Seeing For Ourselves

A 501(c)(3) non-profit, Seeing for Ourselves focuses on American lives, their work-a-day stories, and how they see the world around them. The content originates with those generally seen through the prism of outside observers very different from themselves. Participatory photography, the Seeing for Ourselves practice, corrects that paradigm. We look to provide fresh perspectives by equipping and training primarily disenfranchised and marginalized groups to take control of their own narratives. How? By taking photographs that: command attention; promote self-actualization; and, shift dominant paradigms. To ensure top-quality work, we equip participants in our programs with suitable film or digital cameras, train them in the art of photography, inspire them with what the masters have done, and encourage them to document their lives. With cameras in their hands, these eager students, young and old, become the creators, frame by frame, of the pictures and words that tell the story of their lives. We then provide a platform—a book, an exhibit, or a movie—to share the results with the wider world. Learning more about Seeing for Ourselves "Project Lives" publication: Project Lives Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Lives