FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan nou wè l
The Way We See It
A Collection of Haitian Women’s Photography

April 28th, 2011 from 7-9pm

Splash Light Studios
One Hudson Square
75 Varick Street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10003
www.splashlight.com

April 4, 2011, New York, NY—For one night only, New York will be able to view Haiti through an
as-of-yet unseen perspective: the eyes of Haitian women living in Haiti today.

Jan nou wè l/The Way We See It is a powerful collection of 48 original photographs taken by more
than 30 Haitian women who have been victims of gender-based violence. The photographs capture
their post-earthquake reality: tarpaulin shelters, makeshift bathrooms and kitchens. In short, a world
with few doors to lock in which no one has private space. These women spent the last year using
donated digital cameras to document their experience. This event will be the first—and possibly
only—public viewing of this collection of images.

“Photography has given us a new outlet and determination to participate in the reconstruction of Haiti
and ensure that women continue to find justice and support when they are victims,” said Marie
Eramithe Delva, one of the photographers and Co-Founder of Women Victims for Victims
(KOFAVIV), who will speak about her and her colleagues’ experiences and photos at the NY event.
“Photography is an important humanitarian tool,” said Delva, “because it allows us to capture
concretely what has happened and what continues to happen in a country or community.”

The project began in April 2010 when US-based technology and human rights NGO Digital
Democracy (Dd) traveled to Haiti with digital cameras to lead photo-training sessions. Up to that
point, without cameras or knowledge of how to use them, these grassroots groups had paid others to
document their experiences and raise awareness for their cause. At first only thirteen women,
representing six grassroots groups, participated in the sessions. Yet with just two days of training and
only four shared digital cameras between them, the women set out to tell their story. The results were
strong, passionate, and extremely insightful.

“The fact that the women were ‘of’ the community allowed them to capture realities in the camps
that no foreign photojournalist would have been able to capture,” said Abby Goldberg, one of the
photography trainers and Haiti Outreach & Advocacy Manager for Dd. “In an environment such as
the one these women live in the element of trust cannot be overstated. In that sense the photos are
uniquely authentic and honest, not to mention beautiful and heart-wrenching.”

In collaboration with the women, collection curators, Erica Leone and Erin Kornfeld selected 48
photographs for exhibition. The photographs, as well as a catalogue of the work—translated in both
Creole and English—will be available for purchase at the event and afterward online. There will also
be a silent auction at the exhibition. All proceeds will support continuation of the work of the
grassroots women’s groups and Dd in Haiti.

For more information, please contact Abby Goldberg—415.999.0350 | agoldberg@digitial-

democracy.org