LEXI PARRA

Lexi Parra, young Venezuelan-American photojournalist bringing to life the voice of young people in Caracas

Name: Lexi Parra

Organisation: Tiuna El Fuerte and Project MiRA 

Location: Caracas, Venezuela

Links: tiunaelfuerte.com.ve and www.instagram.com/miravzla   

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO3X3olZ9ag

Overview: Lexi was born in the US to a Venezuelan dad and a US-American mum, she studied photography at Bard College in New York and then in 2018 she travelled to Caracas, Venezuela to take up a position as artist in residence for three months at Tiuna El Fuerte - a cultural space based in the heart of the El Valle neighbourhood. Motivated by the chance to use photography as a way to connect with young people from disadvantaged barrios, Lexi decided to stay in Caracas, going on to found Project MiRA. 

Project MiRA is an alternative educational initiative, bringing mobile photography workshops to vulnerable youth in Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas. Through free community workshops, Project MiRA creates a space for discussion, critical analysis and visual creation. Through these workshops, young people not only learn photography, but how to visually represent themselves, their neighbourhoods and larger social issues. This education is meant to empower during a time of widespread disenfranchisement. Considering the lack of local media, due to Venezuela’s extreme systemic repression, political polarisation and hyper-inflated economy, the power and space to tell one’s story hold deep meaning. As Project MiRA continues, they are creating an online archive of what it means to live in Venezuela today - unfiltered - through the eyes of its youth. Project MiRA go directly to vulnerable communities and local schools. This methodology allows them to teach youth who may not otherwise have access to the arts and, additionally, create bridges between these communities and the local permanent cultural institutions.

Conflict: Venezuela is in crisis: this is, unfortunately, not new. Since the death of revolutionary president Hugo Chávez in 2013, the country has been plagued with deep-rooted political polarisation - leading to years of violent protests, with state-sanctioned extreme force. For years, many have had to live off government subsidies and rationed food sources, due to both hyperinflation and international sanctions. Street violence and, consequently, state violence are extremely high. Millions have migrated. What is left of Venezuela is holding on by a white-knuckled grip. While these macro problems continue, youth are being left to fend for themselves. Due to recent migration, many schools are left without enough teachers - leading to large blocks of time left empty for attending students. Specifically for youth living in low income neighbourhoods (barrios), the difficulties are much more: the pressure of local gangs or the need to provide for your family are issues that local teens are faced with each day. In many ways, because of the crisis, children are forced to grow up quickly. Project MiRA is looking to provide arts education and, moreover, relief: a space where kids are allowed to be just kids.

Action & Results:  In total Lexi has reached over 500 young people with her free photography workshops. As a young female with a camera, she explains that she is often underestimated, this allows her access to people and spaces that are often off limits to male journalists due to the perceived threat.  

In a world saturated with images, the power of the visual language is more important than ever. During a complicated time in Venezuela, the ability to tell your truth through a photograph holds immense power. The workshops are for youth, broken up into age groups 10-14 years old and 15-20 years old.  Project MiRA have also collaborated with accomplished women photojournalists to co-host thematic workshops for teen girls: creating an empowering, safe space for young women to talk about gender-based issues, representation and use the camera as a tool of empowerment. The pilot session of these themed workshops led to young adult women creating photo projects, ranging from the exploration of the landscape to tackling social issues such as the unpaid labour of the housewife or the plights of a single mother. 

Journey: Lexi speaks of her position being between two cultures, she is able to use her contacts in the US to bring more attention to her work from outside of Venezuela, while at the same time being able to blend in, both physically and linguistically, and built trust locally.  She has surrounded herself with female mentors in the male dominated industry of photography and photojournalism. Unlike foreign photojournalists who arrive, take ‘the shot’  and leave, Lexi’s focus is people. She takes time to build relationships, engaging and working together with the communities. Project MiRA currently provides digital community exhibitions for students and their family members. These small events allow communities to celebrate their youth and their art. They hope to continue to establish their presence so that their students’ perspectives continue to be seen on a global scale. Lexi would also love to expand her work to other cities in Venezuela.

Support: Lexi highlights the lack of funding for the running of her organisation, which would allow them to operate without having to fundraise or crowdfund for each project. In a moment where Venezuela’s future is uncertain, Project MiRA provides hope for its most vulnerable youth. Through their mobile workshops, they create a space where young people not only learn photography, but more importantly, learn that their perspective matters. Their slogan is #HayUnHorizonte (there is a horizon) and they hope that, through your support, they can continue showing Caracas’ youth that - despite today’s instability - there is a tomorrow worth working towards.