Nuestros Colores

Since the beginning of the year, my second grade POP class has been working on a literacy through photography project to explore our cultures and celebrate diversity. Our project is called Nuestros Colores, Our Colors.

Our goal is to create visual poetry on E 138th street through the students’ art and writing. One of my students ended her essay asking, “And what is your color of self?” The beauty of this type of project is that these images will not be confined to the walls of a gallery but will return to and be viewed where they were generated. These portraits were not only taken in the community but will return to the community- to the exact store window in some cases where the food was purchased for the photograph. The images will be displayed within a block of the school in hopes that this public accessibility will not only give the students, their care givers and the store owners a sense of pride for their “colors, foods, community and culture” but will awaken a youthful curiosity within the local members of the community and deep reflection on the message presented will be a result.

We hope you enjoy our project. It has been a creative way to explore issues of self-concept and diversity while appreciating our cultures and the resources we have in our South Bronx community.