Black Belt 100 Lenses Photo Exhibit to Open in UA Crossroads Center

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama Crossroads Community Center will present the Black Belt 100 Lenses Photographic Exhibit, opening  Wednesday, April 22, at 1 p.m. in the Crossroads Lounge, 232 Ferguson Center.

For the past several months, Hale County high school students from both public and private schools have been photographing images of their daily lives and discussing the meaning of their cultures for the 100 Lenses Project, a joint effort of the Black Belt Community Foundation and the UA Center for Community-Based Partnerships.

Through the Black Belt 100 Lenses initiative, students discuss the meaning of their cultures through the photographic subjects they select. Students were asked to take photos that captured the cultures and conditions of their communities and to discuss their photos with one another.

“The most rewarding part of the project is seeing the students explore their talents, tap into skills they didn’t realize they had, and notice important things within their communities that are sometimes taken for granted,” said Elliot Knight, 100 Lenses project founder.

Students from Sunshine High School, Greensboro West High School and Southern Academy will share their photos and their insights with the UA community through this photographic exhibit.

“This photography exhibition allows the UA community an opportunity to see the beauty and splendor of Alabama’s Hale County and to listen to the perspectives of its youth,” said Dr. Beverly Hawk, director of the Crossroads Center.

The exhibit will be on display through May; it is free and open to the public.

Crossroads Community Center is an initiative of the UA Division of Community Affairs under the direction of Dr. Samory Pruitt.  Contact them at 205/348-6930 or beverly.hawk@ua.edu and go online to www.crossroads.ua.edu.