Dreaming in Color with women in Guatemala

Learning in visual storytelling and developing my craft and increasing my ability to connect and honor people’s stories is vital for me in my work. Photographers Without Borders has been a community where I have been challenged, encouraged, and learned so much. I was able to complete their Ethical Storyteller Certification course ad participate in many of their education opportunities.

As a visual storyteller I seek to create images that follow a dignifying system to protect those we serve and partner with an allow them agency. PWB has taught me so much and I have benefited as a storyteller from many conversations with the PWB community.

I finally got the nerve to apply to go on assignment with PWB and I was accepted! I am heading to Guatemala in November to partner and create storytelling content with an organization. We must start with telling other’s stories in ways we would want our own stories told and I want to learn from the organization partners in Guatemala how that looks for them without over simplifying their work and narratives.

I will be partnering with Women that Have the Capacity to Dream in Colors (WCDC) that raises awareness about violence against women with disabilities, helps build and support alliances between women with disabilities and their allies, increases women with disabilities participation in their local community. 
In their words, "Somos un grupo de mujeres con discapacidad que decidimos ocupar espacios en la sociedad y promover nuestros derechos." 

"We are a group of women with disabilities who decided to occupy spaces in society and promote our rights."

I will also be participating in PWB's Mentorship Program: "this program aims to share the incredible photography skills of our members with the International Community Partners. BY sharing our visual storytelling knowledge we hope to help these grassroots organizations be further empowered to continue using the impactful photography in supporting their future initiatives." I will have the opportunity to deliver a camera to the organization and work in the field with a local mentee as well as teaching visual storytelling lessons during my assignment. 
This part of the assignment is such a gift to me as I adore mentorship and allowing others to have the tools to tell THEIR stories on THEIR TERMS and I desire to always share in collaboration and learn together. 

My love for photography as a means to sharing stories and connecting people was birthed when I lived in East Africa and I am so excited to have this opportunity to travel and partner with an organization focused on good and hard wok in the world. I hope and pray my labor helps them; in small ways, further their mission. 

Learn more about this opportunity and consider donating to help covers costs of this assignment here. And stay tuned for stories from the amazing women with the courage to dream in color- I know I will be learn so much from them.
 Thank you so much!