Let me introduce myself. I’m Lola Barksdale, one of the stars of Marty Umans’ UMOJI shoot (along with a bunch of humans). Check out my darling face and the others on Marty’s website. So why is such a gorgeous doggie talking to you? To announce a contest where the grand prize is winning your own UMOJI shoot. You can also win a t-shirt starring me! All you have to do is go here and sign up. (The rules are there, and there’s nothing to buy, though, if you must know, I’m partial to treats.) Whatever you win, you’ll be the envy of all your friends.❤️ Lola (and Marty)

I had the pleasure of photographing Jacqueline at her home in Park Slope. This is the third time I have worked with Jacqueline on her author picture. Hair styles change, glasses change and we all get a little older but the spirit is the same. You might know of or read Jacqueline’s 24 or more young reader books or know of her receiving the 2014 National Book Award for her book, Brown Girl Dreaming. A wonderful memoir written in verse. A great book full of life and strength of spirit. It follows her birth in Ohio to growing up in SC and her moving to Brooklyn. You might of also read the “Table for 3” piece in the NYT in July when she had lunch with Jimmy Carter and their discussion about race and the south. As in the past my time with her is filled with talking about family and friends. My only regret was the weather. The rain prevented us from shooting on the front stoop of her brownstone or strolling the neighborhood. Next time!

The Andrew Glover Youth Program opened a new center for the kids in East Harlem on 130th St. The front room has a mural of NYC that became our background. I have been photographing for AGYP for many years. This program is so needed for the youth of NYC. Kids make mistakes and shouldn’t have to pay for those mistakes for their whole life. These are good kids who did something that got them in trouble with the law. AGYP offers counseling, tutoring and support to their clients instead of incarceration. AGYP works directly with the courts is offering an alternative to jail. I enjoy my time with these kids and it makes me feel good that my portraits can help raise awareness and funding for an amazing program. To find out more about AGYP go to their website.

AZM’s get out the vote campaign for the American Zionist Congress 2015. This was a very enjoyable session with lots of faces, we entertained each other.