100cameras

My Shield, My Sword, My Wings—All At Once. By Urban Koi 🛡️⚔️🪽 “In a chaotic world, I find solace in the embrace of a camera lens. Each click of the shutter is a defiant heartbeat. The lens is my shield, my sword, my wings—all at once. Through my art, I find the courage to speak truths that words alone cannot express. It is my hope that my images serve as a testament to resilience and a reminder for others to embrace their own journey in the universe. No matter how daunting the path ahead may appear, you have a voice. 100cameras taught me that we can champion the camera as a vessel for voices that echo in silence. The lens captures the essence of lives lived—each photograph a bridge connecting hearts across space and time. Through 100cameras, minds blossom under the nurturing light of creativity. The camera becomes a key to unlocking doors to emotional intelligence and self-discovery. Each lesson is a journey inward, teaching not just the mechanics of photography, but the art of seeing—truly seeing—oneself and others. When armed with courage and the power of visual storytelling, the human spirit knows no bounds. With every click of the shutter, lies the potential to reshape realities, challenge injustices, and ignite the flames of change. Through the lens, we do not just capture moments—we create movements. We do not just tell stories—we rewrite histories.” — Urban Koi 🌙 🪐 Through Your Lens: A series inspired by our Board of Creatives who believe in the power of creativity and self-expression to break barriers, foster connection, improve well-being, and build community. Scroll through to see their stories. ✨ This holiday season, donate to 100cameras and provide these opportunities to more youth across the U.S. and worldwide. www.100cameras.org/donate

Photography becomes a bridge: between thought and expression, between individual experience and community understanding. When youth choose to share their perspectives through visual storytelling, they often discover their power to shape narratives and influence positive change. “For these children, photography came as a beam of light in the midst of the penumbra of migration and poverty. They learned to photograph their own lives to transform it and show it to the world. This experience reflects the power of art to save us from despair, the cruel threat of migration.” - Jhon, Project Coordinator of Cúcuta Mission, Cúcuta, Colombia 📷 by youth participants Lazaeda, Naje, Quinn, and Trung during 100cameras programs in Chicago, USA, Duhok, Kurdistan, USA, and Da Nang, Vietnam

To every young participant who has shared their story through our programs: your courage in exploring new forms of self-expression inspires us. You are the true hero of the story, always and forever. To every educator and partner organization: you are the local experts, and your leadership ensures that our curriculum is thoughtful, relevant, and inclusive. May we all look to your guidance first and foremost - and more often. And to our supporters: your commitment makes it possible for youth to continue embracing the importance of their stories and self-expression for years to come. This is the full circle impact of 100cameras - and we are deeply thankful for each of you! ❤️ 📷 by Kelly Johnson, Scott Bennett, Elle Wildhagen, and Guillermo Suarez during 100cameras programs in Da Nang, Vietnam, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Duhok, Kurdistan, and Caracas, Venezuela

"Raised by a mother who was a steel sculptor, I grew up immersed in art. Our bookshelves were lined with works on artists like David Smith, Louise Bourgeois, and Mark di Suvero, and weekends were often spent exploring museums and sculpture gardens. Art was always within reach, and I witnessed firsthand how my mom used it to create emotive pieces and tell her own stories. I first connected with 100cameras in 2013 while searching for a nonprofit partner for the 100-50-1 mobile photography show I was producing. As the first of its kind, it was only fitting that our nonprofit partner would have a strong connection to photography. What I found in 100cameras was an organization with which I would grow over the next decade. Attending events, recording podcasts, and engaging with fellow creatives gave me a profound sense of community - the same feeling I had when I first started taking photos with others around San Francisco. Their WHY resonated with me and now 10+ years later, now with a child of my own, I find myself even more passionate about their mission. As I encourage my son to embrace the same appreciation and expression that art gave me as a child, I see the power of creativity firsthand." - Daniel Cohen Through Your Lens: A series inspired by our Board of Creatives who believe in the power of creativity and self-expression to break barriers, foster connection, improve well-being, and build community. 💫 This holiday season, donate to 100cameras and provide these opportunities to more youth across the U.S. and worldwide. www.100cameras.org/donate

Leadership takes many forms. In our programs, youth demonstrate leadership by exploring their life experiences, embracing vulnerable emotions, supporting their peers in creative expression, and engaging in constructive dialogue. They challenge conventional narratives about their communities through thoughtful visual storytelling, creating space for new perspectives and meaningful change. Join us today at http://100cameras.org 📷 by youth participants Anderson, Eukierra, Eduardo, Josephine, and Linh during 100cameras programs in Cartagena, Colombia, Chicago, USA, Havana, Cuba, Kajo Keji, South Sudan, and Da Nang, Vietnam

In communities where resources are stretched thin and creative programs face budget cuts, young people still need outlets for expression and connection. Through our comprehensive 8-module curriculum that meets educational standards, local educators receive turnkey programming that integrates seamlessly into their existing frameworks and classrooms. While our train-the-trainer model ensures sustainability and cultural relevance, our scholarship platform helps remove financial barriers that traditionally limit access to these types of tools. This holiday season, your donations will fund program scholarships so that youth can access critical tools for processing their experiences, improving emotional intelligence and well-being, and fostering community-building skills. 📷 by Lydia Billings, Elle Wildhagen, and Ridvan Foxhall during 100cameras programs in Baltimore, USA, Cartagena, Colombia, and Lamin Village, The Gambia

The impact speaks volumes: 94% of participants report significant growth in self-expression and resilience after exploring photography through our program. This isn't just anecdotal - the recent comprehensive research report by UN Institution, UNIDIR, in partnership with 100cameras, UNICEF, and War Child, confirms substantial improvements in emotional intelligence and well-being among youth through our extensive curriculum and methodology. ⭐ Link to full report: https://lnkd.in/dbwHmRKJ Your support makes programs possible for more youth across the U.S. and worldwide. Join us today! 📷 by youth participants Eduardo, Thúy, and Ghazal during 100cameras programs in Havana, Cuba, Da Nang, Vietnam, and Kawergosk, Kurdistan

Visual Storytelling, as an art form, has long been an expensive industry, fostering exclusivity for decades. Yet now more than ever, youth need a new language to process anxiety, stress, and feelings of isolation, especially when words alone aren't enough. We are committed to accessibility! Whenever possible, local community schools and organizations receive program scholarships, ensuring that financial circumstances do not determine whether young people receive access to creative tools for self-expression. By lowering these barriers, we provide youth with opportunities to explore new pathways that enhance emotional intelligence, well-being, resilience, and community-building skills. This is why we fundraise - donors like you directly support our program scholarship platform. Join us today at https://lnkd.in/ecUTsFE7 📷 by Nora Scheff, Elle Wildhagen, Kelly Johnson, and Lydia Billings during 100cameras programs in Asheville, USA, Chicago, USA, Da Nang, Vietnam, and Bronx, USA

Creativity can be the hug that we all sometimes need. During times of anxiety, stress, or isolation, creative expression becomes a powerful anchor when words alone are not enough. Through photography and storytelling, youth in our programs document their experiences, process complex emotions, and envision new possibilities - all while developing technical abilities that complement their natural creativity. "In a school like ours, kids don’t always get wins. They are often easily defeated. The 100cameras partnership has given students at Price a new way to express themselves. It was great to offer students the ability to use their voice and to take agency in their learning.” — Lauren, Program Educator, Atlanta, GA Join us this holiday season at http://100cameras.org 📷 by youth participants Destynne, Óscar, and Rajan during 100cameras programs in Shinnecock Nation, La Mosquitia, Honduras, and Kawergosk, Kurdistan

“Photography offers a different way to express what we feel. This is what I love about the 100cameras mission: Giving young people a new way to communicate, process, and understand their emotions, and tell their story.” - Dan Rubin Through Your Lens: A series inspired by our Board of Creatives who believe in the power of creativity and self-expression to break barriers, foster connection, improve well-being, and build community.✨ This holiday season, donate to 100cameras and provide these opportunities to more youth across the U.S. and worldwide. www.100cameras.org/donate