Gould Library
April-September, 2011

A photo essay by participants in the Carleton Alternative Spring Break in New Orleans:

Kim Smith's winter term Environmental Justice course included several case studies about the intersection of class, race and environmental issues as they play out in New Orleans. Following the course, Smith took 21 students (some from the course, and a few others with relevant coursework) to New Orleans. During the one-week trip, they worked on service projects related to environmental and social justice issues and met with activists to learn about these issues. (Students met with 6-8 activists, depending on which projects they worked on, from organizations such as All Congregations Together, Louisiana Justice Institute, Greenlight New Orleans, and the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal.)

The students also worked on a photojournalism project during and after the trip. The rationale for this project is that students who do service trips often want to do some follow-up activities, to help them process their experience and share it with others. Before the trip, students met with Paul Hager for a one-hour session on the basics of photography. They also spent some time discussing the social and environmental issues facing the city. After the trip, the students met with Paul again, who gave them some instruction on producing their photo and captions. They framed the photos and worked with Margaret Pezalla-Granlund to create a photo exhibit at the Gould Library. At the opening of the exhibit, Kim Smith asked four students to do a brief presentation about their photos and the project.

Related content:

POSC 212: Environmental Justice

ACE Experiences: Kim Smith
Kim Smith
Learning to Look-Ethically Workshop, 5-7 December, 2011