*ongoing*

This photojournalism project aims to understand the environmental pressures faced by Chicago youth affecting their personal growth. I sought to create a platform for individuals to describe problems, solutions, and aspirations for their communities.

In the summer of 2021, during a short-term contract I wrote for myself, I began documenting the violence prevention efforts of a non-profit called ECCSC. The images from that period became the starting point for this work. That intitial work also introduced me to community members working independently as a resource to their neighborhood. Through interviews, I sought a fuller understanding of the factors contributing to negative statistics in underserved Chicago neighborhoods.

Nathan Olsen

Touchstone / Graphics / Mentorship in Chicago / About