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AjA Project
As youth who have fled
refugee camps and immigrated into City Heights, it takes a lot of encouragement
to understand one's identity. Sandra Ainslie, Executive Director of the AjA
Project (AjA is an acronym for "supporting self-sufficiency" in
Spanish: "Autosuficiencia Juntada con Apoyo.") faced the realities
of refugee issues head-on when she was in Uganda. A photographer, with a degree
in anthropology, the study of human behavior, she has a particular interest
in culture, human justice and the power of images. While in Uganda she discovered
that her camera could be a tool to capture and help others identify with these
issues.
Sandra's previous experiences helped in shaping the way the organization is
led. Children affected by war have - by their choices, their actions and expressions
- a unique opportunity to raise global awareness and to break the cycle of
violence. The AjA Project was founded on the principles of self-sufficiency,
with a goal to encourage refugee youth in City Heights to explore identity
and develop communication and leadership skills, both for the individual and
their community. Tackling issues of displacement, recognizing new possibilities
and acknowledging inter-generational gaps are the basis of the AjA Project's
three year after school program.
The AjA Project provides innovative media arts and photography-based educational
programs. With camera in hand, children capture the changes they have faced,
their personal histories, traditions and narratives along with their exposure
to American culture and the exploration of their new identities within a changing
context. Although the end result is not always as important as the process,
which facilitates the discussion of these issues, the AjA Project displays
large-scale public exhibits of the children's photography throughout San Diego
to build upon the dialogue of these issues.
For refugee youth, settling in City Heights was not their decision. In response,
the AjA Project, with an office centrally located off of El Cajon Boulevard,
offers refugee youth a starting point for realizing their future. Sandra is
hopeful that in ten to fifteen years her students will become skilled professionals,
producing positive change within their communities and worldwide.
