For Kids
SAGA is proud to aid the Black Lens in breathing new life into the pages of this print publication with a first of its kind work for the Spokane community.
Currently on hiatus, The Black Lens has been publishing in the Spokane community since 2014, focusing on the people, issues, news and events of importance to the Black community. The purpose of the paper each month has been to offer an alternate perspective – one different from what is portrayed in the mainstream media – both for the Black community itself and for the Spokane community as a whole.
With support from SAGA, The Black Lens created “Black in Spokane:” an interactive blend of photos and video to tell the stories of African Americans living in Spokane and how they have experienced being Black in Spokane. The 12-page, full color insert was filled with artistic renditions of 16 African Americans, ranging from young adults to seniors, who are currently living in Spokane. Photos were taken by professional photographer Robert Lloyd who uniquely captured each participant and turned the photos into artistic images. Each image was then paired with a QR code, that when scanned revealed a short video from each participant answering the same seven questions and sharing their experiences in their own words.
The interviews were conducted by Sandy Williams, Bob Lloyd, Diane Lloyd, Patt Hicks and Shantell Jackson. Artist, Bob Lloyd, turned the photo images into art pieces. The video interviews were edited and trimmed by Sandy Williams and paired with individual QR codes. The QR codes were created by Renika Williams, who also created and completed the design and layout of the insert. The finalized insert was then printed and added to the January 2022 issue of the “Black Lens.” The special insert was made available in print only, to drive the paper’s readership.
Sandra Williams made Spokane a better place. May she rest in power.