On October 4th, I made a public declaration that I want to work exclusively with other people, nonprofits and businesses committed to doing work in social justice and/or environmental protection because I want my children to live in a world where people are treated equally and kindly, with clean oceans, thriving rainforests and healthy air to breathe and water to drink.
It was a scary statement to make, as the primary breadwinner of my family, but to do anything else feels wrong. So I posted a call for help connecting with agencies and nonprofits who work in these areas.
And through the amazing interconnected web of social media, I was introduced to WEA: Women’s Earth Alliance. I fell in love immediately.
WEA is doing exactly the kind of work I want to support, and I was lucky to be able to photograph their first U.S. Grassroots Accelerator for Women Environmental Leaders, in partnership with the Sierra Club, which supports women leaders from the U.S. and U.S. Territories with skills, tools, and networks critical to transforming pressing environmental and climate challenges into scalable solutions for all.
Last year on Giving Tuesday, I raised over $10,000 for the migrants at the US border and Al Otro Lado by giving away photo shoots. I am so grateful that because of my generous community I was able to give that gift, but it’s hard to support my family on free photo shoots.
So for Giving Tuesday this year, I want to support the amazing women I met through WEA and the incredible work they are doing in their communities, while also supporting my family. Luckily the wonderful Women’s Earth Alliance has agreed to hire me to help document of these women.
So EVERY person who donates to WEA will be supporting these women AND my family.
And for EVERY person who donates a minimum of $350 to Women’s Earth Alliance between now and December 31st, 2019, if you send me proof of your donation, I’ll give you credit for $200 that can be used for ANY photo shoot. Here is a link to where you can donate on WEA’s website or their Facebook page, where they are holding a Giving Tuesday fundraiser:
https://womensearthalliance.org/
https://www.facebook.com/womensearthalliance/
A few photos from some of my 2019 Giving Tuesday photo shoots.
Thank you! For supporting me and my family for so many years by supporting my photography. I am very GRATEFUL to be able to give back because of YOUR support on Giving Tuesday and EVERY day.
And now HERE are the women, who INSPIRED me to tears multiple times, and the important work they are doing to:
Huda Alkaff Founder & Director, Wisconsin Green Muslims West Bend, Wisconsin Bridging faith and environmental justice to educate her Wisconsin community on energy and water conservation.
Angel Amaya Communications Director, Western Organization of Resource Councils Billings, Montana Shifting the narrative on climate change through storytelling projects in Montana.
Mishka Banuri Utah Youth Environmental Solutions Salt Lake City, Utah Empowering young people in Utah to engage with the root causes of local environmental issues from an intersectional perspective.
Dolores Belmares Texas Field Consultant, Moms Clean Air Force San Antonio, Texas Fighting air pollution and protecting children’s health in her community of San Antonio, Texas.
Brittany Bennett Development Director, Data for Progress Denver, Colorado Building climate resilient and socially just communities through hackathons.
Elizabeth Chun Hye Lee Climate Justice Lead & Executive for Environmental Justice, United Methodists Women Queens, New York Using faith to grow a culture of climate justice and gender equity in Queens, New York.
June Farmer Marin City People’s Plan Marin City, California Empowering local underserved youth and adults through eco-literacy training and nature-based adaptation models.
Brynn Foster Founder & Director, Voyaging Foods Honolulu, Hawaii Reclaiming a regenerative food system and Hawaiian food sovereignty.
Camille Hadley Program Director, Little Growers Inc Palm Bay, Florida Building sustainable food production systems and providing STEM opportunities for underserved youth in Palm Bay, Florida.
Crystal Huang Co-Founder & President, People Power Solar Cooperative Oakland, California Creating regenerative economies and making solar power accessible in East Oakland.
Monica Ibacache Founder; Executive Director, Beyond Organic Design New York, New York Organizing sustainability and permaculture education in New York to prepare children facing the permanent consequences associated with climate change.
Jordan Macha Executive Director, Bayou City Waterkeeper Houston, Texas Incorporating nature-based solutions and nature-centered practices in Houston municipal structures.
Lyrica Maldonado Fellow Organizer, Uplift Flagstaff, Arizona Mobilizing young people all over the Colorado Plateau to train, learn, and develop relationships in the face of climate change.
Sabina Perez Senator of Guam Prutehi Litekyan/Save Ritidian Hagatña, Guam Preventing environmental degradation in Guam and mobilizing community members to protect Litekyan, a sacred land scheduled to be the site of a firing range.
Tosha Phonix Food Justice Organizer, Missouri Coalition for the Environment St. Louis, Missouri Organizing against the food apartheid in St. Louis to improve food access and representation of local food systems.
Beth Roach Co-Founder, Alliance of Native Seedkeepers Richmond, Virginia Rebuilding culture and food security for native peoples through preserving and proliferating native seeds in Richmond, Virginia.
Magaly Santos Youth Organizer, Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice Gonzales, California Educating agricultural workers on their health rights, and fighting against pesticide-use in the Central Valley of California.
Erin Foster West Western Campaigns Director, National Young Farmers Coalition Denver, Colorado Aiding young farmers to ensure success in adapting to climate change on their farms across the Western U.S.
Melody Zhang Climate Justice Campaign Coordinator, Sojourners Washington D.C. Creating a cultural shift within the church around the issues of climate, and building a church network of climate advocates in Washington D.C.
#givingtuesday #womensearthalliance #paigegreenphotography
I did the Top Nine photo generator on Instagram, but I didn’t agree with the photos it chose, so I picked my own.
These Top Nine (plus one) aren’t photos that other people “liked” best.
They are not photos that an algorithm deemed worthy enough to show other people.
They are not photos that I was hired to take, or that will help get me new jobs.
They are photos from my life that I like best.
They are photos that remind me to slow down and make time for my own life.
They are photos that remind me that life is short and I only have one chance to live it.
They are all photos taken on film with cameras that quite likely will not give me results that I expected, but they almost always give me photos that I love.
So here is to a slow new year, ignoring algorithms, being present in our own lives and having experiences that will likely not be what we expect, but will almost always be what we love.
That we are doing it again this year. 
Sessions are 45 minut
somewhere between a handshake and two kisses 