Picturing Race is dedicated to the diverse communities in America and South Africa who allowed us to document moments in their lives, and to people everywhere fighting for justice and equality.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost among the many people who were central to the success of Picturing Race, we gratefully acknowledge the families of the young photographers who entrusted their children to our care as we journeyed to a different continent and hemisphere to document and learn how people around the world are impacted by, and seek to solve, the terrible problem of racism.
Our Creative Director, Jim Hubbard, an important social documentary photographer, provided the ongoing inspiration and vision for Picturing Race. He was primarily assisted by two mentors who helped shape the project from its inception to its conclusion: Giselle Macfarlane, a photography-mentor who works as a Lead Artist for Venice Arts; and Tom Wright, a parent-mentor. Both provided exemplary leadership and made important creative contributions.
We thank the extraordinary South Africans who we met along the way and who, with graciousness and warmth, welcomed us into their lives. Remarkably, whether black South African or white, whether of Zulu, Afrikaans, Anglo or Indian descent, each—to a person—was willing to talk with us about racism, apartheid, and race relations, as well as share the many strengths of their cultures and their country.
Albert J. van Resnburg, the Acting Counsul-General at the South African Consulate in Los Angeles, and his staff, welcomed us at the Consulate just prior to our departure for their country. Edmund Mhlongo, his wife Brenda, and other wonderful people who we met through K-Cap, a youth arts organization in Durban's Kwa-Mashu township, taught us so much about life in Kwa-Mashu. Without them, we would not have taken many of the extraordinary photographs included in the book. With Edmund and K-Cap, we hope to have created a friendship that will facilitate learning and communication between young people from different parts of the world, and from within their own communities, for many years to come.
The trip would have been difficult to manage without being able to return each night to Dave, Sally, Pierre, Ruth, and all of the rest of the wonderful staff at Berkeley Court B&B, which we took over-rather completely and made our home-away-from-home. We know that we worked our way into their hearts as they came to live in ours.
We are grateful to Gugu, whom we met by chance when we became lost on our way to Hluhluwe game reserve, and who agreed to show us the rural township of Mtubatuba and introduce us to her friends. In addition to allowing us to photograph their lives, they talked to us about the devastating impact of HIV in their community, and about what has changed—and remained the same—in post-Apartheid South Africa. Without Gugu, we would not have the wonderful images of Zulu girls dancing and singing on the way home from school or the image of burning sugar cane.
Lorna Bele, the Director of Mother's Love AIDS Project—women who sell beaded AIDS ribbons to raise money for children orphaned by HIV—took us to her home in Durban's Umlazi township and to a local Church to meet the children benefiting from Mother's Love. Without her, we would not have the beautiful portraits of young children whose parents died of HIV.
In Los Angeles we wish to thank John Leddy, who invited us to the pre-conference that ignited the flame that became this project, and Irv Sarnoff from Friends of the United Nations, who offered his advise and support. Tajuddin B. Shuaib, Director of King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, allowed us to document congregants during Ramadan, and Cliff McCain, from the Vera Davis McClendon Youth and Family Center, helped chaperone youth to skid row and to the Chinese New Year parade in downtown L.A. Jon Pearce took the lead as an artist-mentor in Los Angeles along with Camille Adler, Elaine Maxwell, and Jeanine Cornillot. Dick Abcarian provided editorial assistance for the book’s introduction.
Ruth Galanter, and her Council staff, particularly Mike Bonin, Peter Brown, and Audrey King, lent their constant support to this, and the many other projects, of Venice Arts. Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn and Deputy Mayor Doan Liu ensured an exhibition of the youths’ photography at Los Angeles City Hall. John Angello and Coral Martens, from Bank of America, Venice Branch, had the courage and foresight to hang these images in their bank and enriched their local community in the process.
For providing opportunities for the young photographers to present their work to other youth, we thank: Principal Ed Romotsky and teacher Lorna Estrada, Couer d’Alene Elementary School; Assistant-Principal Carl Hobkirk and teacher Jennie Davenport, Lincoln Middle School; Principal Carol Henderson and teacher Anne Ito, Canyon Charter School; Principal Roger Salkald and teacher Ellen Patruzzi, Westside Leadership Academy; Father Michael Browning, Principal, St. Anne’s Middle School; Lori Moret with the City of Los Angeles Housing Authority and Sandra Chacon from the City’s Department of Recreation and Parks.
The journey to South Africa, the subsequent year-long project in Los Angeles, and the book would not have been possible without the whole-hearted endorsement of Venice Arts' Board of Directors including Laurine DiRocco, Kristen Laskaris, Sherry Sidoti, Chris Quillisch, Bruce Stevens, and Josie Zamudio, and without the generous support of our public and private supporters, including the Human Relations Commission. Dr. V. Joy Simmons, M.D., a Venice Arts board member emeritus who has given unflagging support to Venice Arts over the last nine years, also raised a significant level of individual donations for Picturing Race. Brian Hill, Justin’s dad, and Tom Henderson with the Washington-D.C. based Lawyers for Civil Rights Under the Law, contributed, and neighbors and family members donated items to the youths’ garage sale/car wash fundraiser.
The cost of photographic equipment and supplies would have been prohibitive without the help of the Canon Corporation, particularly Amy Kawadler, who secured the 35mm Canon cameras used for all Venice Arts projects, including Picturing Race. The Kodak Corporation, through Dan Milnor, provided slide film that ensured beautiful color images of the trip to Hluhluwe game reserve. Clayton Chemicals regularly provides photo chemicals for our darkroom and The Jewel Box generously discounts all matting and framing for this, and other, art work.
Finally, many thanks and much love to Dolly, who flew half-way around the world to care for her granddaughter, Sofie, so that her daughter, Lynn, could work.
Lynn Warshafsky • Executive Director • Co-Founder, Venice Arts
