Spring 2012 - Clarion University

photoVoice:
I
Do
Who
you think i am
bet you’Re wRong.
tina horner
PuBliC relations, PhotoVoiCe Volunteer
For the young women in Secure Unit A at Mid-Atlantic
Youth Services (MAYS), violence has been a part of their past.
Some have committed violence, some have been victims of
violence, and some have committed violence in response
to violence committed toward them. Since January, Clarion
University’s VDay Project has been helping the women, ages
15 to 20, learn to express themselves through PhotoVoice,
a method for telling their stories in productive, creative ways
through photography and journaling. An exhibition, “Through
Our Lens: What do you think I am I bet you’re wrong,” in the
University Art Gallery concluded the project.
Clarion University English professor Juanita Smart guided
the participants through journaling exercises and self-expression.
Greg Knox, who teaches photography and works in Clarion’s
Computing Services Center, helped them see their world though
a camera’s lens. Both have been impressed with the youths’
eagerness to learn and their creativity. Knox described the
project as “incredible.”
John Patrus, clinical supervisor at Mid-Atlantic, has seen
the positive impact of PhotoVoice. “Our young women’s selfexpression
styles can become compromised by the wounding
within their life circumstances. PhotoVoice provided empowering
self-expression, through the “magic” of photography. The
attendant writing assignments are doorways for self-discovery.”
For the exhibition, participants selected four
photographs from dozens taken, wrote captions for them and
submitted journal entries that track feelings about their hearts,
bodies and minds. The Clarion University VDay crew included
students, faculty and staff, who facilitated activities on alternate
Saturday visits to MAYS. In between visits they communicated
by mail. Additionally, students in the Survey of WGS class
corresponded with the young women.
In interviews the young women shared their experiences:
“I learned to express my feelings in a more positive way,”
said Tore, who said at home she was always fighting. “The place
I focus on is my heart.”
Smart advised Sierra, on how to overcome writer’s
block. The youth described having drawers full of journals at
home, and being familiar with photography, but she had never
combined them as a way of expressing herself.
“PhotoVoice gave me a greater opportunity to explore
what I like,” Sierra explained.
Knox helped the young women look at their
surroundings in a different way. For example, a 17-year-old
photographed a single carpet thread that was sticking up in the
doorway of her room. To her it represented the loneliness she felt.
“I’m used to expressing joy in my everyday ways,” said
Jocelyn, “but it’s really good to let out some of that darker side.”
Angelique also explored the darker side,
“I take a lot of pictures of myself and things I desire. I
took a few pictures of the handcuffs and shackles they put on us
– it shows I want to be free..”
Two youths have experience with journaling and
photography from their respective high schools. One won an
art caption-writing contest at her school, and the other used the
skills working on her school’s newspaper and yearbook, but their
lessons from PhotoVoice are different.
“I learned,” said Leeza, “what one person sees in a
photo, another person relates to it in a whole different way.”
According to Shannon, “PhotoVoice helped me to
express myself in a way that I can give back to my community.”
46