Youth take control of neighborhood identity with everyday photos

How do you tell the story of a community? That's one question a group of students addressed in a photo project on Overtown, a neighborhood in Miami. The neighborhood thrived throughout the early 20th century and came to be known as the "Harlem of the South" until highway construction in the 1960s sent property values plummeting. The Miami Herald reports that today, "for locals, the name can instantly paint a picture of poverty, crime and dilapidated properties." But a group of young people in the community see much more than that, so they set out with cameras to document their day in images. Their photos, including those below, are on display at the BET Art Lounge at Mana Wynwood Production Village in Miami from Dec. 3-Dec. 7.

Girl with Tombstone - Oscar Gonzalez

Boy "behind bars" - Elijah Wells

Overtown Mural - DeAudre Lundy

Twins laughing - Robert Jenkins

Man Stepping over the Line - DeAudre Lundy

Girl Walking by Mural - DeAudre Lundy

Boy in Tire - Trevor Joseph

Toddler Holding Hands - Unique Prentice

Checkers - Nataneal Pedernera

God: Love or Fear - Malachi Smith

Man on Balcony with Sunset - Elijah Wells

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Illustrations by Annamaria Ward