In 2018, Outside the Lens started the Ibarra After School Photography Club in City Heights as a creative outlet for students in the San Diego Refugee Tutoring program. Meeting weekly for 1.5 hours, the club engaged students in exploring identity, English Language Arts (ELA), and mixed media through photography. After graduating from Ibarra, Asukulu joined a middle school photography club designed for alumni. This program offered flexible support, with office hours, technical assistance, and check-ins tailored to his growing independence. He also participated in unique opportunities, such as a dance videography workshop and exhibition with The Rosin Box Project.

In the 2023-2024 school year, Asukulu’s journey came full circle. He joined the paid OTL Youth Advisory Council (YAC), contributing to the very program that sparked his passion. As a mentor, he helped design classes, create curriculum slides, and plan activities for the Ibarra After School Photography Club. Upon completing the YAC program, Asukulu continued his leadership and advocacy by joining OTL’s Youth Council, shaping the future of programs that foster creativity and community for young artists like himself.

Eleanor Taylor, a San Diego native with an unyielding passion for photography, has been deeply impacted by her time at Outside the Lens (OTL). Her journey, which began with attending summer photography camps in elementary school, has grown into multifaceted personal and professional development, including her current role as a Media Makers intern.

Eleanor credits OTL with sparking her love of photography and equipping her with the tools to explore it in a meaningful way.  She reflects, “OTL helped me become comfortable behind the lens and with the subjects in front of my camera.” Through hands-on experiences and mentorship, she developed skills she couldn’t have gained elsewhere, like technical expertise and creative confidence.