Students at P.S./M.S. 279 Afterschool in collaboration with The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. (CHCF) have been honing their interview and photography skills—first by examining the photographs of Gordon Parks and interviewing one another as the people in his portraits, and secondly, by interviewing and photographing prominent figures around their school. It’s been especially rewarding to watch their evolution in their approach to interviewing but, more importantly, how they are learning to be empathetic towards their subject.
During their peer interviews, a student named Carlos talked about how he doesn’t like the Bronx and how he really misses the Dominican Republic. His interviewer, Essencely, could relate and they spoke at length about their trips to the Dominican Republic and the commonalities their families share. It was so beautiful to witness such a genuine moment, especially between two students who previously weren’t interested or engaged in the exercise.
