My Family, Our Stories
Photography and Literacy Program for ESL Students
The Light Factory created “My Family, Our Stories” to serve English as a Second Language (ESL) students in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. This project helps prepare youth to participate in global community through teaching basic photography while improving communication and literacy skills. “My Family, Our Stories” contributes to the artistic and intellectual growth of ESL students and gives the Charlotte community a photographic glimpse into their lives.
This year The Light Factory worked with six local high schools. We worked with 60 students at Myers Park, East Mecklenburg, South Mecklenburg, West Mecklenburg, Garinger, and Independence High Schools. We had the wonderful opportunity to work with an extremely diverse group of students. Their countries of origin include Democratic Republic of Congo, Russia, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Ghana, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, India, Somalia, Kenya, Liberia, Colombia, Moldova, Tibet, Laos, Nicaragua, Mexico, Pakistan, Korea, and Gambia.
Students and classroom instructors worked with professional photographers, Van Miller and Vanessa Lathrop. The students received over 40 hours of hands-on instruction in photography and creative writing. Each student had the opportunity to photograph their family, community, and self. Each student wrote a series of poems and a final personal narrative describing their family, culture and journey to the United States.
Thank you to our sponsors: ASC, NCAC, Duncan-Parnell Printing, Bank of America, Shutterfly, ArtsTeach, and Wachovia.
Photo credit: Mitchell Kearney
Click here to reach the Charlotte Magazine article about the program.
The Light Factory 40th Anniversary 