Within all of the marvelous displayed artistry New York City has to offer, an entire sector of creatives is constantly being overlooked. These are our potential future creative leaders overcoming adversities within marginalized NYC communities. These youth create magnificent works of art born out of obstacles and would thrive in a more positive direction if only provided the same exposure and opportunities as other artists. The proposed Creative Ambassadors photo series seeks to empower the voices of these youth, by presenting them in powerful photographic high fashion portraits that embrace their individual style, build youth self-esteem and help break society’s negative perceptions of youth adversity. Born in Brooklyn, but raised primarily in Queens, New York, I have overcome my own set of youth adversities, including poverty and homelessness. My introduction to the arts at an early age transformed into a plethora of creative skills, including photography, carpentry, interior design, fine arts, and music. Across 2 decades I have used my skills to inspire, educate and transform youth and I even enjoyed a career as an internationally known hip hop artist and 3-time major female battle rap champion. Five years ago I formed my own kids photography business focused on positive youth transformation, and later founded The Creative Youth Society, an organization empowering youth via creative career skill-building. I am a passionate believer in using my art for social justice and change. The Creative Ambassadors photo series not only encourages conversation about how stigmas affect youth development but also allows our youth to visualize themselves in a more positive light helping to push them towards a more productive path.
For this project 6 creative NYC youth between the ages of 13 - 24 will be selected via a public model casting submission. Participants must be artistic or aspiring to have a creative career and must be overcoming at least one form of adversity, such as homelessness, poverty, the juvenile justice system, or foster care. Models will be inclusive of all races, ethnicities, and genders. Once selected participants will be brought to the selected Peerspace location, where there will be a series of pre-prepared photosets. Each photo portrait is based on the individual style, personality, and future goals of each selected youth model. Participants will experience their own inspiring “celebrity-style” behind-the-scenes experience and will be photographed in a high fashion style of photography. Once completed, the photos and behind-the-scenes video from the event will be retouched, prepped, and presented via a dedicated website gallery for public viewing. The event will be marketed via social media, recent partnerships, community and non-profit organizations, small businesses, vendor collaborations, direct interaction, word of mouth, email newsletters, and a dedicated website.
Peerspace is on a mission to bring people together. We believe it is impossible to achieve that goal unless we also fight for equality and access to resources in the communities we serve.
Having a space to gather, create, and exchange ideas is an important part of any movement. In order to magnify voices that are often quieted, Peerspace will sponsor venues for people who challenge prejudice and fight for social justice and equality.
Each quarter, we will sponsor space for three projects that are relevant to our community. These projects can range from fundraisers and educational initiatives to art exhibits and photo series.
