Youth in Focus

For 25 years, Youth in Focus has helped youth in Seattle during a critical time in their lives, putting cameras in their hands and placing them in a supportive environment to learn photography skills, find their voice, and tell their stories.

Youth in Focus is a program that uses intensive photography training as a tool to help disadvantaged teens develop personal voice, positive identity, social skills and artistic skills. They offer free, multi-level classes for teens ages 13-19 in both film and digital photography. Classes are taught by professional teaching artists and supported by volunteer adult mentors. In this way they create a community of support around their students that both encourages and challenges them on their journey to a positive adulthood.

Their small class sizes, instruction from professional teaching artists, support from adult volunteer mentors, custom-designed curriculum, purpose-built space — and dedication to respecting, supporting, and challenging young people — all work together to create a powerful experience for all YIF's students.

THINGS YOU CAN DO

• Take a class from their core programs
• Take a photography workshop
• Purchase a print created by their students

EQUITY STATEMENT

"At Youth in Focus we value art as a powerful medium of change to create a healthy, vibrant, more equitable and just society for all. Through this work, we aim to confront and dismantle systemic oppression in all of its forms."

For more information about Youth in Focus' commitment to equity and justice, see here.