September is Hispanic-Latino month, and to celebrate the occasion, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist José Galvez visits Penn State New Kensington on Monday, Sept. 29, to exhibit his work and talk about Latino life in the United States.
Galvez’s presentation, “Shine,” is set for noon in the Science Building, room 140. “Shine” is the story of Galvez’s life. The photographs complement the talk that encourages the audience to unlock potential, overcome obstacles, pursue new ventures and mentor the next generation. The exhibit and talk are free to the public.
Born into the Mexican barrios of Tucson, Arizona, Galvez was determined to work hard and move beyond what others had decided would be his future. The presentation’s title evokes his beginnings as a 10-year-old shoeshine boy at the local newspaper, Arizona Daily Star. He bought his first camera in high school and went on to major in journalism at the University of Arizona.
After earning his degree, he became a photographer for the Star. His work focused on the barrios of his hometown, and the Mexican-American people who lived there.
“At a certain point, potential once unleashed even in the smallest way takes on a life of its own,” Galvez said. “It was natural for me to look around my own home, my own family, my own barrio and begin to photograph what I saw. This talent, though, once I tapped it, began to flow from me. It became an integral part of who I am."
For over 40 years, Galvez has documented the beauty of daily life of Latinos around the country. He photographs nothing else. He captures the Latino experience with dignity, respect and a deep understanding of the stories behind the images.
Galvez’s work has garnered international acclaim, including the Pulitzer. He was a member of a team of reporters and photographers at the Los Angeles Times that won a Public Service Pulitzer in 1984 for an in-depth examination of southern California's growing Latino community.Galvez's photographs have been exhibited globally in museums and galleries, including the Smithsonian. A popular speaker, Galvez has taken his presentation to numerous business organization, high schools and colleges, such as Duke University and North Carolina State University.
In 2004, Galvez moved his family to North Carolina to photograph Hispanic immigration in the South. Through the support of the Ford Foundation and JP Morgan Chase, he and his wife, Anne, created a photography/oral history project, “Land of Opportunity: Latino Entrepreneurs of North Carolina.” He is an author of four books -- “Shine Boy,” “Vatos,” “Beloved Land,” and “Americanos.”
His latest work explores the impact of Latino population on communities in the South, a region that previously had few Hispanic residents. The increase in Hispanic populations is a trend that is sweeping all regions of the country.
Galvez was invited to campus by Natacha Bolufer-Laurentie, instructor in Spanish. In addition to talking to the community, He will be the guest speaker at various classes throughout the day.
Bolufer-Laurentie, who holds a doctorate in Spanish from State University of New York at Albany joined the campus faculty in 2013. Her research focuses on the changing identities of Spanish expatriates, immigrants and republican exiles of the Spanish Civil War living in New York City in the 1930s and 1940s.
For more information on the event, contact Bolufer-Laurentie at 724-34-6714 or nib2@psu.edu
For more on Galvez, visit http://www.josegalvez.com