World We Imagine pt. 1
The Blue Sweater is an interesting story of how a woman with a will to change the world was given the chance to see, firsthand, the areas that needed her help.
Novogratz's story is unique in that, most Americans will never travel to the third world countries where Novogratz lived. She had a hands-on reckoning with extreme poverty in these devastated parts of the world, but most people will only ever understand these issues from afar.
Knowing this, I think the next best option to increase awareness is to improve the way that we educate people at a distance. Throughout my time in school, I've found that when an issue is presented in a visual format, I feel significantly more connected to that problem. I find that information is so much more digestible and meaningful when it's presented in photo or video format.
There is a real power in good storytelling and I think my role in making the world a better place has something to do with that. I am really interested in photojournalism and documentary filmmaking. I have more experience in photography than I do in filmmaking, but I'd like to start exploring this realm of journalism. If I end up working for a major publication after college (like the New York Times or The Washington Post), I hope that I am commissioned to take photos in parts of the world that are begging for our attention. I want to use my storytelling abilities to broadcast the voices of those who have been marginalized by society.
Emily, I also thought educating through visuals could be a key driver in our goals. Both photos and documentaries are effective in conveying emotions and stories. I think photos are a great option because you do not need experience in editing videos or all of the equipment that might be used to film a documentary. You could create a blog similar to this dedicated to showcasing your photos. You definitely do not need to wait for a major publication to make an impact.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily, this is great. Your passion is definitely there, and the ambition to do something great is also there. If you start with something specific, a certain problem that you would like to fix and then expand from there, your solutions will be much stronger. I can't wait to see what you come up with!
ReplyDeleteYou have some really great thoughts Emily! I admire you wanting to use your passions and gifts to make the world a better place. Your storytelling, photography, and writing skills would make an excellent combination to share the stories of those who are marginalized in society. I also can relate with what you said about visuals - I am a huge visual learner myself.
ReplyDeleteIs there a specific group of people who are marginalized in society that you are really passionate about? That would make an excellent first publication.
DeleteHi Emily, I really like your idea of broadcasting voices of those who are marginalized by society. A good way you could try this would be starting on our own campus. You could practice sharing stories of groups of people on campus and as you grow, you can take your talents to other parts of the world.
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