MINNEAPOLIS — A new youth project is using a camera to shine a news lens on voices most often unheard.
"We can show you that there are Black youth that are trying to be successful, trying to get away from the norm and what society is painting them out to be," said Frost.
InFocus MN is a team effort between the Truce Center, One Minnesota, and Revolution Studios providing at risk youth with an opportunity to learn something new.
"It's about putting guns down and picking cameras up," he said.
The program is for kids from 7th to 12th grade, and is held twice a week for a span of five weeks, giving kids the opportunity to learn to use a camera while getting direct mentorship.
"They have nothing to do, nowhere to go. Some of the recreation centers are just not open for kids," he said. "A lot of them are shooting videos; they just don't know how to use the equipment or don't have the equipment."
Frost says using a camera is a way for kids to express themselves.
"And we take them to other parts of Minnesota where they would probably never see these areas, capture moments and then express their feelings through the camera lens," he said.
While Frost says they're still looking for volunteers, the goal, he says, is to teach youth to use art in the form of a photograph — giving them a voice and giving others a chance to look beyond the lens.
"We want to be able to show, when you see Black youth, you don't always have to be scared of them," he said. "We can show you that there are Black youth that are trying to be successful and trying to get away from what society is making them out to be," he said.
To find out how to donate, volunteer or sign up for the program, visit the website here.
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