Jovan Julien is an alumni of Groton School, Brown University, and Georgia Tech. Born into a Haitian‐American immigrant family, they have spent time living all along the East Coast, including spending the past 5 years in the Southern United States. Their current work focuses on empowering youth to create transformational change in their community by giving them the tools for open and honest dialogue and growth in communities from Providence, RI to Leogane, Haiti.
Personal Statement
I am a photographer interested in education, A facilitator interested in memories, and perhaps most importantly an engineer interested in people.
Answering the question of who you are can be the oftentimes be tough. The question asks us to define for the world what we value most in ourselves, our own raison d’être. I am at my core a living legacy of my grandmother’s love. She taught me in life and in death that our legacy will never be in who we ARE but rather what we DO. Toward that end my DO is building and enhancing community. As a photographer that can mean documenting important moments, as an engineer it can mean building and maintaining our health structures, and as an activist it means fighting against injustice in all its forms.
Theory of Change
I will be a light unto the world. In my actions I will be an exemplar of those human traits I hold most dear: honesty, integrity, loyalty, and most importantly LOVE. I will bring joy to those around me whether friend, family, or stranger. In all aspects of my life, teaching, photography, relationships, and daily actions I will endeavor to always bring peace to those who surround me and alleviate the suffering of those who are less fortunate. In so doing I will help make life better for all those around me.
