 11 - 18. Praised as a model program by the State of California, First Exposures is unique in its one-to-one pairing of each child with a photographer who serves as a caring mentor and positive adult role model. Our students are provided with cameras, they learn how to work in a darkroom, go on field trips, exhibit their artwork at the end of the semester, and spend time with creative, fun and supportive people of all ages.

For those of you not familiar with The Ghana Youth Photo Project, it was created by First Exposures volunteer mentor Jamie Lloyd and aims to help children show their world through photography, similar to, and indeed modeled after, First Exposures. Though there has been a history of print exchanges between the programs, this is an extraordinary life changing opportunity for the Bay Area students, most of which have never traveled outside of California.

More information about first Exposures and the Ghana Youth Photo Project can be found at:

http://www.sfcamerawork.org/mentoring.html
http://www.ghanayouthphoto.org/
Please direct all inquiries to First Exposures Education Coordinator Erik Auerbach at 415.512.2020 x107 or email firstexposures@sfcamerawork.org

FIRST EXPOSURES Ghana Youth Collaboration

There will be a fundraiser at 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco
APRIL 17TH 8PM - 2AM, $10 - $20 sliding scale
LIVE MUSIC - DRINKS - SILENT AUCTION - FUN