Military Teens create a special photo exhibit showcasing the experience of a family military move across the country.
On October 2nd, Community Building Art Works and Blue Star Families had the honor of presenting a special art exhibit featuring the work of military teenagers at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia.
Each year 600,000 military family members change duty stations, leaving behind support networks, community resources, and homes. 80% of military children of active duty members attend public schools throughout the United States–entering communities with little, if any, understanding of their particular challenges.
Through Our Eyes: Finding Home Again is an exhibit by high school students from military families. Through photographs and captions, they tell the stories of their transitions to the National Capital Region during the summer of 2022.
This exhibit features the work of Military Teens describing their experiences in images and words of relocating and “Finding Home Again” in this process. With work that answers such questions as “What Does Saying Goodbye” and “What Does Saying Hello” look like, join us on the journey and also see stops along the way. A moving exhibit for anyone who has relocated often or who is seeking to find home again.
It was an amazing day and we were so thrilled to be there in person with these young artists and their families. Below are some photos and a highlights video reel from the exhibit opening and reception.
If you are in the DC Metro area, stop by and check out this special showing. The exhibit is open at the Torpedo Factory through November 6th. Click here for the official Torpedo Factory exhibit page. The Torpedo Factory also has a special Late Shift Masquerade event coming up on October 14th. Get more details on those activities by clicking here.
Annie Levy, Project Facilitator – For the last 10 years, Annie has worked with leaders and signature organizations in both the non-profit and for-profit fields to bring the human dimension of a story, issue, cause, community, or brand to life. Annie brings her eye as an award-winning documentary portrait photographer, skills as a lifelong interviewer, and unique ability to see, capture and present a story in a moving and authentic way to each project. Annie also designs and conducts Photovoice projects, training communities to tell their own stories in their own words and images in a myriad of settings. She is trained as both a writer and photographer with her BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and as a social worker (LMSW Silberman School of Social Work). For more information, visit annielevy.com.
Community Building Art Works (CBAW) connects hundreds of veterans, healthcare providers & civilians each month through workshops led by professional artists who reflect the diversity of the population we serve. Our prestigious faculty include award-winning writers, artists, and musicians who have lectured and taught at institutions from Columbia University to Stanford, and have toured and performed worldwide. Using our proven process to help veterans and service members tell their particular stories, we hope to ensure that the stories of military children are heard, and that the diversity and breadth of experiences in the military are represented. For more information, please visit www.cbaw.org.
Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest grassroots military family support organization, with a mission to support military families to improve military readiness. Its distinctive approach builds stronger communities around military families through knowledge and programs that address the unique needs of those who serve. Blue Star Families’ nationally recognized surveys and analysis give military families an important voice that informs policymakers and its military family programs. It uses the power of its collective resources and cross-sector collaborations to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of members of military families to strengthen the troops, their families, and our nation as a whole. For more information, visit bluestarfam.org.
Rob Haney is an artist, writer, and graphic designer with a passion for making slick-looking and fun images that catch the eye and draw viewers in. Rob worked for over 10 years in retail banking and management in their previous life, before returning to school and earning an Associates of Arts with Honors from Rock Valley College in 2012. An early addict to Twitter, Rob enjoys liking and resharing cool stuff and interacting with people who hold similar interests on the internet. They currently are working on their degree in Graphic Design while creating social media content for clients. When not online, Rob writes and reads poetry, creates both physical and digital artwork, and watches British mystery shows.
