Mission & values

Our Vision

Our Mission

Our Values

Our Equity Statement

Youth in Focus believes in youth: we support youth, we center youth voices, and we advocate for them and the things that matter to them. As an organization that works in the photography and media space, we are acutely aware of the profound and powerful impact of images and video. We use photography and art as tools for expression, nurturing curiosity, dialogue, shared understanding, building community, and exploration of ideas and concepts across time and place.

Youth in Focus serves youth, staff, and volunteers from the global community who represent a diverse and wide spectrum of intersectional identities and lived experiences. As such, our community is affected by a history of white supremacy, institutionalized racism, sexism, ableism, genderism, ageism, homophobia, and more. We aim to create a safe and supportive environment for youth, and a transformed
future shaped by their voices - and that commitment extends beyond the walls and hours of our programs. We proudly utilize photography as a powerful medium of change to create a healthy, vibrant, more equitable, and just society.

Youth in Focus is committed to equity through:

• Preparing youth to succeed and thrive in education, life, and/or career through our full range of programming, ensuring a community of support, and providing resources
• Reducing the opportunity gap in access to the arts by offering free programming and meeting students in their own community
• Creating a sense of belonging where youth are honored and accepted as their authentic selves

• Ensuring we have programming specifically tailored to BIPOC youth to allow them to explore photography through the lenses of their experiences
• Employing staff/teaching artists who reflect our students’ identities and lived experiences
• Implementing a Youth Advisory Board to ensure youth voice is represented in organizational decision-making
• Paying artists for their work and creative labor