A Student’s Point of View: RIT Photography Students of Color Part 1

One of the beautiful things about being a photographer is that you are exposed to many perspectives. Sometimes I think I am in another person’s shoes when I am making photographs.

Everyone comes from a different background. I think adding more diversity is a process that brings people closer and also makes experiences stronger. In this blog, I wanted to talk about minorities in the RIT photography program. I estimate there are approximately 25 minorities in the RIT Photo student community in a cohort of approximately 300 students. That is a big difference. I don’t think numbers by themselves count. I think it’s the inclusivity and the belief that minorities are as talented as any student that matters.

I am a Chinese American. I was adopted by a loving Caucasian family. I am always trying to find the balance of my identity. Sometimes I feel that I am being too Asian or too American. To create this blog, I interviewed several photography students of color and decided to break up my findings into two posts. For the first post, I will feature sophomores. This post will be followed than another post that feature juniors, and explores their identity and work. I believe by exploring this subject, I may find a theme of and gain a better understanding that it’s okay to be both.
by Emily Sudock

Robin Flowers is African American from Buffalo, New York. Robin believes one of the unique things she brings to the photo community is her perspective on things. She felt isolated as a high school student because she was one of five students of color in her school and the lack of representation. Robin draws upon a lot of her experiences and conceptual processes into her photographic work.

Photography became a career choice after signing up for a photography class freshman year of high school. She is pursuing it as a career because she wants to add to the narrative where people of color are more included in the glamour and fantasy world that exists within the advertising world. She believes people of color can identify with people who look like them. This she hopes can change the pre-judgments people have when interacting with people of color. Robin says she tries to celebrate her culture as much as she can and work hard because a lot of people fought extremely hard to get her to where she is today like attending to RIT to study is what she loves.

https://www.instagram.com/therobinwonders/

Joanna Chung is Cantonese and grew up in Hong Kong but the majority of her life she has lived in Brooklyn. When growing up, Joanna moved to New York. Because of this, Hong Kong and NYC play a role and are the reason she wants to be involved with photography. Photography for Joanna as a person of color allows her to connect with other people of color to create and show the beauty and hardships and history behind cultures. She sees things that are happening in current generations. Throughout much of Joanna’s artwork, she celebrates her culture through her work.

One of her goals with photography is to break the stigmas and expectations in the world and use photography to break down barriers. She sees different social issues that are at hand in the world today and wants to make a difference in minimizing hatred. Outside of photography, Joanna celebrates her culture by being a part of the Asian Culture Society as its vice president. This organization celebrates and teaches Asian Culture and brings students of different ethnicities together. Joanna is passionate about a lot of things around her culture she wants to show her family that photography is a career choice and it can provide stability in the future and use it as an outlet of expression.

Terrel Brooks is Haitian and Cuban from Rochester, New York. What makes him unique is the way he loves tells stories and interacts with different people. Terrel went through a journey in finding his passion. When he first came to RIT, he was an environmental science major where he went through many obstacles. By chance, a good friend introduced him to photography and it all clicked for him.

Terrel wants to use photography to tell stories using his perspective and include diversity in his work. Not only seeing his work can be exciting but hearing his work come to life using audio shares minority perspectives. The opportunities in the photo community are endless but he sometimes feels the obstacles. He said “it feels lonely sometimes being the only black guy in my class”. He feels more included in a role he took on as e-board member for Unity House where he does open mics for various events. Terrel’s advice in finding your way as a minority is “always ask for advice or help”. More importantly he wants to “set an example for others and subscribes to holding yourself high”.

About Emily SuDock
Emily SuDock is a third-year advertising photography student who is also cross-registered in the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. She has been hard of hearing most of her life. Emily was born in China adopted by her loving family. They are a big part of her life. Emily has a Nikon 600 with a 35 mm lens which she loves taking portraits with.