Prism

Members of Prism focused on a desire to ensure that all young people have the opportunity to embrace, learn, and grow from their individual diversity. They sought to unify the community by raising awareness about the experiences of children in South Carolina. Members of Prism conducted a case study in which fourteen young people were asked to photograph their neighborhoods with the general guidance of “show me what makes you feel good, special and unique in your neighborhood, including how you spend your time.” Since a diverse group of young people were recruited, members of Prism were able to gain insight by studying the similarities of the photographs, including families, friends, parks, churches, food and pets. They also noted differences, such as apparent degrees of affluence and the presence or absence of adults in the young people’s lives.

Conclusions were that children in South Carolina have an innate trust in the decisions made by the state on their behalf. For this reason, members of Prism suggest a need to focus on children in the state in order to improve their future lives. The goal thus became to raise awareness in the state about the circumstances of children, to foster children’s respect for themselves and others, insist that children live in a healthy and nurturing environment, and to address economic, ethnic, and social disparities. Members of Prism plan to partner with The Children’s Trust of South Carolina, publicize through the media, and use the photographs as a fund-raiser or beginning point for services that contribute to the health and wellness of young people.