LensBright Initiative

Transcript

1. Empowering students to see a brighter future, one lens at a time. LensBright Initiative 2025-26 Philadelphia-based arts education non profit
2. The LensBright Initiative is an award-winning, Philadelphia-based arts education nonprofit supported by the University of Pennsylvania’s President’s Engagement Prize, dedicated to building bridges between under resourced high school students and lens-based creative industries and educational institutions. What is LensBright Initiative? The LensBright Initiative empowers young artists to see and shape their world through the lens by providing equipment, mentorship, educational resources, and creative opportunities in film and photography. Through this support, students develop technical skills, build self-agency, and explore their creative potential. Our Mission The LensBright Initiative envisions a world where every young person sees their potential with clarity and confidence—where a brightened lens leads to brighter futures, deeper self-understanding, and lasting creative and social impact. Our Vision
3. Founders’ Story Ejun (right) a filmmaker from Canada and South Korea, faced the darkness of blurred vision as a child but found light in films—hoping to one day bring lost stories into the light through her lens. Her animated films give voice to deeply personal, social, and universal experiences often left unheard. Honored with 15 awards and 40+ festival selections, including Oscar- qualifying festivals, she has worked with Sony Pictures, the Walt Disney Family Museum, and All Ages Productions. For Ejun, filmmaking is a powerful form of care that heals, connects, and illuminates. The LensBright Initiative was co-founded by Ejun Mary Hong and Jack Nicholas Roney, who met while mentoring West Philadelphia high school students through the Participatory Action Art Mentorship Program (PAAM). They quickly recognized the students’ strong passion for lens-based art—and the limited resources available to support the stories those students can tell. Jack (left) is a multidisciplinary artist and award-winning photographer from Jonesborough, Tennessee. As a QuestBridge scholar at Penn, he experienced firsthand how vital resources can transform opportunities for students from low-income backgrounds. He has led community arts programs and served as Assistant Program Coordinator at a 501(c) nonprofit. Drawing on his expertise and experience as a photographer, he is dedicated to helping students from similar backgrounds succeed in the lens-based arts industry. Through the LensBright Initiative, they aim to empower youth to see and shape their world through lens-based art—just as they once found light, hope, and refuge through the lens themselves.
4. 1 The LensBright Photography Competition is an annual creative photography competition open to any Philadelphia public high school student. Selected semi-finalists will be loaned photography kits to work on their projects, provided mentorship from creatives of various backgrounds, and given access to editing workstations through our network of partner libraries and universities. Finalists will have their projects published and distributed at artist bookstores, universities, libraries, and other cultural institutions, as well as on our digital platforms. 3 The LensBright Mentorship Network provides free access to resources for lens-based career and skill development through three components: (1) mentorship sessions during the Photography Competition and Collaborative Film Projects, (2) free lens-based media workshops hosted in public libraries and community centers, focusing on photography, film and animation production, and editing; and (3) a database of informational interviews with industry professionals, offering free career resources to students through the LensBright website, social media, and Philadelphia public schools. 2 This year, the initiative is partnering with one high school—Sayre High School, our first LensBright School—to achieve three goals: (1) Create a collaborative community film led by a team of project leads and high school students during after-school programs, mentored by industry professionals and professors; (2) Redesign classrooms into permanent creative studios in partnership with Penn PAAM; and (3) Build a strong film community by involving local residents in productions, hosting public screenings, and expanding university mentorship to Temple. Each year, the initiative will grow to include additional LensBright schools while continuing to support existing partners like Sayre. 4 The LensBright Annual Exhibition Showcase, taking place in Spring 2026, invites Philadelphia high school artists, university students and faculty, and industry professionals to gather and celebrate. LensBright participants will present their work, receive Best in Show awards and recognitions for the Photography Competition and Collaborative Film Projects, connect with fellow artists from the Philadelphia arts community, and celebrate the city’s vibrant and diverse arts and culture network. 2025-26 Program Outline Photography Competition Community Film Project Mentorship Network Annual Exhibition Showcase
5. Acquire photo-technical skills. Learn about lens-based artistic mediums. Engage in independent creative thinking. Further develop responsibility and accountability. Connect with like-minded peers and mentors. Learn about professional lens-based careers. Build a portfolio-ready photography or film project. Impact What would students benefit? A pipeline for creative equity—empowering underrepresented youth with the skills, tools, and access needed for lens-based art education in higher education and careers in the lens-based industries. What would Philadelphia gain? Meaningful community engagement. Access to emerging local talent. Opportunities to support arts education equity. Strengthened connections within Philadelphia’s creative ecosystem. Students utilized partner workflows—increasing the likelihood these products will be adopted in students’ future professional careers. How would LensBright mentors and partners benefit? Contact Us lensbrightinitiative@gmail.com
6. Thank you!