Trinity College School Grade 12 student Carly Lin wanted to find a way to use photography as a vehicle to unite people during this time of turmoil. The result of her efforts was a photography exhibit showcasing the work of students, staff and alumni, held in the School’s lower gym the week of March 29th to April 1st.
Refocus: The Stories of Us provided an opportunity for members of the school community to share photographs taken around the world that speak to our different cultures and our shared humanity. As Carly explains, “Reflecting upon the rising numbers of racial issues during the pandemic, I learned that one of the causes of prejudice and discrimination is ignorance, or a lack of knowledge about the group being targeted. Photography to me, is a unique medium that offers me a glimpse into foreign worlds. Every time I walk out of a photography exhibit, I always feel fascinated by how much I resonated with the stories told in the photographs. I may not have fully understood what was being represented, but there was an empathetic connection, which I believe, is the first step towards understanding.”
Carly put the call out prior to the December Break for submissions and, with the help of her peers in the Cultural Awareness Group and supported by Mrs. Rachel Stephens, selected 30 images and three videos to be displayed, along with explanations of the pieces by the photographers/videographers.
Each day during the week of March 29th, students in their grade cohorts and staff had times to visit the exhibition. Visitors were encouraged to take the opportunity to contribute funds which will go to two worthy charities: the Black Youth Helpline and the AAPI Community Fund (which supports a range of organizations that empower members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities). Anyone who made a donation of $10 or more was entered to win a photo of their choice from the exhibition.
Thank you to the photographers and videographers who shared their work with our community:
- Current students Agnes Grabcova, Aya Al-Ali, Carly Lin, Vanessa Lolomari, Loretta Hu, Dagna Jezioro, Bolu Abiola, Kaitlyn Chan, Sara Yang, Mika Romao Vandepol and Cindy Shui
- Alumni Emma Hak-Kovacs ’19, Roselle Torres ’20, Jiyun Yu ’20, Chalene Gallagher ’01 and Angie Zhang ’20
- Staff members Ms. Jennifer Park, Ms. Adrienne Ross, Mr. Brent Hurley, Ms. Leisa Wierenga, Mrs. Kathy LaBranche, Mr. Adam Bishop, Mr. Myke Healy and Mr. Tim Clutton
And special thanks to Carly for organizing this event for our community at a time when we are all eager to do our part to further understanding and kindness.
Click on the links below for multimedia:
