Read the Full Story in Bittersweet Monthly Issue 058: Lenses of the Unseen Capture the Untold
Film by Brandon Bray, Edited by Jay Salbert
Our Mission:
NYC Salt’s mission is to engage, inspire, and empower underserved youth in New York City to reach their full potential through photography, video and an understanding of the visual industry.
NYC SALT creates opportunities in visual arts and pathways to college and career for underserved New York City youth from diverse backgrounds who are dedicated to careers in the arts, by engaging them in a rigorous blend of professional photography instruction, college-preparatory workshops, and career exposure. Our goal is to help student artists build advanced visual arts skills and the determination, confidence, and grit they need to succeed in college and future careers.
Our History:
NYC Salt is over 12 years old. We grew out of a small after‐school photography class in Washington Heights offered by our Founder, Alicia Hansen, a professional photographer with over 20 years of experience in editorial and commercial photography. Alicia understood that photography and an understanding of the visual industry could be a catalyst to expand life possibilities for underserved youth through exposure to the arts, digital technology, academic preparation, and access to professional networks. The organization was officially launched in April 2008 and has grown and thrived over the last twelve years. NYC Salt now serves 150 youth annually—in our own studio, as well as in schools and community centers—year-round.
Using high-end, professional photography equipment, top instructors, and extremely dedicated mentors combined with college preparation, our students have gained the skills and confidence to pursue a higher education and career. We hold students to high standards of professionalism and excellence as we provide them the tools for success—personal, academic, and professional.
Our student success:
100% of our college graduates have jobs in their field of study. 90% of those jobs are in the creative industry.
We have a 100% rate of college acceptance.
We have an 89% projected college graduation rate for all our students who are 89% first generation college students.
86% go to 4-year colleges, 14% to 2-year colleges.
NYC SALT students have gone on to be successful young photographers in the creative industry working for The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, GQ, TIME, and continuously are featured and awarded prizes for their artistry. To this end, students emerge from NYC SALT college-ready and with a foundation in the arts through their study in photography and filmmaking as a craft, competitive portfolios, and a clear vision of future career paths in visual arts—a field low-income youth from diverse backgrounds often view as unattainable.Make it stand out.
