Sharon Miller, a hip-hop artist turned portrait photographer and creative educator, is the latest winner of an Alpha Female+ grant. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Miller experienced many hardships like poverty and homelessness growing up. It was not until she was introduced to the arts at a young age that she saw a pathway to success for herself. Her own story serves as the catalyst for her grant-winning photo exhibition project to empower the voices and talents of overlooked youth in New York City.

See how this hip-hop artist turned portrait photographer and creative educator will empower New York City's youth with her Alpha Female+ Grant.

The Creative Ambassadors: An Empowering Youth Portrait Exhibit Celebrating Our Future Creative Leaders

It’s no secret that New York City is a unique place, and considered by many to be the ultimate dreamland for artists and creators. “From art, music, fashion, to retail, to theater, New York is the city to emulate, even internationally,” says Miller. “However, within all of this artistry and all of this fabulousness, an entire sector of creatives is constantly being overlooked. These are our potential future creative leaders overcoming adversities within marginalized NYC communities. These are our creative youth weaving through the juvenile justice system, sleeping on cots at homeless shelters, facing the uncertainty of the foster care system, or even sinking below the poverty lines. These are our powerful youth who could benefit greatly from NYC’s economic mecca!”

She explains, “The project will feature fine-art editorial-style portraits of creative community youth between the ages of 13-24 and will be based on each youth’s creative career goal. Many youth participants will be overcoming various adversities, including probation and homelessness. The project is open to youth of all races, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. The purpose of this photo exhibition is to address the above issues, empower the voices and talents of these overlooked youth, and help to disrupt the dominant narratives about these brilliant human beings!”

Creating Opportunities For Creative Youth

Miller has already recruited the youth models from the community to be featured in the exhibition, completed mood boards, confirmed the beauty team and locked in the calendar schedule. Thanks to New York City’s City Artist Corps, Miller’s exhibition will have an in-person gallery presentation for NYC by the end of October 2021. “By creating this exhibition, it allows the opportunity to invite the community, public officials, and important job decision-makers into the conversation and to connect them with our youth. The exhibit also provides the youth involved with a tangible visual reference they can look at, be proud of, and be inspired by to pursue their creative career and entrepreneurial goals.”

The photo exhibition isn’t Miller’s first foray into empowering NYC’s creative youth. Inspiring others through her photography and design business, Honeydark Studios, led to Miller founding The Creative Youth Society. The fiscally-sponsored organization aims to empower underserved youth via public art and creative workshops that promote access to the creative career industries.

Stay tuned to Alpha Universe as we follow along with Miller and her photo exhibition project. See how you can apply for an Alpha Female+ grant for your passion project. All of the details are on the Alpha Female+ page HERE. And you can see all the past grant winners and their projects HERE.