Photograph: Tres Guatemaltecos

by Noah Gallo-Brown

BACKED BY SMART VENTURES GRANT, NOAH GALLO-BROWN PROCEEDS IN PASSION PROJECT—A PHOTO-SHOW THAT CENTERS ON CENTRAL AMERICA AND POVERTY

Everyone and anyone interested in photography is invited to celebrate an exhibit of 30 photographs taken in Central America by Noah Gallo-Brown 

The exhibition will take place on August 14^th at Ravenna Eckstein Community Center between 6:15 and 8:30 pm

Seattle, WA, July 2009 – Seattle native Noah Gallo-Brown returns from the depths of Central America to present his first photo show ever. The show will consist of 30 photographs Gallo-Brown took while working in rural, impoverished communities throughout Central America. His goal is to share his photos, experiences, and insights with the public—a cause deemed worthy of funding by Seattle’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs. 

The show will be held August 14^th from 6:15-8:30 P.M. Gallo-Brown is scheduled to give a talk about his experiences during which he will provide information about the communities and the volunteer organization that he worked for. In addition, there will be captions accompanying the photos that will provide further information about the photographs' subjects. The show is open to the public; everyone is invited--cordially, of course. 

Over the course of six months, Gallo-Brown taught reading, writing, math and art in elementary schools in impoverished areas in Central America through the volunteer organization Global Vision International (GVI). During this time, he photographed his students and their families. He hopes the photographs will shine a light on the extreme poverty which is so difficult to comprehend in our culture of abundance, but so common throughout Central America. 

Seattle’s Office of Cultural Arts and Affairs believes in Gallo-Brown and has decided to stand behind him in his mission to raise awareness about poverty.

“There are thousands upon thousands of communities like the ones where I worked that exist in a continuous state of need,” says Gallo-Brown. “Inspiring sensitivity and compassion through art--and awareness--is immensely important.” 

 "He’s on a mission,” says mother Laurie Brown, “this [photo show] is a passion project, all right.”