Most teens spend the summer enjoying late mornings and long afternoons with friends. But inside a classroom on Wayne State’s campus, and a picturesque loft on the riverfront, a group of teenagers traded pool days for pen strokes and camera shutters, capturing their neighborhoods, including each other, through their own words and lenses in a summer photography and writing boot camp hosted for the sixth year in a row by The Detroit Writing Room led by veteran journalist Stephanie Steinberg.
“We had five weeks’ worth of camp, two weeks of the journalism camp, two weeks of the beginner photography camp, and one week of the advanced photography camp,” Steinberg said.
“I think our students’ quality of work that they’re producing, the level of participation, engagement, and their eagerness to pursue either journalism or photography has been the highest I’ve seen out of all six years.”
Students like Marcus Washington, who identifies as Hispanic and Black, emphasized that seeing himself represented throughout the boot camp, alongside some of the mentors and teachers, was a highlight for him and also inspirational.
“His name was David Rodriguez Muñoz, and he is a photographer at the Detroit Free Press. He was absolutely amazing,” Washington said.
“And I saw so many relatable things inside of him, how even down to his mannerisms, how he greets people, how comforting he is, or how he even noticed, there’s not a lot of representation of Hispanic people in this field.”
Going into her Sophomore year at Western Michigan, Khloe said she is usually a quiet student who stays to herself and does not consider herself a social person. However, photography coach Sacred Overstreet-Amos, Owner of Moon Reflections Photography, pulled her out of her comfort zone.
“She encouraged me to speak up and out more, so I’m more comfortable, and I talk more,” Khole said.
“So I feel like that helped me get out of my shell a little bit more. I’m more comfortable now, because I am getting used to the people here, and I have become more comfortable with her. Talking to her helped me get more out of my shell.”
Overstreet-Amos has been a coach for the photography boot camp since 2016, providing youth who may not typically have access to these opportunities with educational and career paths by offering them cameras and laptops, and bringing them into spaces that inspire them.
“To be in spaces like Michigan Central, the DIA, to take walks down the alleyway near the Fox Theater, to have a coach come in and take the students to a new place to eat. These things and spaces open their worlds up. They can see it. It’s tangible,” Overstreet-Amos said.
The Writing Room’s summer intern, Jenna Hausman, is entering her senior year at the University of Michigan and is also a writer for the Michigan Daily Newspaper. She noted that having this opportunity to support younger creatives has been truly fulfilling for her.
“I’ve really enjoyed seeing the world from their perspective and seeing them grow in their skill set,” Hausman said.
“And yeah, that’s basically my main reason. I just wanted to help the community out, the literary community, out in any way I could.”
Some students discover during the boot camp that they want to pivot into journalism and photography, as seen with student Jasmine, who was pursuing a nursing degree.
“This summer, Jasmine came in wanting to be a nurse, and after two weeks, she told us, ‘Actually, I think I want to pursue photography,” Steinberg said.
“She discovered this newfound passion for photography, and she’s one of the students who started an Instagram for her photography work and is really serious about it.”
Steinberg said that students interested in journalism gain a head start by already having their work published in outlets like Planet Detroit, The Writing Room, and Perspectives Magazine.
“For the students pursuing photography, we’ve seen the majority of these kids already start their own businesses. And that’s always really fun to see them go to the next level and make money from this hobby that’s all of a sudden, a side business.”
Amber Ogden is a freelance writer born and raised in Detroit. She has published work in Forbes, Chevy in the D, Model D, and Rachel Ray Every Day. She enjoys art, culture, and eating her way through the city in her free time.
This article was made possible thanks to a generous grant to EL CENTRAL Hispanic News by Press Forward, the national movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news. Learn more at www.pressforward.news.
