September 14 October 16, 2015
Photojournalism
Inspiring peace and kindness
Everybody is different. We all know this, yet it can be hard
to remember when difficult situations arise. Empathy is the
idea of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes to better
understand what they are going through and how they feel.
Practicing empathy can help diffuse difficult situations and
promote peace and kindness.
Project inspiration
This project was inspired by generationOn’s partnership
with Children Mending Hearts. Children Mending Hearts is
dedicated to empowering disadvantaged youth through
educational and arts programs that build empathy and
global citizenry. Their goal is to directly engage the youth of
America in global children’s causes where they can positively
impact the life of another child and ultimately realize their
potential to effect change both in their own community and
around the world.
What you'll do
• Become a photojournalist for a day by capturing photos
or video of yourself or others engaged in spreading peace
and kindness.
• Photojournalism is the art of communicating news or a
story through photographs. A photojournalist is someone
who takes photographs to tell a story or convey specific
news.
What you’ll learn
• How to tell a story through photographs
• What empathy is and how to practice it!
Who you’ll be helping
• People in your community, friends, or family.
• Social media audiences!
What you’ll need
• A mobile phone with camera or a digital camera
• Social media account(s)
1
Additional resources
and suggestions
• Watch this YouTube
video to learn more
about empathy and what
it means.
• Watch the Pixar movie
Inside Out and have a
conversation with your
friends or family based
on this article.
• Take a look at your local
or national newspaper.
What kinds of stories do
the photographs tell?
CREATED IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH:
Project instructions
1. Think about someone in your community, school, family or the world who might be having
a hard time or is in need of help.
2. Ask yourself, “How does he/she feel, what is he/she going through, and how can I help?”
3. Use this reflection to inspire an act of kindness.
4. Record, or have someone else record, the act of kindness by taking a picture. Alternatively,
consider taking pictures (assuming you’ve asked permission) of people in your community
doing kind things!
5. Upload the photo to social media using the hashtags #NoMoreHurtingPeople and
#EmpathyRocks with a caption that briefly explains what is happening in the photo.
6. You’ve become a journalist for good, documenting that kind people are out there, and
good deeds do happen. Keep up the good work!
Reflection
1. What kind of story can a picture tell?
2. Why can it be hard to empathize with other peoples’ struggles? Why is it important to
show empathy?
3. Why do you think we don’t always reach out to help strangers?
4. How does technology help drive people together? How does it drive people apart?
How to keep the giving going
• Send a ‘thank you’ note to someone who has been empathic towards you recently.
• Share your story at generationOn.org/peace.
• Follow the campaign and participate with #NoMoreHurtingPeople.
Learn more about our partner Children Mending Hearts at https://childrenmendinghearts.org!
The Martin Richard Bridge Builder campaign calls upon youth ages 5-18 to promote
peace and create positive change in their schools and communities by engaging in
simple acts of kindness or service projects. The campaign honors Martin Richard, an
8-year-old who was tragically killed when the second of two bombs exploded near the
finish line of the Boston Marathon, to help spread his message of peace and kindness
and to carry out his wish for a more peaceful world.
2