Josephine Herrick was a photographer who taught wounded World War II veterans how to take pictures as a healing exercise. The project named after her has been running for more than 80 years, and Miriam Leuchter has helped keep Herrick’s vision alive. Leuchter, who previously oversaw the Popular Photography and American Photo magazines, currently serves as the Josephine Herrick Project’s executive director. There, she and her staff teach the art of photography to groups that are often underrepresented in the field, including children from low-income families, immigrants, people with disabilities and—just as Herrick did—military veterans. The organization then showcases these photos in public spots, ensuring that each budding photographer has a potential audience.
This year, Leuchter and her organization put together the “Visions Made Visible” exhibition at the Soho Photo Gallery in New York City. This innovative art project gathered a group of teenage immigrants in NYC, taught them the basics of camerawork, and then challenged them to capture their experiences in portraits, cityscapes, and nature photography. “Slow down, pay attention to others, and really listen to each other,” Leuchter told Worth. “Especially now We can all work to building understanding in everything we do.”
