Catchlight

CATCHLIGHT IS A HYBRID NONPROFIT MEDIA ORGANIZATION COMBINING THE PRACTICES OF ART, JOURNALISM AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. WE ARE A TRANSFORMATIONAL FORCE, URGENTLY BRINGING RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER TO NURTURE AND GROW A THRIVING VISUAL ECOSYSTEM. WE LEVERAGE THE POWER OF VISUALS TO INFORM, CONNECT AND TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES.

CATCHLIGHT SPONSORED SIX LOCAL FELLOWS IN CHICAGO, PARTNERED WITH FIVE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING TO LIFE STORIES ABOUT KEY ISSUES IN THE CITY, INCLUDING GENTRIFICATION AND HOUSING JUSTICE, CHALLENGES FACING BUSINESS OWNERS DURING COVID, LOCAL LEADERS FOR WOMEN'S AND IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS, AMONG OTHERS. CATCHLIGHT PARTNERED WITH THE INSTITUTE FOR NONPROFIT NEWS TO ESTABLISH LOCAL FELLOWS WITH THE BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION, BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO, BORDERLESS MAGAZINE, AND PROPUBLICA ILLINOIS- REACHING A SIGNIFICANT CROSS SECTION OF CHICAGO RESIDENTS. THE LOCAL FELLOWS ALSO PURSUED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS TO INCREASE THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION TO THE WORK. FOR EXAMPLE, SAMANTHA CABRERA FRIEND'S PROJECT WAS EXHIBITED AT THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHERE SHE ALSO LED WORKSHOPS WITH SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. LOCAL PROJECTS WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THREE AWARDS: SAN FRANCISCO PRESS CLUB AND SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS BOTH AWARDED YESICA PRADO FOR "DRIVING HOME: SURVIVING THE HOUSING CRISIS", CATCHLIGHT AND THE SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC PRESS. THE ONLINE JOURNALISM AWARDS, GATHER AWARD FOR COMMUNITY CENTERED JOURNALISM, NOMINEE FOR SAMANTHA CABRERA FRIEND, "MEETING HISTORY: A GARFIELD PARK CITIZEN ARCHIVE," PROPUBLICA ILLINOIS AND CATCHLIGHT.

IN 2021, CATCHLIGHT WELCOMED ITS FIFTH YEAR OF GLOBAL FELLOWS, 4 EXCEPTIONAL VISUAL STORYTELLERS WHO ARE TRANSFORMING THE FIELD: KORAL CARBALLO, ROOPA GOGINENI, BAYETE ROSS SMITH, AND DANIELLA ZALCMAN. WITH PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS GAPS AND OMISSIONS IN PUBLIC AND PERSONAL ARCHIVES THEY ARE INTERROGATING HISTORY, BUILDING NEW FORMATS TO ACCESS VISUAL PROJECTS, AND DESIGNING NEW BUSINESS MODELS THAT CAN SUSTAIN VISUAL PRACTICES INTO THE FUTURE. THEIR WORK REACHED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH DIVERSE AVENUES OF ENGAGEMENT. ROSS SMITH, SHARED HIS WORK THROUGH A FOUR PART SERIES IN THE GUARDIAN AND WITH LAW STUDENTS AND FACULTY AS THE FIRST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE AT COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL. CARBALLO APPEARED ON AFROCHINGONAS, A MEXICAN PODCAST, TO DISCUSS HER PROJECT WE WERE ALWAYS HERE WHICH EXPLORES MEXICO'S LEGACY OF ERASING AFRODESCENDENCY WITH THE MYTH OF THE MESTIZO. AND, AS WORLD LEADERS GATHERED FOR COP26, GOGINENI WAS ALSO IN GLASGOW PRESENTING THE EXHIBITION SHE CURATED, SEEING PASTORALISM. WORKING WITH RESEARCHERS FROM STEPS CENTRE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX, THE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTED THE PERSPECTIVES OF NOMADIC HERDERS (PASTORALISTS) FROM CHINA, ITALY, KENYA, ETHIOPIA, INDIA, AND TUNISIA.

CATCHLIGHT'S CONVENINGS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATIONAL GROWTH AND EXCHANGE, SHARING IDEAS AND EXPERTISE IN A RANGE OF FORMATS FOR FELLOWS, INDUSTRY EXPERTS, STUDENTS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IN 2021, CATCHLIGHT PARTNERED WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION (SFAC) TO PRESENT CARE IN THE TIME OF COVID-19, A TWO-PART EXHIBITION FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHY AND ILLUSTRATION DOCUMENTING DISASTER SERVICE WORKERS, COVID-19 RESPONSE AND PREVENTION EFFORTS, AND LIFE IN SOME OF SAN FRANCISCO'S NEIGHBORHOODS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE VISUAL STORYTELLERS' POIGNANT WORK AROUND COMMUNITIES CELEBRATES INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE RESILIENCE. THE EXHIBITION WAS ON DISPLAY, FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, IN THE LOWER LEVEL AND NORTH LIGHT COURT OF HISTORIC SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL. CATCHLIGHT ALSO LED A SERIES OF ONLINE PROGRAMS HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK OF VISUAL STORYTELLERS THROUGH ITS "BEHIND THE LENS" SERIES AND OTHER ONLINE PROGRAMMING. FOR EXAMPLE, IN FEBRUARY OF 2021, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS CHRISTINA CLUSIAU AND SHAUL SCHWARZ DISCUSSED THEIR PATHS FROM PHOTOGRAPHERS TO FILMMAKERS AND WHAT WENT INTO THE MAKING OF THEIR SIX-PART NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY SERIES IMMIGRATION NATION.