In the last four decades, San Diego has become a hub for the resettlement of refugees fleeing wars and conflict around the world, from Vietnam to Somalia to Iraq. Working in collaboration with artist Jana McBeath, students from the San Diego Refugee Tutoring program, an organization whose mission is to achieve social justice through educational access for refugee students in the neighborhood of City Heights, created self-portraits using large format film cameras. Each portrait session begins with a dialogue between student and teacher about the composition and tone of the image. The students are equipped with the technical and artistic skills necessary to speak their own truth. Each portrait represents the face of a wider story--the narrative of their journey, family, resilience, defiance, and joy. Outside the Lens’ mission is to empower youth to use photography, filmmaking, and digital media to create change within themselves, their communities, and their world.

Terminal 2 East, Post-Security, Transition Hallway