Most of us have experienced roadblocks along a career path.
For a university professor, NOT getting tenure is a major roadblock. It means that the place where you've invested your time and reputation for years now expects you to leave. Just like that. There go your job security and income! So what happens next?
Photographer, educator, and activist Steve Cagan learned this lesson the hard way. Hear how he used this unexpected setback to delve deeper into activism, and eventually to pursue a long-term relationship and build a powerful portfolio of work to assist the people of El Choco, Colombia.
For more information, please check out these links:
Steve Cagan and his work
Gold Mining in El Choco--the images of Steve Cagan and Mary Kelsey
Steve Cagan discusses "activist photography" in a previous interview
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TRANSCRIPT FOR THIS EPISODE
Passing Through Life podcast copyright 2018
Luanne Bole-Becker
Episode 4: Tenure Isn't Everything
Steve Cagan interview recorded 7.31.18, podcast published 2.20.19
Introducing our guest—Steve Cagan, activist photographer (00:00:15)
Lu: Today's episode is "Tenure Isn't Everything," episode number four, an interview with Steve Cagan, an award-winning activist photographer. He's won very prestigious awards, including a Fulbright fellowship. So welcome Steve. Thanks for joining us
Steve: Two Fulbrights!
Lu: Ooooh. Two. Whoa ho ho! Okay. But a bit of background. Well, I first saw Steve's photography 30 years ago, which is impossible because we are youngsters! But it was in an exhibit highlighting factory closings around Cleveland or around the region. We didn't actually meet until 2010 when we collaborated on a project to document the lives of refugee families that were resettling here in northeast Ohio. And I have to say I was a little intimidated because Steve has this long history of exhibits and awards and I was interested in creating a photo exhibit, but I had absolutely no experience as a curator, a gallery owner, a serious photographer, any of those things. But I just knew I wanted refugees’ lives captured in a compelling and visual way. So several people actually referred me to you, Steve, and you're kind of like a perfect fit because you've pretty much dedicated your life to using photography, but using it to advance and support social causes.
So that leads me to my first question. You call yourself an activist photographer. What the heck is that?
Steve: Well, that's a very good question. It's something that I've been actually developing both as a practice and as a kind of critical understanding. What's at the heart of that notion is that my photography is done in collaboration with organizations or communities that are in struggle for justice-- perhaps around ve<