Fotofronteras: Photography by Immigrant Youth In Detention and Emergency Shelter.

Fotofronteras is an innovative vocational photography program developed to extend the frontiers of these youths’ lives by opening opportunities for meaningful employment and entrepreneurial activities in the field of photography. Fotofronteras was created and is co-taught by Dianne Monroe and Fadela Castro.

These photos are taken by immigrant youth, overwhelmingly from Central America, currently being held in detention while their immigration status is sorted out. Placed in the care of Child Protective Services, these children live in Emergency Shelters, where they are provided a number of services, including lawyers to help with their immigration hearings, school, and English language instruction.

Approximately 100,000 undocumented immigrants under the age of 18 are stopped at the border each year. El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, account for about 85% of the youth detained. Texas hosts 58% of these youth, far more than any other state. Most of the youth taken into custody were attempting to join relatives already living in the U.S. The vast majority will be deported to their home countries, where they face deeply entrenched poverty and limited employment opportunities.

Through photography, Fotofronteras empowers participating youth to document their life stories, expand their personal horizons, and enlarge their vision of what is possible for them to accomplish in their lives.

The Fotofronteras FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA exhibit was made possible by a grant from the Neighborhood Arts Program of the City of San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs. Fotofronteras is part of The Healing Arts Project, a collaborative managed by Jump-Start Performance Company.

Fadela Castro and Dianne Monroe, Fotofronteras exhibit for FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA at Johnston Branch Library.

Steve Bailey, Education Director, Jump Start Performance Company, with Fadela Castro.

Some of the images in the Fotofronteras exhibit at Johnston Branch Library.

Another group of images.

Image from the Fotofronteras exhibit at Johnston Branch Library.

Image from the exhibit at Johnston Branch Library.

Image from the Fotofronteras exhibit at Johnston Branch Library.

Olupero Aiyenimelo and Soraya Gacis at the opening for the FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA Fotofronteras exhibit.

Bonnie and David Priest drove in from Boerne to see the Fotofronteras exhibit.

Jesse Lara at the opening reception for Fotofronteras.

A steady stream of viewers came by the Johnston Library to see the exhibit.

Title board for the FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA FotoFronteras exhibit at Johnston Branch Library.