This show is gonna be badass and fun… with work from shooters like Ed Kashi, Jason Eskanazi and more! Come out, see the work and support a good cause:

Photography, live Latin music and refreshments offered in children’s benefit June 26 at 111 Minna Gallery

Project Luz presents photography by Mexican youth and award-winning journalists, raffles and more

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (June 5, 2009) – Project Luz, born over two years ago in San Francisco, will hold a benefit at 111 Minna Gallery on Friday, June 26, to raise funds for three summer photojournalism workshops for marginalized youth in Mexico.

The benefit will include a photography exhibit and silent auction featuring the works of the youth of Nezahualcoyotl, Mex., and award-winning professional photographers such as Walter Astrada, Andrew Craft, Jason Eskenazi, Brian L. Frank, Kevin German, Ed Kashi, Kim Komenich, Justin Maxon, Lianne Milton, Justin Mott, Russell Monk, David Paul Morris, Wally Skalij, Jose Luis Villegas, Holly Wilmeth, and Zoriah.

Dj Rumorosa and live band Terroritmo will provide Latin music.

Raffles will be held for prizes from sponsors such as Amuse Bouche Winery, Ceja Vineyards, Duckhorn Winery, International Photography Awards, Judd’s Hill, Mi Sueno Winery, Nikita Clothing, PhotoWorksSF, Think Tank Photo and clothier Upper Playground.

The details:

Friday, June 26, from 5pm – 9pm

111 Minna Gallery

111 Minna Street

San Francisco, CA 94105

Donation: $10 at the door

www.111minnagallery.com

(415) 974-1719
About Project Luz
“We strive to provide children with resources, such as arts-based workshops, that will help them build the confidence and creativity they need to make a positive difference in their lives and in their communities,” said Jasmin Lopez, Project Luz founder.

Project Luz (pronounced “loose”) is engaging professional photographers and multi-media producers to serve as instructors for photojournalism workshops for youth in Mexico this August.

“We’ll hold week-long workshops with disadvantaged youth at each location, including a rural community in the Mixe region of Oaxaca; Nezahualcoyotl, an impoverished district of Mexico City; and Ejido Hermosillo, a village in Sonora, near the Arizona border,” Lopez said.

“Photography helps the kids to see things they usually just pass by: the clown that does tricks at the traffic lights, the old lady heating seeds on a comal. It’s about their community, their life. The opportunity to share this with outsiders empowers them,” Lopez explained in a recent interview for Inside Mexico (for the complete text, see page 7 of http://insidemex.com/downloads/issues/imx22-issue.pdf).
Mission statement
Project Luz seeks to inspire and empower youth living in communities throughout Mexico. With the help of dedicated volunteers, we provide youth with photography resources (professional mentors, instruction and equipment) necessary to encourage positive social change within themselves and their community. We understand photojournalism as a powerful tool for community self-reflection and empowerment.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjQnbWBR7DA and http://proyectoluz.blogspot.com/

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Contacts:

Jasmin Lopez

Founder/coordinator

jasmin.mara@gmail.com

Skype:Jasmin_Mara

Steve Taylor

Taylor Communications

email: taylorcom@sbcglobal.net

http://www.myspace.com/taylorcommunications

phone: (510) 845-3501