A platform for young artists to showcase their talent and drive action on the world’s most pressing issues.
Equity & Its Effects on Today’s World
Serena (left), Ava (right)
Amanda (left), American Gothic (right)
Tara Bryan
Rochester Institute of Technology
In Tara Bryan's black and white portraiture series, she celebrates contemporary Black Women who are actively combating inequity, culminating in a reimagined self-portrait inspired by Gordon Park's American Gothic. Tara aims to catalyze change by showcasing the individual strength that a person can wield, encouraging viewers to see themselves in these empowering roles and acknowledging that the avenues for creating change are limitless. Though the fight for equity continues, her work serves as a testament to communal progress.
They Are Watching Us
They Are Watching Us
Ali Motamedi
Hunter College
In Ali Motamedi's photo series "They Are Watching Us," he tackles the issue of "Equity & Its Effects on Today's World" by exposing the pervasive role of advertising and consumerism in shaping societal norms and affecting personal lives. The series delves into the unequal impacts of consumerism, cultural representation, and privacy, providing a lens to evaluate the state of equity today. Ali believes that art can be a catalyst for change, with the power to spark conversations, forge connections, and challenge societal norms. His work aims to engage viewers emotionally, prompting them to reevaluate their own experiences and advocate for a more equitable society.
What Does Inequity Look Like to a Photographer? Our Young Artists Collective Shows Us.
Global Citizen’s Young Artists Collective uses art to show the impacts of inequity in communities and around the world. Read More
131 Years
Sophia Strange
Parsons School of Design
In Sophia Strange's photo "131 Years," they confront the persistent gender wage gap, which, according to the World Economic Forum, will take another 131 years to close at the current rate. Sophia views art as a potent form of visual storytelling capable of sparking dialogues, educating, and inspiring. Through their work, they aim not just to inform but to ignite a passion for change, using a specific statistic and emotionally resonant images to galvanize viewers into action.
A Moment in Time
City Bikes
Domestic Labor
Deni Espinoza
Hunter College
In Deni Espinoza's collection of individual photos, they offer a lens into the world through the eyes of marginalized members of society. The photos not only highlight societal inequities but also capture moments of resilience and joy in the face of hardship. Deni believes in the enduring power of art to inspire discourse and catalyze change, aiming for their work to continue this tradition by prompting viewers to engage in conversations about critical issues affecting equity today.
my momma sowed the seeds to my perennial garden
my momma sowed the seeds to my perennial garden
Stevia Ndoe
New York University
In Stevia Ndoe's photo series "my momma sowed the seeds to my perennial garden," they explore the significance of generational access and mobility. This series centers around portraits of women in Stevia's life who have bestowed upon them essential life tools, ranging from knowledge and encouragement to love and care. Stevia contends that true equity involves having resources and knowledge that can be passed down through generations, allowing each new generation to dream expansively and recognize their inherent worth. Their work aims to inspire change by highlighting the importance of community, rest, and self-care specifically for Black women, encouraging them to reconsider how they approach labor and regeneration in their lives.
Pay Attention
Leo Sano
Hunter College
In Leo Sano's photo series "Pay Attention," he aims to capture the current state of equity—or lack thereof—in everyday scenes. Rather than offering a solution, Leo's work invites viewers to analyze and understand the complexities surrounding fairness and impartiality. He sees photography as a borderless form of communication that can inspire new ideas and solutions to societal challenges. By urging viewers to be more aware and proactive, Leo believes that his work serves as a stepping stone toward fostering global equitable behavior. His overarching message: "Be The Change," encourages viewers to take an active role in promoting equity.
Our Future
Our Future
Blanche Lin
Baruch College
In Blanche Lin's photo series "Our Future," she concentrates on themes of growth and opportunities for the younger generation, emphasizing that they are the future of the world. A key element in her work is the representation of light as a metaphor for opportunity and the future. One set of images particularly captures the differing obstacles that boys and girls face, rooted in her experiences growing up in an Asian American household. Through contrasting images of her little brother walking a flower-lined path and her little sister navigating a darker, woodier path—both leading towards the light—Blanche aims to shed light on gender disparities. She hopes that her work will encourage viewers to recognize and challenge these disparities, contributing to a more equitable future for young people.
Cuban Thunderstorms
Carlos Suazo
City College of New York
Carlos Suazo's photo series "Cuban Thunderstorms" delves into the complex layers of equity and inequality in Cuba, a nation that touts its commitment to social justice yet reveals glaring disparities. Suazo's lens captures the dualities, showing that even in a society built on the ideal of equity, inequalities persist. The overarching goal of Suazo's work is to inspire viewers to venture beyond their comfort zones, both intellectually and geographically. His own journey as an Honduran-American breaking through stigmas to explore Cuba serves as a testament to the transformative power of immersive experiences. He advocates for venturing beyond tourist-friendly locales to witness firsthand the global impact of political corruption and social injustices, thereby inspiring a richer, more nuanced dialogue on equity.
Harlem's Diversity - Women of Resilience and Power
Juliana Serna Mesa
Parsons School of Design
Juliana Serna Mesa's photography project, “Harlem's Diversity - Women of Resilience and Power,” aims to highlight the resilience and contributions of working women in Harlem, New York—a community rich in immigrant, Latino, and African descendant backgrounds. By capturing these women, who are often underrepresented in conversations around labor and social contributions, Mesa hopes to illuminate the often overlooked but invaluable roles they play in society. She believes that by showcasing these powerful, resilient women, her work will challenge existing stereotypes and promote a future where all women, regardless of their background, are afforded the same opportunities and respect. Her images aim to be more than just photographs; they are a tribute to the daily struggles and triumphs of these women, who continue to work tirelessly towards a more equitable future.
Gypsy Streets of Perpignan
Gypsy Streets of Perpignan
Gabrielle Laguerre
School of Visual Arts
Gabrielle Laguerre’s photo series “Gypsy Streets of Perpignan” offers a compelling visual narrative on the glaring inequities faced by a marginalized community in the heart of a historic city. The images serve as a stark contrast between the beautiful architecture that Perpignan is known for and the dilapidated conditions in which the local gypsy community lives.
Beyond mere documentation, Laguerre’s work aims to be a catalyst for tangible change. By spotlighting the dire need for neighborhood regeneration and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities, the series hopes to galvanize community engagement and dialogue. The objective is not just to raise awareness but to inspire action, pushing for community-driven solutions that could uplift the lives of the gypsies in Perpignan’s Saint Jacques neighborhood.
YOUNG ARTISTS COLLECTIVE X
CLIMATE CHANGE
In May 2023, Global Citizen teamed up with student artists to create original pieces of art that highlight the correlation between climate change and extreme poverty. Click through to see the gallery of what the artists created.
Inclusion for All
Inclusion for All
Jared Rosales
City College of New York
Jared Rosales's photo series "Inclusion for All" features two women who transformed an empty space in the Bronx into a community garden. By providing a nurturing environment, they encourage local youth to transcend societal limitations, serving as exemplary figures for equity and demonstrating that women too can be instrumental in creating meaningful change.
The project aims to raise awareness and drive change by emphasizing the power of grassroots community work in fostering a more equitable society. Through its focus on the garden as a communal learning and working space, the series underlines the importance of inclusion and diversity in driving societal improvement.
*Jared joins us from the Bronx Junior Photo League at the Bronx Documentary Center.
Period Pain to Empowerment
Period Pain to Empowerment
Period Pain to Empowerment
Kahohn Jackson
School of Visual Arts
Kahohn Jackson's photo series "Period Pain to Empowerment" aims to normalize conversations around menstruation, which still remains a taboo topic in modern society. By highlighting specific menstrual issues such as endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, and heavy menstrual bleeding, the project calls for an end to gender-based taxes like the pink tax and the tampon tax, seeking to dismantle the barriers that affect women's health and well-being.
The art piece aspires to be a catalyst for change by providing a platform for women to openly discuss menstruation-related issues, like the tampon tax. By visually representing these topics, Jackson's photography challenges societal norms and prejudices surrounding menstruation, encouraging a broader dialogue that could ultimately lead to more equitable healthcare policies and social attitudes.
THE MENTORS & JUDGES
Crystal Whaley
Mentor & Judge
Crystal Whaley is an EMMY Award winning creative producer in film/TV/digital specialized expertise in content development and content creation. She produced nationally syndicated and Peabody nominated documentaries for TLC, Showtime, MSNBC, Netflix and a 2022 EMMY award winning and 2023 Peabody nominated digital series, ‘Un(re)solved’ for Frontlines/PBS as well as MSNBC’s 2023 EMMY nominated ‘Model America’ and recently co-executive produced ‘Ladies First: Women in Hip Hop’ currently streaming on Netflix.
Crystal is a photographer and an accomplished curator of the annual “For Us, By Us” at The Long Gallery Harlem in February 2017- 20, ALTAR: Prayer, Ritual, Offering at Photoville NYC in Sept. 2018 & Photoville Los Angeles April 2019 as well as curator for the HBCU’s Art Talk/Date: Kerry James Marshall at the MET Breuer.
She’s the producer & deputy editor of critically acclaimed photo books; Black Joy and Resistance in 2018 and MFON: Woman Photographers of the African Diaspora in 2017 as well as the founder and curator of M’DEAR: Exploring the Black Maternal exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) showing May-Oct 2023.
Adreinne Waheed
Mentor & Judge
Adreinne Waheed is a visual artist based in Brooklyn, NY. Her work bears witness to the beauty, brilliance and resilience of Black folks across the diaspora. She is an accomplished photo editor who, during her 20 year career, has produced features for publications including Vibe, Essence and Time Inc. Books. Her photography has been published by The New York Times, i-D, British Vogue, Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, and Photo District News; and has been featured by Spotify, Curology and the NAACP's Twenty 20 in Black. Ms. Waheed is the recipient of the 2019 Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts SIP Fellowship and the 2020/21 Svane Family Foundation Ark Commission. In 2010, she created the Waheed Photo Archive, which was acquired by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in 2015. Her coffee table book, Black Joy and Resistance, was released in December 2018.
Lauri Lyons
Mentor & Judge
Lauri Lyons is a Jamaican-American photographer, author, publisher, and racial justice activist. She is the author of Flag: An American Story, Flag International, and Inspiration: Profiles of Black Women Changing Our World. Her life and work is featured in the films The Sound She Saw, In The Frame, and White Heat.
Lauri is the Founder of the Rest with Honor Project initiative to research and rediscover the unmarked Old Negro Burying Ground in Savannah, Georgia. The initiative started the first petition to remove the Confederate name from the sacred site. The site was renamed in honor of an emancipated Black woman.
Lauri’s photographic range has enabled her to shoot celebrity portraits, ad campaigns and documentaries. Her artistic practice has expanded to include videos, sculptures, advertising, and public art installations. Her work has been exhibited in The Walker Art Center, and Brooklyn Museum of Art. She was a faculty member at the International Center of Photography, New School, Rhode Island School of Design, and Los Angeles Center of Photography.
Lauri is the Publisher & Editor of the travel publication Nomads Magazine. She was a contributing writer at the Huffington Post and a Photo Editor for Essence, The Source, B.E.T., and Magnum Photos.
Justin Wu
Mentor
Justin Wu is a multi award-winning Toronto-based TV Director, Photographer, Creative Director, and Speaker. His television directorial debut was on the multi-award winning sitcom Kim’s Convenience streaming internationally on Netflix. For his episode, Justin was nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement on a Comedy Show by the Director’s Guild of Canada (DGC) in 2021. Today, he just wrapped directing a one-hour stylized drama for Hulu and Syfy - Reginald The Vampire and a block of episodes of Children Ruin Everything picked up by the CW. Later this year Justin will be directing his first studio feature film this summer for a streamer. He is presently within the prestigious Warner Brothers Access x Canadian Academy Roster of directors.
Over the past decade Justin has directed television and digital commercials for world renowned brands and stars including the likes of Dior, Adidas, Coach, L’Oreal Paris, United Nations, Selena Gomez, Jeremy Irons, Victoria Beckham, Willem Dafoe, Susan Surandon, Joaquin Phoenix, Rosario Dawson, Simu Liu, and many more.
Justin and his work is often a topic for the press as he’s known for his uplifting and empowering approach. As a member of the LGBTI community, he continues to stand for inclusion, representation, and equity.