At the PhotoVoice exhibition and meet-up at L-Park Sendai in January of 2014, one member of our Sendai group offered this “message from the photographers”:
“I have lost people, possessions, and places all dear to me.
I felt I had to do something.
I had stopped myself from feeling anything.
With our cameras,
each of us snapped shots of everywhere and everything we held in our memories.
Initially we came to meetings with nervous excitement. Soon we found ourselves releasing all of our pent up tears, frustration, and laughter as we flipped through photo after photo.
We realized that it was okay to express this hardship with others.
“Our PhotoVoice” began here.
Respect. Understanding. Connection.
Our photos and “voices” are born from this space.
Can you hear them?
From Sendai to Ishinomaki, to Onagawa, to Fukushima, our voices can be heard throughout Japan and the world.
We will not forget.