Support the Exposures Kickstarter campaign

I am sharing this on behalf of my friend and colleague John Willis.  Exposures is an incredible program I hope you find a way to support - even if all you can do is spread the word.

click here to go to the KICKSTARTER page

 Read his words below:

"Dear friends and supporters,                                                                                                                                                            Please help us spread the word about our Kickstarter campaign to run the Exposures 2013 Summer Program on Pine Ridge Reservation, and donate what you can. We're told Kickstartercampaigns only succeed if people share them with everyone they can think of who might support the cause, in this case our youth cross cultural photography and experiential art education programming. The Exposures Summer Program can only happen if we meet the Kickstarter goal.http://kck.st/X5BqK2
        Last summer, Exposures participants met with Davidica Young Man, a young Oglala Lakota woman also known as Baby D, to discuss her work as a performer and founding member of Independence Through Music. This nonprofit organization mentors local youth in all aspects of becoming successful musicians, from recording music to promotion, setting up concerts and more. Baby D and her sister Santana, pictured here, have both been participants in the Exposures Program over the years, and I was able to quietly sit in while Baby D was interviewed. Her forthcoming and mature responses to the youth interviewers was impressive, as was the in-depth commentary she provided on Independence Through Music's community work. The nonprofit achieves extraordinary meaningful contributions for area youth despite the challenges of life on the reservation-one of the poorest places in the country even when the nation's economy is doing well. One of the last interview questions asked Baby D where the idea for Independence Through Music came from. I do not think I will ever forget her answer, as it reminded me why we do what we do. Without hesitation Baby D said that the inspiration, concept and belief they could succeed with creating their nonprofit grew out of participating in, and then witnessing over the years, the constructive, self-empowering value of theExposures Program.
        Each year as we work with new and returning youth in the Exposures Program, we are impressed by their enthusiastic appreciation for the creative outlet Exposures provides, as well as the safe place for exploration. They thrive through sharing their voice with others from diverse backgrounds. Their growing self-esteem and expressive caring for each other, and each other's culture, is a clear reminder of why we all work together to keep the program vibrant. All along our mission has been to provide programming to youth regardless of their ability to pay, and it has only been through the support, of you and others like you that we are able to continue successfully meeting this mission. Please do what you can to help us succeed with this campaign.
        Thank you for your consideration and any previous support.
John Willis  Co-founder & Executive Director"