Photographs are incredibly powerful, and they play a huge role in shaping how we see the world and the people around us. Selecting photos for your work in a deliberate and thoughtful way will make your organization more inclusive and can enhance your mission. It also has the power to make our culture more inclusive for everyone.
In this session, we’ll share context and history about why images are so important, and how they can send messages—for better or worse—about dimensions of identity like race, gender, sexuality, class, religion, or disability.
Together, we’ll dissect the subliminal messages conveyed in photos, using examples from pop culture, and discuss the biases that arise for all of us in a safe and comfortable space. We’ll ask for engagement and participation from the audience through chat and conversations, and audience members will also have the opportunity to search for photos themselves during the session, and then share what they observe.
Practical tips and real examples from our own client work will help participants imagine how this topic will apply to their own work, and they’ll learn how to look critically at photos in a whole new light. In a group discussion, we’ll also talk through specific challenges that come up when searching for the right photo and when convincing other team members or leadership to approve photos with care.
