Et maintenant au Congo Jon Hillenbrand, August 30, 2010October 17, 2019 Amy Ernst Often when I am photographing wealthy socialites partying or buying art on the north shore of Chicago, I think of a friend of mine, Amy Ernst, who is in the Congo right now taking amazing photos of interesting people. But she’s not there to take photos, she’s doing her part to help out in that war-torn part of the world. I asked her to write up a paragraph about what she is doing abroad: “I’m living in a monastery with about 50 Catholic priests and monks in Mulo and Musienene, two villages in North Kivu. It is in what’s considered to be an active conflict zone, in that there are several factions of soldiers in the area and there are still “confrontations.” That meaning, they still raid and pillage villages, stealing everything insight, killing people and raping whoever they want to. I have affiliated myself with a small Congolese organization called COPERMA, that originally started to help people learn how to farm and breed animals more effectively, but has been trying to do damage control since the war started. I guess I consider myself a freelance humanitarian. 🙂 I don’t actually work for anyone, I just kind of am trying to learn about the problem right now, and help in the small ways I can like helping this organization start keeping records of who they’re helping, helping recently raped women start small businesses, and helping people who are displaced by the war find ways to feed their children and also go to school. I do all of this with the help of this Congolese organization, they have made it very possible for me to become part of the community here and I am more able to visualize and try to understand the various problems by working with them. The problems are endless.” Amy writes a fascinating blog called The King Effect. She also has a photo gallery here: Amy E’s Public Gallery. She recently had her camera stolen. If any of you would like to contribute a few dollars so she can get a new one, click the donate button here: Here are a few selections from her gallery: Photography Thoughts Amy ErnstcatholicismcongoCOPERMAhumanitarianMuloMusieneneNorth KivuphotographyrapereligionThe King Effectwar
Photography Because I have loved life, I shall have no sorrow to die June 22, 2007October 17, 2019 I photographed a survivorship event tonight at a Cancer support center. All of the attendees either had or have Cancer. There was a beautiful woman who’s hair was just starting to grow back. She demonstrated her confidence by not wearing a wig. The decor of the center was interesting. Art… Read More
Photography You are sheep among wolves. September 22, 2008October 17, 2019 “Be as wise as serpents, yet innocent as doves.” Good advice. There are things that happen in our lives that help define our nature. Through adversity, some find fertile soil, some arsenic. The fertile soil was under my feet after the flood waters in my life subsided and I have… Read More
Photography Endless Generosity: How to Train a Cat to Do Your Taxes June 23, 2008October 17, 2019 So, the old phrase, “It was like herding cats,” tends to bring either a smile or a grimace of understanding to my face. My affinity for that phrase stems from its daily applicability here at my workplace. If any of my millions of readers have ever owned a cat, you… Read More
Amy is now posting on the NY Times website. Check out one of her posts here… Notes from a Young American in Congo: Rape Continues