Why does photography matter?

Because each life matters.

We generate more images each day than we know what to do with and there would never be enough time to look at each image created around the world in a single day, but that is the power of this art form. Unlike so many other art forms, photography has virtually no barriers to entry; you literally have tools in your pocket.

I think this is why photography is more important now than ever.

I grew up in South Minneapolis. It was not a great neighborhood, we had a couple of drug dealers on the block and our house was broken into more than once. There was a period where I didn’t feel safe walking home from my high school just three blocks away. My parents have worked hard for everything and created beautiful lives, they follow their hearts and serve their communities. There are lots of things we didn’t have money for like brand name clothes, vacations, a vehicle that you could trust to go more than 20 miles a trip. But we always had white privilege, something no one talked about then, but shielded all of us our entire lives. I managed to go to a private liberal arts college, move all over the country, get married, have children, choose wether I wanted to work outside the home, take my pick of educational opportunities for my children, and start my own business. These are not opportunities everyone in South Minneapolis has, and I know that the color of my skin played a role in my safety and prosperity.

I use photography in many ways: to tell my family’s story, to capture memories of those around me, to create images that express something in my heart. And the amazing thing is that you can do the same. And your art is just as important as mine. And it is ALL important.

By seeing lives through the lenses of others, we learn how closely connected we are and how much we have in common. I mean, we all take photos of kids being cute, pets we love, food that looks yummy. If you are into photography, you have something in common with millions of people, many of them who do not look like you. By seeing ourselves in others, we level out privilege. We stop presuming differences and begin presuming commonality.

We must starting getting things right with each other today. This is why photography is so important and why we should to click and share like there is no tomorrow. But let’s take it further, let’s view other’s photos, like their photos, see the person behind the lens. Photography won’t solve racial inequity, but it can be a tool for changing hearts and minds. We must make things better for each other, and we will.