♪♪ >> CATHY: CURRENT VISITORS TO THE "STAR TRIBUNE" OFFICES IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS ARE IN FOR A VISUAL TREAT.

THIS FREE PHOTO EXHIBIT SHOWCASES THE WORK OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THIS SPRING TO WORK WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT AT THE NEWSPAPER.

THE COLLABORATION WAS PART OF THE NEW HYPE PROGRAM HERE AT TPT, A MEDIA EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUTH OF COLOR THAT HAS RETURNED TO TWIN CITIES PBS AFTER A 20-YEAR HIATUS.

HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, DEB PASTNER IS THE DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE "STAR TRIBUNE" AND A CO-CREATOR OF THE PROJECT.

PARTICIPATED, ALONG WITH HER COLLEAGUE, ALEX KORMANN.

AND WE WELCOME TWO OF THE HYPE CREW MEMBERS, DAMARJ ROBINSON, STUDENT AT GORDON PARKS HIGH SCHOOL IN ST. PAUL.

THAT'S ALSO WHERE BENNY GUAJARDO ATTENDS SCHOOL.

I'M SO HAPPY YOU ALL ARE HERE.

THANKS.

WOW, WE HAVEN'T HAD A FULL COUCH IN, LIKE, A LONG TIME, HAVE WE?

>> Eric: NO, NO.

>> Cathy: SO DEB, OUR FRIEND ROBIN HICKMAN, WHO WE ADORE, YOU BOTHER HAD THIS VISION FOR IT SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> YEAH, WELL, THINK BACK TO MARCH OF 2020, BEFORE CERTAIN THINGS HAPPENED, AND THERE WAS A WONDERFUL RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBIT OF GORDON PARK'S WORK AT THE MINNESOTA MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART AND THE STUDENTS AT GORDON PARKS HIGH SCHOOL HAD WRITTEN THE ACCOMPANYING TEXT AND I HAPPENED TO GO ON A DAY THAT ROBIN WAS THERE AND I INTRODUCED MYSELF AND I SAID, I WOULD LOVE TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE THE TWO OF US COLLABORATE.

AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED IN-BETWEEN AND -- >> Cathy: A LITTLE PAN DIM I CAN THING, YEAH, A COUPLE YEARS.

>> A LITTLE PANDEMIC THING BUT WE GOT RECONNECTED LAST SUMMER AND WE STARTED TALKING AGAIN ABOUT HOW WE COULD MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND SO I WAS SO LUCKY TO HAVE MY CO-COLLABORATORS, ALEX AND LIZ WHO WERE EXCITED TO HELP MENTOR THE STUDENTS.

>> Cathy: AND YOU LEAPT IN, RIGHT, ALEX?

SO DEB CAME TO YOU AND SAID, HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

AND YOU'RE LIKE -- YOU SAID... >> YEAH, SO EB CAME TO US AND WAS, LIKE, HEY, WE HAVE THIS SUPER OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR SOME STUDENTS AND I'M THE YOUNGEST ON THE PHOTO STAFF, STILL, ONLY BEEN ON THE STAFF FOR FOUR YEARS AND WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE AND IN HIGH SCHOOL, MY ENTIRE CAREER, I FEEL LIKE I CAN DEDICATE TO THE MENTORS WHO HELPED GUIDE ME AND HELPED ME GROW IN THE FIELD AND THIS IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE BACK THE SAME AY THAT PEOPLE HELPED ME I SAID ABSOLUTELY, JUMPED RIGHT IN.

>> Eric: WHAT KIND OF STUFF DID YOU TEACH THESE BUDDING JOURNALISTS?

>> I REMEMBER COMING TO THE SCHOOL AND MEETING THE STUDENTS AND WE WERE THE FIRST ONES TO OPEN THE CAMERAS FROM THE BOXES AND HAND THEM TO THE STUDENTS, AND JUST SEEING THEIR REACTION WAS AMAZING, AND ONCE WE PUT THE CAMERAS IN THEIR HANDS, THEY -- IT WAS ALMOST A NATURAL INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR TO START TAKING PICTURES OF OTHER PEOPLE AND THAT PARTICULAR DAY, WE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO SHOOT USING AVAILABLE LIGHT.

>> Cathy: WE'RE TALKING NOT -- EVERYONE SHOOTS PICTURES WITH CELLPHONES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROFESSIONAL CAMERAS.

>> CORRECT.

>> Cathy: SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT DEAL.

>> Eric: WHAT KIND OF STUFF DID YOU LEARN, COMPOSITION AND LIGHTING AND THAT SORT OF STUFF?

>> YEAH, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WAS WORKING ON THE LIGHTING AND SYMMETRY OF PHOTOS AND HUE WE CAN BALANCE THEM ALL OUT BUT WE STARTED DOING PORTRAITS OUR FIRST DAY THERE, ACTUALLY, AND I FEEL LIKE I STARTED TO FALL IN LOVE AFTER THE FIRST DAY, ESPECIALLY WITH JERRY EING THERE.

IT WAS REALLY -- >> Eric: JERRY HALL, SO IT WAS INTERESTING.

I ACTUALLY FELL N LOVE WITH IT AND I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER AS OF NOW.

I REALLY FEEL I CAN PURSUE THIS AND IT'S SOMETHING I REALLY LOVE AND IT WAS JUST -- IT WAS NATURAL TO ME.

IT WAS IKE ONCE THE CAMERA WAS IN MY HAND, I FELT THAT PIECE AND CAPTURING THE IMAGE OF -- CAPTURING THE EMOTION INSIDE OF THE IMAGES, JUST SOMETHING THAT REALLY JUST BRINGS JOY TO ME AND -- YEAH.

>> Cathy: BETTY, DO YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY?

>> YES, I FEEL LIKE I LEARNED A LOT IN THAT CLASS.

THEY TAUGHT ME THE BASICS.

I REALLY ONLY NEW HOW TO TAKE A PICTURE ON MY PHONE.

I ACTUALLY GOT THE CAMERA HERE AND THEN I BROUGHT IT OVER THERE SO FROM THERE, IT WAS PRETTY NICE LEARNING HOW TO DO EVERYTHING THE RIGHT WAY INSTEAD OF JUST TAPPING THE SCREEN AND FIXING THE BRIGHTNESS WITH YOUR PHONE.

>> Cathy: WE'VE GOT SOME PICTURES, WE GOT TO SEE SOME PICTURES SO WE'LL ROLL THEM.

THIS IS THE BEGINNING, RIGHT?

IS THIS -- >> YES, YES, AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S JERRY HOULE ON THE LEFT WHO IS ONE OF OUR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS, AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS AND WAS WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS AND CARLOS GONZALEZ IS THE OTHER PHOTOGRAPHER WHO WAS WORKING WITH US, TOO.

>> Cathy: AND THIS IS WHERE YOU ALL JUST KIND OF STARTED OUT, LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, THESE ARE CAMERAS, WHAT ARE WE DOING?

LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE JUST STARTING?

>> AND, LIZ, THIS LOOKS LIKE THE AVAILABLE LIGHT ASSIGNMENT.

>> YEP, YEP.

>> Eric: THIS IS ARTISTIC, LOOK AT THE COMPOSITION AND THE SHADOWS AND... >> Cathy: SO THIS AS PART OF THE EXHIBIT, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> YEAH, SO ALL THESE PICTURES ARE ON EXHIBIT AT CAPELLA STORY WHERE THE "STAR TRIBUNE" OFFICES ARE.

THAT -- AND THAT'S DAMARJ'S PICTURE RIGHT THERE.

>> Cathy: NICE.

>> Eric: WOULD YOU CALL THAT A IMPORTANT AT ANY RATE OR -- >> I DON'T REALLY KNOW.

I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

>> Eric: DO YOU GUYS APLAN TO DO THIS AS A CAREER OR IS IT TOO EARLY TO SAY?

>> IT'S KIND OF EARLY.

I KIND OF VIEW IT AS A CAREER BUT I NEED A LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE.

>> ME PERSONALLY, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING I COULD REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AS A CAREER BUT I WANT TO KEEP BUILDING MY SKILLS AND I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT MYSELF TO ONE THING, I WANT TO HAVE MULTIPLE THINGS TO GO BACK TO IF I REALLY WANT TO.

SO, YEAH.

>> Cathy: THIS IS A REALLY GREAT WAY TO MENTOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF JOURNALISTS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'RE ASSIGNED TO COVER THESE COMMUNITIES EVERY DAY AND IT'S KIND OF NICE TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO A SITUATION AND MENTOR THESE YOUNG FOLKS AND GIVE THEM THE PPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS IDEA THAT THIS PROFESSION EXISTS FOR ALL OF US.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS LEARNED A LOT BUT I AM THINKING THAT YOU PROBABLY TAUGHT THESE PROS SOMETHING, TOO, RIGHT?

BECAUSE THAT'S -- IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET.

ALEX, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK WHENEVER YOU'RE IN ANY SORT OF TEACHING SETTING, YOU'RE LEARNING FROM THE STUDENTS AT THE SAME TIME AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THESE STUDENTS SHOWED ME THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T -- WHEN WE GIVE THEM CAMERAS AND THEY'RE JUST BEGINNING TO LEARN, THEY DON'T HAVE, LIKE -- LIZ AND I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE AND YOU CAN ALMOST GET BOGGED DOWN IN SOME OF THE HIGHER TECH CAMERAS YOU HAVE AND THESE KIDS ARE MAKING AMAZING WORK WITH THE MOST BASIC EQUIPMENT AND YOU LEARN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A BIG PRODUCTION TO MAKE A TO THE, TO YOU CAN MAKE SOMETHING REALLY POWERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, WITH A WINDOW IN A CLASSROOM AND A REAL SIMPLE CAMERA AND IT'S LEARNING.

WHEN I GO THROUGH MY WORK NOW, I'M LIKE DO I NEEDS ALL THIS STUFF R CAN I GET TO THE HEART OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, CAPTURE THROUGH THOSE TO THE TOSS?

>> Cathy: LIZ?

>> YEAH, IT'S -- ONE OF THE PICTURES THAT REALLY MOVED ME FROM GORDON PARKS IS A PICTURE OF A YOUNG MAN AND HE'S KIND OF LAYING IN THE GRASS ND HE'S GOT A JUNE BUG ON HIS FOREHEAD AND HE'S GOT A STRING AND IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL MOMENT.

THAT PICTURE ACTUALLY REMINDED ME OF ONE OF THE PICTURES DAMARJ TOOK OF WONG OF HIS COWSINGS AND THE LIGHT THAT HE USED ON THAT TO THE, TO THE SIMPLICITY BUT IT TOLD YOU A BIG STORY.

>> Eric: DID YOU LEARN MORE THAN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO LEARN?

WHAT KIND F EXPECTATION DID YOU HAVE COMING IN?

>> YOU KNOW, COMING IN, I WAS KIND OF -- I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT BUT WHEN ACTUALLY DID DIVE INTO ITS, IT WAS, LIKE, OKAY, WOW, PHOTOGRAPHY IS SOMETHING I'M REALLY INTO BECAUSE I ALWAYS TOOK PICTURES WITH MY PHONE SO WHEN I HAD THE CAMERA IN MY HAND, IT WAS LIKE I WAS ALREADY USED TO IT SO I JUST BUILT OFF THAT TO LEARN MORE.

IT WAS REALLY UNEXPECTED BECAUSE I NEVER THOUGHT PHOTOGRAPHY WOULD BE SOMETHING I COULD ACTUALLY PURSUE IN MY LIFE SO WITH ACTUALLY BEING EXPOSED TO PEOPLE WITH MORE KNOWLEDGE AND PASSING IT DOWN TO ME, AND BEING GREAT MENTORS AS THEY ARE, WHICH I DO APPRECIATE, JUST OPENED A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ME.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING AND YOU LOSE TRACK OF TIME.

DID THAT HAPPEN TO YOU?

>> YES, 100%.

I REALLY DIDN'T WANTS IT TO ENDS YET.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD THE LAST EVENT AT THE "STAR TRIBUNE," I WAS KIND OF SAD, YOU KNOW, I WAS KIND OF SAD BECAUSE I WAS, LIKE, MAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE END OF IT, FOR NOW.

WELL, HIGH SCHOOL IS OVER WITH SO IT'S LIKE ON TO THE NEXT.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO DO WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE?

>> I HOPE TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, FURTHER MY FUTURE AND USE IT LATER ON, YOU KNOW, SAY IF I WANT TO START MY OWN THING, BUY MY OWN CAMERA, START DOING LITTLE IDE JOBS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I'VE GOT FROM THE MENTORS AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I'VE LEARNED IN THE SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, THAT LITTLE CLASSROOM.

IT REALLY HELPED ME OUTS A LOT FOR THE LONG TERM AND, YEAH.

>> Eric: FOLKS CAN SEE THIS IN THE LOBBY AT -- DOWNTOWN.

>> DOWNTOWN, THE CAPELLA BUILDING, IT WILL BE THERE THROUGH THE SUMMER.

>> Eric: YOU HAVE TO CONTINUES THIS.

>> Cathy: WE WERE GOING TO SAY, YOU HAVE TO CONTINUES THIS.

>> THAT'S DEFINITELY OUR PLAN.

LOOKING FORWARDS TO THAT.

>> Cathy: WE'RE THRILLED THAT HYPE IS BACK.

WE REMEMBER THAT FROM 20 YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, SO SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO STAY WITH HYPE, RIGHT, BOTH OF YOU?

>> Eric: HE FUTURE IS IN