Eileen Ryan

My project is called “Out of the Shadows” and I worked with mostly first generation students at Jones College Prep who are immigrants, children of immigrants or allies of immigrants.

I created this project because I wanted to celebrate the diversity,  the inspiration and contributions immigrants give to our nation.  I sought to create a safe space where students could choose how to be represented by the camera, seeking an interactive relationship between being seen and seeing.  The stories these students shared with me told a story of resilience and inspiration.  In one of the country’s most diverse public school systems, these young people give hope to the future of our world.