A Day in the Life Project, Inc. was first photographed in 2004. We brought together over 100 photography students from area elementary and high schools, community college and state university photography departments, and members of the community to photographically document the economic, educational and cultural transformation occurring in Sacramento's oldest suburb. The diversity and richness of Sacramento's Oak Park neighborhood was captured in more than 10,000 images, with nearly seventy of the best images being edited by a team of photographers from Sacramento's main newspaper, the Sacramento Bee, and were then further selected down for an art gallery exhibition at current Mayor of Sacramento and former NBA player, Kevin Johnson's 40 Acres Art Gallery.
Since our initial A Day in the Life Project, we have gained momentum with even more photographers and community participation. We have worked with other communities and projects to include an upcoming project of A Day in the Life of North Sacramento, with an anticipated participation of over 700 youth and teens community participants alone. In addition to this number, we are anticipating many more community college and university photography students as well as professional photographer participants.
Our goal is to empower, highlight, and encourage underprivileged and at-risk youth, teens, and communities through the art of photography. This is accomplished by bringing together youth, teens, volunteers, supporters, student photographers of area community college and university photography programs, as well as professional photographers from outside of an area together with youth and teens of a community that is in need of shattering stereotypes and would not typically receive special recognitions. We go into these communities, travel throughout, and photograph A Day in the Life. We invite youth and teens from the targeted area elementary, junior high, and high schools to photograph their community and surroundings of pre-approved and permission granted, welcoming locations, businesses, community centers, libraries, safety facilities, etc.
It is the goal of the A Day in the Life Project to secure venues within the
photographed community to host a slideshow of the top images to the
community 24-72 hours after the event (so it is easily accessible to all
participants and the community) and also a gallery venue to display the top
70-100 printed, matted and framed images that will be highlighted 2-3 months after photographing. The goal is for all to enjoy and have a sense of pride, beauty and accomplishment. After the initial gallery showing, the collection is available for touring throughout the larger targeted community and city region to be displayed in businesses, museums, and galleries.
