Review

Speaking Out: Queer Youth in Focus Will Document The Lives of the Young Queer Community

by James Nichols
Huffington Post
June 17th, 2014

An incredible new book is in the works that will serve as the culmination of a ten-year effort by photographer Rachelle Lee Smith to document the lives and tell the stories of queer youth.

Called Speaking Out: Queer Youth in Focus, the project is slated to be a photographic essay that explores a wide and diverse spectrum of experiences among youth that identify as queer. Everyone involved in the project is between 14 and 24 years of age, and their feature involves a photo that each individual further personalizes with their own handwriting and story.

“It will not only show unification within the LGBTQ community but also the commonalities across all borders regardless of age, race, gender, and sexual orientation,” Smith said in a statement. “It will do so in an easily digestible for youth by youth format and shows the progress and changes over the last decade.”

Speaking Out: Queer Youth in Focus is currently engaged in an Indiegogo campaign in order to become fully funded. A prominent LGBT organization has also agreed to back the project with an additional $10,000 if the Indiegogo campaign is met. Head here to visit the Indiegogo campaign for Speaking Out: Queer Youth in Focus.

Back to Rachelle Lee Smith’s Author Page