Our Team

As a humanitarian photographer and social scientist, I am deeply committed to cultivating equitable programs that empower and reflect the experiences, stories, and voices of communities that face oppression based on gender, class, religion, race, or sexual identity. Too often, it is an outsider telling the stories of communities that they have little inside knowledge of. My vision is to create spaces where communities tell their own stories through visual methods to foster a sense of empowerment and personal agency. My interest in utilizing photography as a vehicle for social change began over a decade ago. 

In 2009, I visited India for the first time as a photographer to establish connections that would enable me to document cultural weddings. During this time, I was befriended by a Tibetan monk, who shared personal stories of being imprisoned and tortured for following his religion. This encounter and other interactions with local community members raised awareness of the social and political inequities that particular communities encounter. This realization sparked a desire to utilize my photography toward humanitarian purposes, leading to a path of higher education. The quest for knowledge of specific injustices has resulted in achieving a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Gender Studies from the University of Hawaii. A Masters in Organizational Development from Antioch University in Seattle, Washington, and a Masters in Human Development from Fielding Graduate University, where I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Development. My research has concentrated heavily on gender equality and artistic activism. I am interested in NGOs employing visual arts to a) increase awareness on critical issues faced by oppressed communities b) how specific processes are aiding in reaching funders and policymakers and, c) the level of direct involvement communities have throughout the process.

To further understand these issues, I engaged in an ethnographic case study of Photographers Without Borders program, which brings photographers from around the world to work directly with local communities to identify and communicate stories that support NGO partners. During this time, they partnered alongside Sambhalii Trust, a local NGO that serves children and women who face abuse, poverty, and cultural oppression due to being considered the lowest caste in India. As part of the program, I was privileged to observe empowerment centers where women and children are provided education and taught skills, such as sewing, to cultivate a sense of agency. Both organizations are doing significant work to empower communities and raise consciousness on crucial social issues. However, there remains a tremendous need for more programs and collaborative efforts to scratch the surface of societal inequalities. 

In my personal experience working with NGOs and programs created to aid in empowering oppressed communities, I have observed many organizations losing sight of their mission and vision due to bureaucracy and constant preoccupation with funding sources. It is my highest vision to reconnect organizations to their primary purpose by engaging in reflective practices and collaborative processes to highlight the visual narratives of communities served.

A decade of nonprofit work and academic research has provided significant knowledge of both photovoice and visual storytelling. I recognize you can't place cameras in the hands of people and expect that will advance change or empower people. Photovoice is a process that demands thoughtful preparation, collaboration, and facilitation abilities. The goal of the Photovoice Empowerment Project is to create spaces where communities can bring their stories to the tables of changemakers and assist programs in identifying empowering visual communication stratigies that reflect the communities they serve. 

 "Images have the potential to tell a story that words alone could never achieve."