Contribute to the development of beginning and intermediate photographers at a grassroots community darkroom in South Central Los Angeles.  Become a sponsor of Letting Go--a collection of road trip personal tales, photos and drawings on a solo cross-country journey by Juli Lindsey in September - November of last year.  Donate and receive the gratitude of aspiring artists in an otherwise underprivileged neighborhood + complimentary prints and books!

--

From September 2nd to November 20th of 2010, I traveled across 29 states, stayed in 18 cities, hopped a freight train from Oakland to Portland, and took the Greyhound bus so often the driver in New York knew me by name.  The journey was a test of my confidence, a practice of my intuition, a reaffirmation of the power of manifestation, and an in-depth study of perception and identity.  Coming home 3 months later, I understood Oscar Wilde when he said, "Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth learning can be taught."  This literary and visual volume of photos, drawings, journal entries, stories, and letters from others collected during my travels to brings to life the same life-altering experiences that I experienced on my journey after letting go and leaving LA.  In embarking on such a trip, I let go of many fears--fear of failure, fear of the unexpected, and the fear of death, and chose to leap across false barriers between me and the life I wanted to live.  I hope to inspire the same resulting renewal of life for others.

Thanks to the generous gifts from my family, I was able to develop the color film.  Now, I am seeking sponsorship for the development of the black and white film and the set-up up of a permanent community darkroom, DarkN, at Project Infest / A-warehouse. 

$600 will go towards a start-up supply of chemicals for B&W film developing and printing, plus any additional equipment or supplies we may need and the construction of the space.  We already have two enlargers thanks to Nestor Valenzuela and the Lindsey Family.

$400 will go towards the initial printing of Letting Go and help sustain me over the next two months while I complete the book and supervise the creation of the darkroom.

15% of all proceeds from sold copies will go back to DarkN, the A-warehouse darkroom, to further the proactive development of beginning and intermediate photographers in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Learn about this and other A-warehouse projects via Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Los-Angeles-CA/Project-Infest/136976678382.  (Official website coming soon.)

--

Juli Lindsey is a Los-Angeles-based photographer, multi-media artist and Director of Visual Arts at A-warehouse music and arts community center in South Central L.A.Contact her at eleventhmetropolis@gmail.com.  Website: http://flavors.me/julilindsey