My understanding and experience with literacy was reestablished through my relationship to photography, image making, and personal narratives.
My first time taking my own photos was when I was in 7th grade in San Francisco in school as part of a class project. I shot black and white film on a 120mm Holga camera, and then developed and printed 8x10 prints in the darkroom at the Harvey Milk Photo center at Duboce park.
From there, photography and image making enabled me to expand my experiences and understanding of myself and my environment more.
I could communicate meanings through images and share experiences.
When I was younger I didn’t always know how to tell my story and share my ideas; I struggled with feeling invalidated, and disposable.
The impact of communication with images and text is so powerful. I wouldn’t know where’d I’d be without photography and my development of understanding my personal narrative.
These experiences influence and shape my engagement as a life long learner and educator.
