Wing Wings Partners With Youth Photo Program To Collect Used Cameras For Kids

Devin Allen, a self-taught portrait photographer based in Baltimore, has partnered with the Lower Haight's Wing Wings to solicit donations of cameras and equipment for his Youth Photo Program, which provides photography training and equipment for kids in need in his hometown.

Widely known for his photos of the 2015 uprisings in Baltimore, which landed on the cover of Time magazine, Allen is now focused on changing the lives of children in areas where arts education is lacking. Photography, according to Allen, offers a new way to see everyday sights and society, giving the youthful recipients of the cameras the gift of a fresh outlook.

We met Allen at a recent Summer Speaker event hosted by VSCO in Oakland, where the topic of conversation was “Changing Lives Through Photography.” Allen, or “Moody,” as those close to him call him, spoke of his journey from event promotion to poetry to photography, and how he decided to use it to better the lives of those around him. His dedication to the cause is powerful, drawing the attention of the international press and celebrities including Russell Simmons (a donor) and Erykah Badu (a supporter).

“I feel that art makes the world go round. As artists, we have to affect the times,” Allen says. “Media isn't going to tell the story in its full capacity, so we have to change the way media is used."

Allen connected with Wing Wings' chef-owner, Christian Ciscle, through a mutual friend who's a Baltimore transplant. To help support Allen's work, Ciscle is asking neighbors to dig through their closets for any functioning photography equipment, including digital (DSLR) cameras, point-and-shoot cameras, Polaroids, tripods, cases, and film. Donations can be dropped off now through next Thursday, July 14th, after which they'll be sent to Baltimore for kids to use.  

Later this month, Wing Wings will be hosting another drive to start a similar program, inspired by Allen's work, for San Francisco kids. The goal is to eventually hold a joint photo show for the work of youth in the two programs (date TBD).

In the meantime, Allen urges everyone he speaks with to open the door to even the smallest conversations with young people, and to take responsibility for shaping their surrounding community. “The butterfly effect is real,” he told us.