Many of Paly’s art students and instructors will attend a photojournalism forum tomorrow afternoon, Oct. 9, in the Haymarket Theater.
According to a flier co-authored by Paly photography teacher Margo Wixsom and the speakers, the forum will feature two speakers, Ed Kashi and Michael Watts.
Ed Kashi, a world-famous photojournalist who has photographs published in the New York Times Magazine, Times, National Geographic and Newsweek will present parts from David Elliot Cohen’s new book, What Matters and show a short documentary movie focused on the Niger Delta.
Michael Watts, Chair of the UC Berkeley Geography Department, will give a presentation on research and collaboration in writing for the photo-essay about Niger Delta.
The event was organized by Wixsom, who saw a similar presentation by Kashi and Watts at Stanford and thought it would be relevant to high school students as well.
“This event is geared for a universal audience,” Wixsom said. “When I saw it I was so profoundly inspired by how the connections that they make about social studies, writing, the economy, etc. matter to all of us and I felt this was definitely what I wanted for my photography students, but also interdisciplinary for all Paly students.”
The lunch session will be from 11:45 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. and an extended session will begin at 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but donations to support the event will be requested at the door. David Elliot Cohen’s books will be sold at the back of the theater, What Matters for $30 and Curse of the Black Gold for $45. All proceeds will be divided among the Paly photography program and the Olevolos Club Project, a club started by Sahar Tai-Feale which raises money for building houses and schools for children in a village called Olevolos in Tanzania.
Wixsom said donating the proceeds to this organization fits with the idea of the forum.
“The concept of What Matters should be about what you take away from this [forum], what you can do to make a difference and change your community,” Wixsom said.