THE MAGNUM FOUNDATION FUND: US DISPATCHES
Destiny Mata
This fall, the Magnum Foundation is proud to announce the support of 18 photographers to develop short-term visual projects related to the 2020 US elections.
Wesaam Al-Badry
Cinthya Santos Briones
Alan Chin
Julie Dermansky
Luis Manuel Diaz
Graham Dickie
Rian Dundon
Sara Hylton
Naomieh Jovin
Natalie Keyssar
Stacy Kranitz
Katie Hayes Luke
Destiny Mata
Alice Proujansky
Jared Ragland
Sarah Stacke
Jared Stapp
Laila Annmarie Stevens
The selection committee consisted of photographers Alessandra Sanguinetti and Hannah Price and Magnum Foundation Scholar in Residence Nicholas Mirzoeff, joined by Magnum Foundation President Susan Meiselas and Executive Director Kristen Lubben. Their insights as practitioners, educators, and visual theorists were integral to this process, which marks Magnum Foundation’s most extensive grant-making initiative within the US to date.
“It was inspiring to discover so much work by photographers committed to exploring and documenting what's happening right here, right now in the US,” said Alessandra Sanguinetti. Nicholas Mirzoeff added, “if this is an indication, activist photography is in good shape.”
This program seeks to expand perspectives on this critical moment in US history. From examining the impact of Covid-19 on incarcerated seniors to portraits of first-time voters by a 19-year-old photographer, these projects highlight some of the experiences faced by communities across America in the leadup to the election.
Ten of these stories will run in The Nation Magazine in a collection called What’s At Stake, featuring critical narratives that are flying under the national radar. This is a continuation of our 18-week partnership, The Invisible Frontline, which seeded stories amplifying the experiences of frontline workers and communities disproportionately affected by the upheaval of the Coronavirus.
This program is generously supported in part by Documentary Arts and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.
2020 Magnum Foundation Fund Grantees
Wesaam Al-Badry | Gonzales, California
Chronicling the reelection campaign of Maria Orozco, the mayor of an agricultural town whose constituency is largely made up of essential farmworkers
Cinthya Santos Briones | Brooklyn, New York
Highlighting the resilience of Indigenous migrants and the mutual aid efforts they are organizing in an anti-immigrant political climate
Alan Chin | New York City
Offering a personal, in-depth look at the impact of the pandemic on Chinatown and the path to recovery
Julie Dermansky | Gramercy, Louisiana
Following the work of a funeral home director in a Black community that is seeing two health crises merge: the pandemic and the impact of pollution from nearby chemical plants and refineries
Luis Manuel Diaz | New Rochelle, New York
Reflecting on citizenship, community, and biculturalism against the backdrop of the 2020 presidential election
Graham Dickie | Clinton, Louisiana
Exploring how rap is deeply entwined with life in rural Louisiana as a way of expressing what it means to be young and Black in the South at this moment
Rian Dundon | Portland, Oregon
Tracing how social movements become fodder for media content and citizen surveillance
Sara Hylton | Wolf Point, Montana
Documenting communities along the Keystone XL pipeline to show what’s at stake in this election for our environmental future
Naomieh Jovin | Philadelphia
Fighting to maintain a sense of Haitian identity as an act of resistance against the pressures to assimilate to the cultures and ideals of white Western society
Natalie Keyssar | New York State
Examining the impact of the pandemic through the stories of elderly incarcerated people and their families
Stacy Kranitz | Appalachia
Exploring the nation’s fractured healthcare system and its impact on rural communities left without vital resources to care for residents
Katie Hayes Luke | Austin, Texas
From across the country and the political spectrum, this project pairs portraits with letters to the president and sends them to the White House
Destiny Mata | Manhattan, New York
Presenting the doorways of NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) residents, a community of voters with a critical perspective on politics, racism, equity, and the pandemic
Alice Proujansky | Brooklyn, New York
Documenting the evidence-based, culturally-focused care provided by Black birth workers at a birthing center that is seeing an uptick in interest during the health crisis
Jared Ragland | Alabama
Addressing Alabama's complex history and identity by looking at the intersections of racial and ecological injustice, poverty and marginalization, and politics and public health during this time of local and national urgency
Sarah Stacke | Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, South Dakota
Documenting the Cheyenne River Tribe’s solutions-oriented approach to the pandemic and protection of their people, culture, and rights
Jared Stapp | Western Pennsylvania
Looking at the Western Pennsylvania communities that have historically voted Democrat and rely predominantly on the fracking industry, who find themselves on the fence of the 2020 election
Laila Annmarie Stevens | New York, NY
Spotlighting the hopes and concerns of my peers: young first-time voters of color in and around New York City
Magnum Foundation expands creativity and diversity in visual storytelling, activating new audiences and ideas through the innovative use of images. Through grantmaking, mentorship, and creative collaborations, we partner with socially engaged imagemakers exploring new models for storytelling.