Momenta welcomes this week’s guestagrammer, Sarah Ann Jump!

Age: 22

Current job: Photojournalism Intern at the Free Lance-Star newspaper

Current location: Fredericksburg, VA

​Website: www.sarahannjump.com

Connection to Momenta: Project Los Angeles 2014 Alum & Alexia Foundation Student Grantee

Nyirazana looks at clothes at All Nation Yesu Ni Jibu, an African clothing store in Rochester, NY. The family was unable to afford to buy new clothes, so they depended on donated clothes from a local charity and later purchased a sewing machine to make their own.

Tell us about your journey as an image-maker and how you got to where you are today.

My journey is just beginning! In May I graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in photojournalism. I am currently interning in Fredericksburg, Virginia at the Free Lance-Star and trying my hand at newspaper photography.

Dyna, Aline and Nyota return home from their first day of school in Rochester, NY. ÒWhat we want most is education for the children. That is my most favorite thing in America,” said their uncle Muhire Munyarugero. The Kamali children had to wait one month after arriving before they were able be placed in schools.

What stories or issues are you most passionate about covering?

I have spent the past few years covering the refugee community in Rochester, New York and am passionate about refugee issues worldwide.

I have a deep appreciation for long-term projects that allow the photographer to build a relationship with their subjects and create a body of work to best tell their story.

Aline timidly wades into the water, wearing a make shift dress because she did not bring any swimwear, at Frontenac Park in Union Springs, NY. Her younger sister, Nyota, loved swimming for the first time and her older sister, Dyna, was afraid of the water and did not go in.

Where do you look for inspiration for your work: books, movies, authors, photographers, art, certain people?

Hearing photographers talk about their photographs is one of my favorite things. It lets you connect not only with the image but also the story behind how it was made. Workshops, seminars and conferences offer many opportunities to hear from photographers themselves. The Project LA Momenta workshop, NPPA’s Northern Short Course and the Eddie Adams Workshop are where I’ve heard many of my photography role models speak. If you’re in Western New York, RIT’s Charles Arnold Lecture Series regularly brings in all types of image makers and is open to the public.

Nyota, left, and Aline carry hand washed laundry to be hung out to dry. The family has a washing machine and dryer in their basement, but their mother Nyirazana prefers to do the laundry by hand because she finds it relaxing.

What social media or news feeds do you follow regularly? 

Currently, I’m really focused on local news and issues that are important to the community I’m covering. For national and international news, I try to read a variety of sources, including: The New York Times, NPR, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Geographic and TIME. A few Instagram feeds that constantly showcase interesting work: @eddieadamsworkshop, @causebeautiful, @apadgrams, @pulitzercenter and @echosight.

Sako, left, and Nyota Kamali prepare for church. Sako and his two brothers share a bedroom, while Nyota sleeps with her mother but spends time in her sisters’ bedroom.

What is one passion you have outside of photography that might come as a surprise to our readers?

I love to hike and explore. I find it hard to capture the beauty of a vast landscapes through photos, so I use it as a break from my camera and just try to take it all in.

Nyota, 9, throws snow in the air as she plays outside during one of the first accumulating snowfalls, denoting the beginning of her second winter in Rochester, NY. When the Kamali family first arrived, they were afraid of the snow and feared that the seasons would never change.

What can we expect to see next week from your “guestagramming” on our Momenta Instagram account?

I am sharing photos from my project, New Roots. The project was funded by a grant from the Alexia Foundation, which also led me to attend a Momenta workshop. I spent a year documenting a Congolese family’s first year in America and created newrootsproject.com to tell their story.

#seizethemomenta, and follow @momentaworkshops on Instagram July 26 – August 1 to see Sarah’s powerful project!