Dear backers, families, friends, and all those who follow us because we were your waitresses once at the Eddy, or met in an airport or small village somewhere along our travels, 

Tomorrow will mark exactly 1 year since we graduated from Elon University. And wow- what a year it has been!  

After 8 months of travel, 3 countries, 6 communities, 4 photo exhibits, 53 participants, over 15,000 photographs and 180 photo stories we have come to the end of this phase of Look Out Loud. 

With all of this, it feels surreal to say that we have wrapped everything up with our project over in San Juan la Laguna and have headed home for the summer. 

We are overwhelmed by all that has happened this year. Everything from the extraordinary support that we've felt from our followers to the incredible people and participants we have met along the way. It has been a whirlwind, but one that we lived and breathed every second of completely. We know we can honestly say that not one moment was taken for granted.

With almost 191 backers, 488 Facebook page followers, and thousands of website hits, we feel so lucky to have been able to share this experience with so many amazing human beings. Your comments, emails, likes, tweets, and shares have been a huge encouragement to us as we celebrated accomplishments and also as we faced tough challenges. Thank you, thank you, thank you all! 

We have absolutely loved traveling the world, becoming part of new communities, forming relationships with people from all walks life, and all the while hearing and seeing their stories through photography.  With that said, we are thrilled to be coming home to rejuvenate and refresh, and spend time with family and friends. I mean, hey- we missed you guys! 

Looking ahead, please keep your eyes peeled for our Guatemala online exhibit that will be coming to a computer/smartphone/tablet near you next week! Beyond that, we are working towards putting together our film and photo exhibit that will be put on the road next year! 

Until next week, 
M+M

Just a few days after Allyson left, Maggie's dad, John, and sister, Katherine, made the trip down to Guatemala for a long weekend.  (No, we are not running a travel agency- we just love having visitors!) They were able to explore Lake Atitlan in all of its beauty, checking out the villages of San Juan, San Pedro, San Marcos, and Panajachel. Mags and I gave them the full experience involving a broken-down van and hanging out on the side of the road for a while before someone could pick us up in a truck to take us from Antigua to the lake area :) It has been such a blessing to have been visited by friends and family in different parts of this journey. We have made truly unforgettable memories and  it was lovely to be able to share a little bit of the Look Out Loud lifestyle with them first-hand! 

As far as the project goes, things are going a bit differently here in San Juan than in other places we have been. There have been some scheduling conflicts with the various holidays and festivals happening during this time of year that affect the school schedule, but many of our girls are dedicated to taking photographs and sharing their stories!

It has been really interesting to compare this group of students to others because these girls are much more connected to technology and social networks than any of our past participants. They all have Facebook, access their social media accounts from internet cafes, and bring USB memory sticks to save copies of their photographs that they take. With all of this in mind, we have decided to have this part of the project culminate in an interactive online photo exhibit. We think that we can reach and connect with a record number of people in our participants' online networks as well as our own networks. This will exist primarily on Facebook due to the flexibility and ease of communication in that venue, and will also show up on our blog.  Our participants will be able to connect and interact with exhibition viewers from around the world via comments underneath each photograph. We are so excited to see some cool conversations being started online with participation from our own Look Out Loud photographers!

So here we find ourselves ready to wrap up another project in the coming weeks! It's hard to believe that after this entire year of fundraising and traveling, it's almost time to head home already and figure out what's next for each of us and also for Look Out Loud!  But that's a topic for a different post! 

Thanks to everyone for their continued support! Keep "liking" photos on Facebook!  

After  4 flights, 2 boats, a cab, a few bus rides, a shuttle, and a weekend in Guatemala City, Maggie and I finally made it to San Juan la Laguna on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. It's our last Look Out Loud stop for now, so we figured we had to relish the 7 days of travel. 

Ale, a dear friend from Elon, was the most amazing host in Guatemala City. We were able to spend time with friends and really get a local's tour of the city courtesy of Ale and her boyfriend, Charles. But we also learned a lot about the civil war that plagued Guatemala for 36 years and the effects of which still burden the country today, especially the Mayan communities we are working with here on the lake. It was a great way for us to learn more about the issues fueling poverty, discrimination, and socio-political tensions in the area we are working.  (Thanks, Ale and Charles for the fun and all of your help!)

Now, we are all settled into our latest abode. It is a small, white, one-room house with a view of epic proportions. I think we have just about the best vista in the entire pueblo of San Juan, looking out over the vast Lake Atitlan and the towering volcanoes and mountains that surround it. It is the perfect spot for us! The house is part of a local family's compound that they have added to over the years to host students, visitors, and volunteers. I first met Petrona, Gaspar, and their family 3 years ago when I spent a summer here in San Juan, and they were my friend Liza's host family. Now we eat with the family and live similar to a home-stay situation but with our own space for living and working. 

 We are constantly overwhelmed by beautiful things here: the lake and the monstrous volcanoes, the colorful traditional traje, or typical Mayan dress, intricate natural-dye weavings, scarves, bags, and clothing that pour out of small tiendas run by women's weaving cooperatives. We can't wait to see the photographs that our new participants take, and hear the the stories behind all of these outward aesthetic pleasantries. We expect to learn much about the inner beauty that these communities hold, but also know that behind the brightly colored cortes (skirts) and embroidered huipiles (blouses), exist pain from a generation of suffering due to the civil war and genocide, and a struggle to overcome poverty, corruption, and discrimination against the indigenous Maya communities. 

These stories will be ones you don't want to miss, and we can't wait to hear them. We'll let you know when we get started with our newest batch of participants! 

Meagan and Maggie

P.S. We highly recommend Googling around a bit to learn more about the Guatemalan civil war that only ended in 1996 and the brutal violence and human rights violations that occurred just one country away from the United States for almost 4 decades. Here is a link to a brief timeline of events: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/latin_america/jan-june11/timeline_03-07.html 

SURPRISE! Our Photostory Exhibition date was changed to March 27th! Due to some scheduling conflicts we were asked to push up the date up 3 days. So, yesterday was the day! Luckily, we were prepared for this sort of thing and so a mere 20 hours after being asked to change the date we were surrounded by our participants, their photos, families and fans in awe of all of the inspiring work of these kids.

It was truly spectacular.

We had 75, 8x10 photographs, a running slideshow of some more of their photos, a great playlist and over 100 people circulating the room, looking, reading and learning. At the end of the exhibition, our participants got up in front of the whole crowd and presented their photostories. For a group of kids who, at the start of our program wilted at the thought of just talking in front of us, it was inspiring to see them command the audience with their confidence and pride for their photographs.

Another perk of having the exhibit yesterday was that a group of students from the Taejon Christian International School in Korea had just arrived to Stairway. They were great attendees and offered support and excitement for Look Out Loud’s participants.

Good news for all of you is that you don’t have to wait another day to see all of these amazing stories! Our new website, www.lookoutloudproject.com is now up and running and ready for you all to bear witness to our kids' wonderful works. Just click here to view the stories. 

So now, here Meg and I sit feeling a bit like we’ve been spit out of a whirlpool, scratching our heads asking each other, did that really just happen? The only way I can think to describe the process is like preparing for a final exam except, this exam is way more fun and satisfying than any test I’ve ever taken. Also, its real life-- no classrooms here, unless we agree that the world is a classroom. Then we’ve just entered a whole different conversation entirely. To put it simply though, the whole experience was awesome. There really is nothing quite like seeing all of these JPEGs turn into 8x10 masterpieces. Or better yet, the photographer's reactions. The glow of their smile when first laying eyes on their photos on display. You can see the blazing fire that now burns been deep inside them--one that has lit up corridors full of ideas and possibilities, flares upon seeing their peers looking at their exhibit.

Nothing beats it. 

Now, just add Meg and I running around like sweaty messes filming the whole thing and its like you were there! No need to spend the money on airfare. 

All thats left for you all to do now is go to our Exhibition Page and take a look! We would love to hear any questions or comments you may have so feel free to comment on the post, our Facebook, or send us an email at [email protected]

Thanks for following!

Over the past 2 months we have worked with 30 participants and collected more than 5,000 photographs here in Puerto Galera.

Simply, amazing.

Each image shares a thousand stories that together paint a snapshot of what it is like to live and grow up in these communities. And we could not be more excited to share them with you all!

In fact with only 10 days left until our exhibit, we're so excited that we will be giving you a "sneak peak" by sharing one of our favorite exhibit photos on Facebook each day leading up to our show. Get your Like and Share buttons ready... these are some of the best photos we have seen during any Photovoice project we have done! 

Understandably, most of you will be unable to make the exhibit, especially with the tricky commute! We hope; however, that you keep your eyes peeled for our virtual exhibit which will be debuting on our Blog and Facebook page. 

Thanks for your continued support, and enjoy the incredible images coming your way!

Meagan and Maggie 

P.S.
If you haven’t already, please Like us on Facebook and share the photos and stories we post! It has been an incredible experience for us to feel so connected to all of our followers though we are so far away. Facebook has been the main vehicle for that, so we ask if you are interested to hear more, please join the conversation by Liking our Page. 

The finish line is already approaching the horizon for our Baclayan group. Thankfully we have hundreds upon hundreds of photos to go through and discuss with the kids. They have really been a stellar group. Last week we talked about possible photostory ideas and by our next session they had come back with dozens of snapped shots to look through. Giggling into the palms of their hands they sat wide-eyed as I clicked through each thumbnail. Who's this? I would ask pointing to different portraits as I passed, They would answer, "my cousin", "my brother", "my parents".  These pictures have proven to be monographs of bits of each of their hearts and you can really feel it when you look through their growing portfolios. 

Woven throughout the photographs are stories that paint the landscape of the lives of these kids. Stories of school daze, family ties, and their house and home -- all things that immediately resonate with Meagan and me but at the same time take us to a place we could never had imagined. Of classrooms full of blue and white checkered skirts inches from the floor: uniforms brought to a whole new level. Of brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles and aunts sitting outside of their straw and bamboo laden home, talking and smiling. Of long hikes up and down their mountain, to and from school, giggling and playing the whole way. Of stern toddler gazes straight into the lens of the camera-- offering up their confusion and questioning of what device is shining back at them. Stories of making woven baskets and beaded necklaces which help support their livelihood. 

Of farming and the ecosystem they live in. Of their uses of coconuts as the Philippines is the largest producer of the fruit and as such it is a major player in the economy and lives of those living here. From coconuts Baclayan communities can make oil which they use as oral and topical medication and for cooking. They make coco-jam to sell to vendors and restaurants. They drink coconut water for hydration, pick fawns for basket weaving and building roofs and crack shells for fuel and source of charcoal. Fresh husks can be used to clean the body or wash dishes. Coconut trunks are used to build sturdy roads and walls of their homes and the leftover bits are used as livestock feed. Their photographs tell these stories. 

Finally, the undercurrent of the images is the story of poverty. Living with less than anybody able to read this post. Living with a constant lack of food, nutrition and health. 

We talked about these stories with our participants and in the midst of our discussion one of our photographers, Juliet, interjected -- But Ate, thats why we have school. Confused, I looked at her, what do you mean, I asked. At school, they give food. Breakfast and lunch-- the Feeding Program provides. And with that, the rest of the group chimed in, yes yes! Ate, the feeding program! More than 100 children! Go to school! They eat there! 

It was at this moment that the dust that had been kicked up from mindfully placing myself in their shoes began to settle. A new perspective dawned and with it a strange sense of hope, a seed of understanding and a percolating smile wedged itself in-between my discontentment and innate need for resolution. These kids, who are living in poverty, struggling, fighting for an education, are happy. 

Now, I know I may seem like I'm playing the classic western perspective here, "their lives are seem hard but they are smiling so every thing is good". But that is not how I wish to relay this experience. We should acknowledge that everything I say is being filtered through my own personal lens. And we all know everyone has their own special pair of bifocals-- each which needs to be taken into consideration when digesting stories. 

With that being said, I want to portray to you all that yes, these kids are living in extremely tough situations, their lives are not easy, technology lives on the very outskirts of their communities, luxuries such as showers, toilets, electricity, their own bedrooms, or even their own "things" are simply not to be found. Instead, sharing is at the core of their lifestyles and communication and familial relations are principal. The way I see it, there are more things to learn from these communities than not. Like, while more is not always better and enough to survive is a right we are all warranted: to be happy and content is a luxury that the poorest of the poor can afford and the richest of the rich sometimes struggle to find. 

These are some of the stories left to be told. 

Food might not be plentiful for these communities but food for thought certainly is-- for us, at least and hopefully for all of you as well. 

Much more to come,
Maggie

We had our first Photovoice session with the Baclayan Scholars last Sunday and will be meeting them in town this afternoon at 'The Canteen' to gather their photos of the week. We are really looking forward to seeing what they've been inspired to take photos of in their first days of having the cameras. 

The sheer, unihibited excitement they showed when we handed them each a camera is hard to put into words, so photos will have to suffice: 

After going over the basics: turning the camera on and off, charging the battery ect., we got to discussing the power that storytelling has when done through photography. This is a power that the photographer holds, and as we've been taught by Uncle Ben in Spiderman, "with great power, comes great responsibility". This idea is paramount for Look Out Loud projects, participants and facilitators. 

Above all else, we stressed to our new participants the importance of taking thoughtful photographs. Images that show care for its subjects and the communities they are representing but also honesty and truthfulness. This is can be a shady line to walk for budding and professional photographers alike. The hope is to build a foundation of truth-seeking and understanding of each other's surrounding through the marriage of photography and written stories.

With each new group we begin Photovoice, we feel invigorated with this project's potential and with excitement for all that there is to learn and share.  

Are you all ready to learn some more? Hope so. 

These kids certainly are.

Click here to get to know the group a little better!

This week, Stairway Foundation, INC hosted the International School of Manila (ISM) for a 5-day long Youth to Youth camp called iCare (International Community Actively Responding to their Environment). And Maggie and I had the opportunity to film and photograph throughout the week!

The purpose of the camp is to expose the high school students from the International School to the diverse communities and social realities that exist in the Philippines, and for  the students from ISM and the Stairway Kids to develop meaningful friendships in which they can learn from each other despite coming from vastly different backgrounds, economic divisions, and social strata. 

The theme of iCare is based around child rights, particularly drawing from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), a treaty that deals with child-specific needs and rights, incorporating civil and political rights, social, economic and cultural rights, and protection rights. Stairway staff and social workers facilitate a creative and interactive schedule that introduces the ISM students to the violations of these rights that occur in the Philippines and world-wide. Students from ISM hear stories from Stairway Kids, view all 3 of Stairway's animations on child sexual abuse and exploitation, and watch Stairway's theatrical production of Cracked Mirrors. The week is full of learning, teaching, and realizing the reality and gravity of the issues discussed through relationship building with the Stairway Kids and staff.

In the photo above, the kids are all gathered to look at photos taken from the streets of Manila. In small groups the ISM and Stairway boys discussed the challenges children living on the streets endure: typhoons and flooding, drug use, gangs, homelessness, violence, sexual abuse and hunger. Afterwards they worked together to come up with possible solutions to combat these problems.  

Throughout the week they participated in lots of creative activities. In the photo above, a group of kids is working on a quarter of the larger Mosiac Mandala that is featured in the image below. The Mandala symbolizes the fusion of creative efforts that together create a beautiful collaboration of colors and patterns to form the larger design. 

The kids all packed into the Jeepney this morning, sad to part with the Stairway boys. It was incredible to see the connections that had developed between the two groups of kids over the past five days. We hope they remember and reflect on this experience in the coming days, months and years. 

We are coming to the end of the project with our San Antonio group and are really excited by the photo stories they are now putting together. We talked last week about the different stories that they felt to be most prevalent in their community and yesterday finally got to see some final pieces! 

Riza is one of the young women participating and here is the story that she wanted to share,

There really is nothing quite like seeing these stories come together. 

Now, its on to the next and we could not be more excited to be working with a the Iraya Mangyan Tribe in Baclayan, Mindoro. 

"Mangyan refers to the eight indigenous tribes inhabiting the island of Mindoro, each with its own culture and language, with members predominantly employed in agriculture, hunting and gathering, and wage labor. One tribe, the Iraya, is an extremely impoverished and socially marginalized group. Having been pushed away from their ancestral lands has dramatically changed their way of life. Instead of being able to subsist solely by fishing, hunting, and gathering, many of them have been pushed to the streets to beg and to try and sell baskets and other trinkets. Culturally, the Irayas are not as concerned with cleanliness and hygiene as lowlanders are. Therefore, when the Irayas are in town selling or begging, they are seen as dirty, which then carries a connotation of them not being intelligent. Besides having an overall attitude of ‘lesser than’ towards the Irayas, lowlanders often blame them for local crime. The Irayas easily become the scapegoats of the community.

For over 20 years now, SFI has been reaching out to the local Irayas in Puerto Galera in an effort to help uplift the community from poverty and to help mitigate the discrimination against them. In 2009, SFI purchased 10 hectares of land in one of the Iraya communities called Baclayan. During the time of purchase, we observed a community that was struggling on many levels. We conducted a community needs assessment to see if and how we might be able to partner with the community in creating positive and sustainable change."
(StairwayFoundation.org)

It is with members of the Baclayan young scholars program that we will begin our next project. We had the pleasure of meeting with our nine participants this past Saturday and it went swimmingly. Their brimming smiles and suppressed giggles gave Meagan and I the distinct feeling that they were more than ready to begin their projects. We will be meeting with them this weekend again to hand out the cameras and begin our photography seminar. 

The hour-long hike up to this breathtaking view will be great exercise, which is also a plus.