
Giving of ourselves is really the only investment that never fails, and over the course of the past month, several photographers from across the world united to give freely of themselves for the sake of one cause: TO CELEBRATE CHILDHOOD.
I have gained enough wisdom in this short-lived life of mine to know that our actions are the cornerstone of positive change in this world. Words are nice, and necessary at first, but real change must begin with action. With motion--motion set into place by the simple belief that we can make a difference.
I called upon photographers to utilize their art and their passion for something beyond themselves, for something that in essence contributed to the greater good of our society, and I was never at a loss when it came to willing participants and heartfelt stories. Perhaps this sounds a bit overly-wrought with drama (I mean, this is the end of PROJECT CHILDHOOD 2008), but idealism coupled with the strength to endure hardship can take us far in this world, and so I speak in a voice that demands attention and comes straight from the heart. Children are the future. Children are mirrors of the past, reflections of who we are today, and who we will be tomorrow.
It is with great joy in my heart that I am able to sit here today, humbled by so many beautiful souls who joined me on this journey. Whether you were one of the sponsors who donated your services or goods, or whether you were a participant on the front lines, I will forever be indebted to your generosity and selflessness, and so it is with great pleasure that I announce the winner of PROJECT CHILDHOOD 2008: karimawhite/photography
Her shot of a nine-year-old refugee from Somalia made a lasting impression on the judges. Just like Karima’s work which is fresh and inspiring, so is the story of the young girl who managed to master the English language in one year and fight against various other odds.
As a final note, many of you have inquired about the direction that PROJECT CHILDHOOD will take from this point on, and I am proud to announce that my wife Gina Lee will be taking over the behind-the-scenes duties of managing and developing new ideas with the photography side of the PROJECT. My goal is to expand the scope of the PROJECT through the art of film and writing, which is not only my technical background, but my passion as well. Together, I look forward to working with my wife in the future so that we might join forces and see PROJECT CHILDHOOD grow into a more powerful medium able to instigate change around the globe and ultimately change the way in which our society views and treats childhood.
For the children,
Christopher Lee