The Foto Awards

Maria Romero

My name is Maria Evelyn Romero Gomez, I am 17 years old and currently a senior at Mendez High School. I was born in Puebla, Mexico and moved to Boyle Heights when I was 12 years old. 

Photography has helped me discover myself in many ways. It allows me to de-stress from my daily routine in a fun way, giving me an opportunity to experiment and break expectations.

I make art to express myself and learn more about who I am. Through my photography, I would like everyone to know that I am just like them: a human that faces problems enjoys happy experiences and who have been shaped by overcoming obstacles. 

Instagram: f0t0gal

Safi Alia Shabaik

Safi Alia Shabaik discovered art and photography at an early age, when her mother enrolled her in a pinhole camera class at the California Museum of Science and Industry. She attended UCLA, earning her B.A. in Fine Art with honors, followed by a personal mentorship with Catherine Opie. Since then, she has lived and worked in both New York and Los Angeles. While in New York, Safi became fashion stylist, photographic documentarian, personal assistant, travel companion, and confidante to the legendary icon, Ms. Grace Jones, in her personal and public life. Safi has been featured in The New York Times, Journal of Alta California, CameraCraft, Catalyst: Interviews, VoyageLA, Upworthy.com and on The Candid Frame. She is a founding member of the Los Angeles Street Collective, a charter member and teaching assistant at the Los Angeles Center of Photography (LACP).

LINKS
• www.flashbulbfloozy.com
• Instagram: @flashbulbfloozy

Celeste Umaña

My name is Celeste Umaña and I am 14 years old. I was born in Santa Barbara and have been with Las Fotos Project for 8 semesters. I am a freshman at Venice High School and hope to go to a four year university.

Yunuen Bonaparte

Yunuen Bonaparte is a freelance photojournalist based in Los Angeles and the photo editor at Narratively, a media company that celebrates diversity through authentic storytelling. Her photos have been published by the Washington Post, The Hechinger Report, El Universal (MX), Americas Quarterly, Press Enterprise, among others. Her work has also been showcased in “South of the Border,” an exhibition presented by Loft at Liz’s and The Getty’s PST: LA/LA program, and “UndocuJoy Unfathomable Strength” at the Galería de la Raza in San Francisco. As an undocumented female, she is passionate about telling stories of the disenfranchised and unrepresented.

LINKS
• www.ybonaparte.com
• Twitter and Instagram: @_ybonaparte

Fabiola Lopez

Fabiola Lopez is a photographer and Latina woman born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.  Her passion for photography began at a young age and has continued to grow and expand over the years, broadening her creative skills and projects. Fabiola enjoys photographing people – whether it’s in a studio or out on the streets – and likes to document her community as well, creating visual representations of social issues that are significant to society at-large.

LINKS
• www.flophotographs.com/
• Instagram: Flo_photographs

Devyn Galindo

Devyn Galindo is an Chicanx, 2 Spirited artist based in Los Angeles who works in photography, and film. We Are Still Here is Galindo’s self published debut book documenting Chicanx/Native resistance and the underground movement currently shaping Los Angeles, CA. This project was created over the span of one year and is an ongoing obsession. Galindo felt compelled to leave behind a book that uplifted and empowered the womxn and queer folk in their community who are often left out of the historical narrative.

We Are Still Here has been featured in LACMA - Charles White Gallery, iD Magazine, Remezcla, Fantasies and Fallacies - Year of Mexico in Los Angeles and Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA, an initiative of the Getty with arts institutions across Southern California, LA/NY Art Book Fair, and Printed Matter’s Activism book list. 

A part two of We Are Still Here is in the beginning stages, documenting what it’s like to grow up on the other side of the border in Mexico, including undocumented stories in the US. 

Devyn’s also working on a queer travelogue, The Van Dykes, inspired by a 1970s caravan of lesbians who ventured across America. Coming Fall 2019.

LINKS
• www.devyngalindo.com
• Instagram: @devyngalindo