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Hurricane Michael made landfall at 2 pm EDT on October 10, 2018 in Bay County, FL with top sustained winds of 155 mph; altering the lives of families profoundly to this day. One of the greatest challenges has been housing. Thousands of families have been displaced from their homes, leaving climate-induced trauma to children.
Bay District Schools has been reporting on this trauma, and continuously advocates for resources and support for their students. Five months after the hurricane, Bay Schools Superintendent Bill Husfelt spoke before the State Board of Education about homelessness and the mental health struggles of Bay County Schools.
“More than 70 percent of the apartments in Panama City are uninhabitable. Before the storm, there were 738 homeless students in the district. Now, there are more than 4,800,” Husfelt shared, “[There have been 700] Community of Care referrals to mental health agencies. We’ve had 70 Baker Acts since we’ve reopened, 35 since Feb. 25th, 62 since Christmas Break.”
As school begins this Fall and almost a year after Hurricane Michael, the effects of the storm continue to linger. Families are still living in temporary or sub-standard housing, including: RVs, tents, sheds, cars, substandard trailers or houses, living with friends or families, FEMA trailers, hotels, motels, and weekly rentals with no lease.
This Photo Voice project is meant to help 10 teens in Bay County, Florida share their stories in their own voices, with their own pictures, and see the world through their eyes. It will be a close look into the reality that they and their families have to endure. With their photos, people will see the stories that aren’t usually covered by traditional media.
Initially, their photographs will be shared with the Bay County Community during a special event later this year, and subsequently with other coalitions and organizations via a pop-up exhibit.
The life journeys of our youth inform our future. Lived events shared in personal stories have the power to open hearts and minds, and inspire us to collective action. People can change their communities for the better, and understanding the lives of people in difficult circumstances better prepares us to work together to change conditions that affect their lives.
What is a Photo Voice Project?
Photo Voice is a process in which people – usually those with limited power due to poverty, language barriers, race, class, ethnicity, gender, culture, or other circumstances – use video and/or photo images to capture aspects of their environment and experiences and share them with others. The pictures can then be used, usually with captions composed by the photographers, to bring the realities of the photographers’ lives home to the public and policy makers and to spur change.
About The Exhibit:
The exhibit will consist of 10 stories, with 5 images associated with each. The images will be printed on canvas; and a QR code will enable visitors to scan the code and listen to the narratives in the teens’ voices. If the budget allows, there will be a printed booklet of the images and accompanying narratives.
Who are the Collaborating Partners?
Our partner in Bay County is well positioned to support youth: LEAD County Coalition of Bay County. LEAD is an acronym for Leadership, Empowerment, and Authentic Development.
The mission of LEAD Coalition of Bay County is to facilitate collaborative work toward increasing safety, building trust, and restoring neighborhoods in the City of Panama City and its surrounding areas. The LEAD Coalition of Bay County is a diverse, public-private partnership among a cross sector community organizations and agencies.
What are the Project Specifics?
Location: Project participants will meet weekly and at the LEAD Coalition’s Special Event unveiling the exhibit.
Timeline: September 2019 – November 2019
Point of Contact: The Project Manager will be a young adult affected by the Hurricane Michael housing crisis, and Ana Maria De La Rosa, Senior Grassroots Organizer for the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee will facilitate the project.
What is the process for this Photo Voice project?
- Kickoff Meeting with UUSC facilitator
- Photography and Weekly Gatherings with the Project Manager
- Photo Selection and Narrative Polishing with UUSC facilitator
- Exhibit Preparation with all partners assisting
The Budget Narrative:
Dollars donated to this campaign will be used to print the photographs on canvas, and prepare them for display. Funds will also be used to prepare the exhibit itself, including preparing the QR codes to accompany the display and the recordings prepared by the students.
The cameras, stipend for the Project Manager from Bay County, and funding for the UUSC facilitator will be funded by UUSC.
LEAD Coalition will provide grant administration, event planning for the exhibit showcase, and coordination with the high school. The high school will provide the meeting space, and facilitate the identification of students to participate in the project.
Suggested Budget Spending:
Personnel
Ana Maria De La Rosa Covered by UUSC
Project Manager Stipend Covered by UUSC
Supplies
10 Cameras Covered by UUSC
Exhibit/QR Code Supplies $500
(To be covered by the UUJF Faithify Campaign)
Printing
50 Photos on Canvas $2,000
(To be covered by the UUJF Faithify Campaign)
Travel
Ana Maria De La Rosa Covered by UUSC
Miscellaneous
Grant Administration Covered by the LEAD Coalition
Exhibit/Gala Covered by the LEAD Coalition
Updates
Project FAQ
Our project claims Unitarian Universalism because it honors the inherent worth and dignity of those affected by climate chaos, and upholds the right of conscience. The three main goals of the PhotoVoice project resonate with UU values:
- To help those who are often unheard gain a voice, enabling them to record and reflect on their experiences and their communities’ conditions, both positive and negative.
- To encourage critical consciousness. Through choosing, discussing, and reflecting on the subjects of their photographs, the photographers can come to a clearer understanding of their circumstances and the economic, social, psychological, and political forces that shape them.
- To bring about change that will improve conditions and enhance lives by reaching and influencing policy makers.
Our Project is claimed by Unitarian Universalism because three UU organizations are engaged in addressing the housing crisis in Bay County. The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bay County is engaged in efforts to address the housing crisis, and the Florida State Action Network: UU Justice Florida is supporting those efforts through its Climate Resilience Ministry. Climate displacement arising from the intensification of hurricanes due to the warming of the oceans due to climate change has created the need for rapidly deployable temporary shelter. This is a critical issue that the UUJF Climate Resilience Ministry is addressing in coalition with partners. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee is committed to human rights work in the areas of crisis response and displacement. Issues of crisis response and displacement inherent in this project include:
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- Trauma intervention for young people
- Housing issues that separate families and prolong hurricane homelessness
- Policies that reduce the trauma on children: homelessness, food security, and immediately available temporary shelter that keeps families together
- Child care during recovery: safe play spaces, and older students prevented from attending school in order to babysit younger children
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Anonymous09/22/2019$1,500.00
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Anonymous09/17/2019$40.00
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Anonymous09/16/2019$50.00
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09/16/2019$10.00
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Anonymous09/16/2019$180.00
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09/09/2019$50.00
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09/09/2019Show Florida that Hurricane Michael is still affecting lives significantly.$20.00
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09/09/2019$100.00
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Anonymous09/08/2019$25.00
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Anonymous09/05/2019$25.00