When did your organization launch and why?
The Aftermath Project was launched in 2005 by photographer Sara Terry as a grant-making non-profit based on the idea that “War is only half the story.” As a photographer covering the aftermath of the war in Bosnia at a time when media attention was focused on wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, she wanted to create an avenue for photographers interested in covering the critically important stories of post-conflict, or aftermath.
What does your organization do? What are its main goals? Main initiatives?
The Aftermath Project aims to change the way the media covers conflict and to educate the public about the true cost of war and the real price of peace. To accomplish this, TAP runs a yearly $25,000 grant competition open to photographers world-wide who are covering post-conflict stories. In addition, TAP is currently running a special five-year grant cycle, The 1492/1619 American Aftermaths grant, about the aftermaths of colonialism and enslavement in the U.S. In addition to the yearly grant, TAP creates visual literacy plans featuring the work of grant winners and finalists; publishes books; and does exhibitions.
What makes your organization stand out? What would you say is the most unique thing about your organization?
We are the only funder in the photography world — possibly in any sector — of post-conflict storytelling. Our mission statement, “War is only half the story,” is simple, clear — and completely unique.
What are recent projects or new resources that your organization would like to share with other NAMLE members?
- Our grant website
- Our lesson plan website
- Our most recent lesson plan, “Ukraine in Three Parts“
- Our 10th anniversary book
What are the connections between the work of your organization and media literacy?
We are committed to creating lesson plans that use photography to teach post-conflict issues and help build visual literacy in understanding the meaning, construction and content of photos.
Why is media literacy important to your organization?
Photos are the language of our lives. Sadly, photography has become so overwhelmingly abundant in the world (and its veracity is now threatened by AI), that it’s easy to become numb to it — especially to pictures of conflict. It isn’t enough to make a photo and publish it; it’s crucially important to help develop conversations around that photograph which build empathy and compassion and which strengthen visual literacy (which IS media literacy). It’s critically important to us as a non-profit PHOTOGRAPHY organization, to promote an understanding of the language of photography, which is so different from the language of words.
Anything else you want our readers to know about your organization, your mission, or your staff?
Director Sara Terry is a Guggenheim Fellow in Photography, a Sundance Documentary Fellow, and was recently named to Forbes Women’s 50 Over 50 list.
The views and opinions expressed in the Organizational Spotlight blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NAMLE or its members. The purpose of the Organizational Spotlight blog is to highlight our Organizational Partners and give them a place to share their reflections, opinions, and ideas.