Diversity on display in junior’s photoshoot
Putting a wireless microphone on, senior Kira Robinson waits for direction from photographer, junior, Amelia Jauregui as junior Yael Even looks on.
Among those taking part in Amelia Jauregui’s diversity photoshoot junior Taylor Nwamadi gets interviewed as part of the production.
Getting ready for her photoshoot, junior Maddie Aronson smiles as she looks at fellow junior Amelia Jauregui getting everything organized for her diversity project.
With each girl wearing white shirts and minimal make-up, junior Sarah Ajayi, junior Suzanne Ramierez, senior Kira Robinson, and sophomore Megan Gi get reading for junior Amelia Jauregui to take a group picture.
Waiting for direction from junior Amelia Jauregui, the girls chosen for her diversity photoshoot prepare for the next picture in the school’s courtyard Tuesday afternoon.
Sophomore Megan Gi, Sanjanaa Mahale, junior Suzanne Ramirez, junior Jenna Wenaas, senior Kira Robinson, junior Sarah Ajayi, sophomore Mia Gaines, freshman Adriely Cruz, junior Tasnia Ullah, junior Maddie Aronson, junior Yael Even, junior Taylor Nwamadi, each hold flowers as they get their picture taken by Amelia Jauregui in the school’s courtyard Tuesday after school.
Arranging the girls in a specific order, junior Amelia Jauregui talks to her diversity models in the courtyard Tuesday after school.
Holding flowers, the 12 girls involved in Amelia Jauregui’s photoshoot take a group picture.
Showcasing the school’s diversity, junior Amelia Jauregui selected a group of girls to take part in a photoshoot for a contest. “I’m really interested in photography and I came across this thing online relating to photography,” Jauregui said. “The prompt said to take a picture that resembles diversity whether it’s people, a place, or different items defining diversity. I was really intrigued by that prompt and so I really wanted to along with it.”
Getting creative with the school’s diversity, junior Amelia Jauregui held a photoshoot in the courtyard after school Tuesday featuring 16 girls from different cultures.
It shows that even though we’re different, we have our unique features, we are all still equal and the values of humans,
— junior Suzanne Ramirez
“I’m really interested in photography and I came across this thing online relating to photography,” Jauregui said. “The prompt said to take a picture that resembles diversity whether it’s people, a place, or different items defining diversity. I was really intrigued by that prompt and so I really wanted to along with it.”
For junior Sarah Ajayi, it was a chance to showcase her culture in a whole new way.
“I felt like it was really empowering to be with people from different cultures,” Ajayi said. “I like that we were able to showcase where we come from and the different races we have at Liberty and in our community.”
Trying to highlight their diversity, the girls each followed the same dress code of a white shirt, dark washed jeans, and minimal makeup.
“I wanted everyone to be uniform in their clothes so that their natural beauty, their differences that make them unique and their diversity to really stand out,” Jauregui said. “If everyone was wearing colorful outfits, or not matching, there would be a lot more going on in the picture. So with everyone having similarities it really just accentuates the differences and the beauty of all the types of people there are.”
It was more than a photoshoot for junior Suzanne Ramirez, it was a way for her to help spread a good message.
“It was interesting normally I don’t really do photoshoots, it’s just not my area,” Ramirez said. “It shows that even though we’re different, we have our unique features, we are all still equal and the values of humans.”
One of the many girls on campus of two or more races, sophomore Mia Gaines was honored to be featured.
“There are so many girls who are like me,” Gaines said. “They have the same culture, so it’s kind of cool to represent the people who have the same culture as me.”
Along with the photoshoot, Jauregui interviewed the girls to really learn what makes them diverse besides their physical features.
“I thought it would be interesting to hear first hand from high school students, what they have experienced this far in their life about diversity because everyone is super different in the area we live, and some people aren’t as educated on diversity, and on how to handle certain situations.”
We live in such a diverse area and many people aren’t fortunate enough to recognize and appreciate the cultures we have all around us
— junior Amelia Jauregui
Adding a twist to the shoot, Jauregui incorporated different types of flowers to illustrate the diversity found elsewhere.
“Flowers are such a big part of my life,”Jauregui said. “They’re just so beautiful and I’ve never seen one that I haven’t loved. And we live in such a diverse area and many people aren’t fortunate enough to recognize and appreciate the cultures we have all around us, yet people recognize the beauty and diversity in flowers, so why not in people? You don’t see people hating flowers because they’re different, but rude people hate differences in people. I think people should see that differences aren’t bad and that there’s beauty in everyone.”
Yael Even is looking forward to her third year of Wingspan. She loves to workout, write, and spend a lot of time with friends and family. She also likes...
