THE PROGRAM
The Goodlands Mission
Photography Classes
Centro Nueva Creacion
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THE GOODLANDS: An Asset-Based Approach
to Community Revitalization
In the summer of
2000, Centro Nueva Creacion created the Goodlands Photography
program to counter negative misconceptions of North Philadelphia
as the “Badlands”.
North Philadelphia
has been stigmatized by the media for years as the “Badlands”-a
region ridden by drugs, crime, and poverty. This image
of our community as an unsafe and undesirable place to live
takes a toll on the people that live here, particularly the
young people.
Centro students work with professional and university student
photographers to learn about the mission of the Goodlands
Photography:
- The Goodlands® Photography gives young people a positive
means to focus upon the many assets of their neighborhood.
- Through photography, our students are able to capture
the energy, life, and vibrancy of the Latino culture imbedded
in their neighborhood.
- Furthermore, they are able to share their image of their
community with others.
Former Executive
Director and long-time Photography Teacher, Brady Sanders
has said, “The image-making process becomes an outlet
for exposing countless hidden truths...our hope is that these
images will offer a new perspective on the West Kensington
and Fairhill neighborhoods of North Philadelphia.”
Over the years hundreds
of young people in the Goodlands® have been able to connect
with the larger Philadelphia community through exhibitions
of their work. Their vision of their community is evident
in their photographs. Children see their neighborhood
as home, full of family, friends, and community.
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