YOUTH IN FOCUS BLOG

Summer Camp Registration

Summer Camp registration is now live!

Meet Teaching Artist, Marilyn Montufar

“I just remember thinking...that feels like magic!”

Meet Teaching Artist, Juan Alberto Franco Ricardo

“Art, especially photography, helped me come to terms with the complex identity problems teens confront.”

A Chance to Catch Up

Virtual classes, the second session of the CCC, and Summer Camp prep. Not to mention, March was #YouthArtMonth and #Women'sHistoryMonth!

Meet Teaching Artist, Isabel Dietz Hartmann

“...your teens are a special time where you...see yourself as a member of world at large. Having access to the arts helped provide a loose map to this process.”

Black History Month Inspiration Feed

Check out this rolling list of artists, musicians, and nonprofits that are currently serving as inspiration.

Giving Tuesday

Our creative cohort combines photography, and graphic design, with mock interviews, portfolio development and more and is offered completely free of charge.

Mission in Focus Event Recap

Through your tireless efforts and generosity, we were able to raise over $43,000.00 in donations and silent auction bids! Your contributions support our mission to amplify teen voice through photography and arts education.

Congratulations to the Winners of the Exposure Values Photo Contest!

The Summer Launch Program

Over the summer, Youth in Focus partnered with Launch to create a bespoke set of pre-recorded photography courses for their campers in lieu of pre-COVID field trips that had since been cancelled. We worked with Isis, the ELO Director at Launch, to create this program and she wrote a few words about the experience. The included photos are from the youth enrolled in the camp.

A Case of Mistaken Identity Lands Two of our TA's in a Los Angeles Public Health Leader Program

“Thank you both for coming to multiple of our sessions! It was always a treat to listen to the way you can navigate our world and public health issues with an artistic communication lens. I always felt very seen and validated when attending your sessions.”

Not Another Lazy Summer

Although in-person programming came to a grinding halt in March, we didn't let COVID-19 take the strategic steering wheel away from us. By creatively and quickly shifting our programming to a virtual model—both live sessions via Zoom and pre-recorded video sessions, we served 183 youth online during this month alone.

August Virtual Classes and More

Isabel leads our Storytelling session this month adding a strong Portfolio element for photographers who want to start creating a cohesive body of work for themselves or if they plan to do something arts-related for a career.

#GiveBIGWA Bonus! Samantha's high school years

This has been a thrilling run towards our Spring Quarter fundraising challenge with #GiveBIGWA! Our initial goal was $15K and you blew past that marker with your generosity earlier today, (THANK YOU!!!) prompting us to make a stretch goal of $25K.

As a southern kid growing up in Detroit...

The arts provided the only space that allowed me to feel. Those experiences shaped the person I am now, but it would take many more years for this rose to emerge from the concrete.

Paint Shop Pro and an Amy Winehouse Tribute

When I was 12 years old my parents bought me a Dell desktop computer.

A Personal Check-In

In this new world where many of us are working and schooling from home, I find the boundaries increasingly blurred between my professional life and my home life. So, consider this a personal check in, as I hope you and your loved ones are safely able to shelter in place.

A Melted Walkman and a Brave Space

In the winter of 1995 I packed a small bag of clothes, contact solution, a walkman, tapes and my skateboard and I left home. There were multiple factors involved--much of it disputed now if you ask everyone who was there. Regardless, at 16 years old I moved into an anarchist collective in Memphis, Tennessee.

Things are Weird but We Still Make Art

Nothing is quite right, it’s all a little awkward, and the highlight of the week is standing in line at the grocery store. Deep breath in… deep breath out. Things are weird.

It's Been a Rough Couple of Weeks...

Current events have challenged us, but Youth in Focus is rising to that challenge!

Check Out This Podcast

Anibal Ruiz and Samantha Kelly discuss the positive impact of arts in the community.

A Virtual Spring Quarter and a Note from our ED

For 25 years, Youth in Focus has brought youth together to learn, grow, discover what’s important to them, and share their story through photography. Along the way we’ve built an extended family of support from all of you over the years, as well.