A dilapidated but occupied home.
A portrait of a field worker with a slight, sweet smile on her face.
A mother holding an oversized photograph of the son she lost to gang violence.
The photographs strike at the viewers heart with their glimpses of Salinas; theyre images that could grace the cover of National Geographic.
The 16 pictures result from the efforts of a small group of teenagers who traipsed across the city for a week in August 2010 as part of a photo documentary project.
For the past year, these images have been making their way around Salinas as a traveling exhibit sponsored by The California Endowments Building Healthy Communities initiative. The initiative is a 10-year, $1 billion project aimed at creating a healthier environment for children and youth in impoverished areas around the state. East Salinas is one of 14 communities chosen to focus on improving issues such as employment, education, housing and neighborhood safety.
Inspiring change
Its been just over a year since the Photo Voice project, titled Picturing Health in Salinas, took place, but its effect is still evident in some of the participating teens.
Cesar Galvan, 16, a junior at Everett Alvarez High School, said two favorite photographs he took include one in which he shot a little girl playing at a playground and another with a skateboarder in midair at Natividad Creek Park. It was a surprise to find out he had talent for photography, Galvan said.
I really did get to see a side of Salinas that I didnt think existed, he said. I didnt know that there were so many places that were rundown.
Like some of the other teens, Jorge Quiroz didnt know what to expect going into the workshop. Quiroz, a 16-year-old Alisal High junior, said fruits and vegetables the leading product of the Salinas Valley initially came to mind when he thought of photo subjects. He realized there was more to the project, he said, as the group discussed conditions in east Salinas.
They wanted us to take pictures of what we thought was healthy in Salinas, Quiroz said. I thought it was a good idea to show people that Salinas, its not only negative, but it can also be positive.
Tags: Traveling
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