Reception

4/25/2008 5:30pm

Group Show of Photographs hosted by Todd Kerr

More than a show of photographs, Emancipated Hearts is a celebration of family as experienced by the foster youth of the Oakland/East Bay Area. And though the artists within this show have not experienced a traditional family life — at least not yet, these teen-aged kids possess a power that most people lack: that is, an ability to create family among strangers —at least for a moment.

Leveraging this power, more than two-dozen foster kids and emancipated youths participating in the Alameda County Independent Living Skills Program (www.alamedacountyilsp.org) are now using donated, digital cameras and computers to tell their stories about family. To date, 39 digital cameras have been donated for this purpose.

Since March 2007, local photographer/writer Ross Todd Kerr has led a "Writers Workshop" for motivated students at the Alameda County ILSP, which is located on International Boulevard in Oakland. This show represents the best student artworks, the most compelling stories about family.

Link