Help Me Open a Black-Owned Camera Store
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Overview
My name is Dominick Lewis. I am a photographer and artist from Brooklyn, New York and I’m raising money to open the only Black-owned brick and mortar camera store in Brooklyn. This space will not only be used to buy and sell equipment but also act as an inclusive community hub for classes, workshops, events, and trips.
I currently have a small amount of seed money and a healthy, growing online store. Now, I need your help to take the next step and open a brick and mortar location in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
Why now?
I’ve spent the past 4 months documenting New York City’s Black Lives Matter protests . It is abundantly clear that we must give Black image-makers and Brooklyn’s remaining Black neighborhoods the ability to control our own stories, instill knowledge, and educate the next generation of storytellers, historians, and artists.
After extensive research, I found that there are currently no Black-owned camera stores in Brooklyn and few (if any) in the United States. It’s important that image makers have a connection to the place they purchase their equipment; a Black-owned space will allow BIPOC and other disfranchised groups to explore a field that has been primarily dominated by white males.
How will this money be used?
Your donation will be used to pay the storefront’s rent for one year (to ensure the business can continue without interruption), purchase inventory for the camera store including film, darkroom equipment, cameras for sale and rental, and help cover the salary of a part-time employee who will assist me with day-to-day operations.
Who am I?
As mentioned above, my name is Dominick Lewis and I’m a Brooklyn-based photographer and artist. I’m the founder of Photodom, an online retailer for all things photography related. In the past, I have owned a community photography photo studio in South Florida, curated exhibitions for local photographers, and taught beginner photography courses. As an artist, I’m known for my portraiture and documentary photography. In my latest project, Document Brooklyn, I am photographing pre-gentrified neighborhoods to preserve Brooklyn’s culture and heritage before it is lost or irreparably changed.
Thank you all in advance for your generous donations.
The first photography workshop I hosted at my community photo studio in South Florida (May 18th, 2016 )
My name is Dominick Lewis. I am a photographer and artist from Brooklyn, New York and I’m raising money to open the only Black-owned brick and mortar camera store in Brooklyn. This space will not only be used to buy and sell equipment but also act as an inclusive community hub for classes, workshops, events, and trips.
I currently have a small amount of seed money and a healthy, growing online store. Now, I need your help to take the next step and open a brick and mortar location in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
Why now?
I’ve spent the past 4 months documenting New York City’s Black Lives Matter protests . It is abundantly clear that we must give Black image-makers and Brooklyn’s remaining Black neighborhoods the ability to control our own stories, instill knowledge, and educate the next generation of storytellers, historians, and artists.
After extensive research, I found that there are currently no Black-owned camera stores in Brooklyn and few (if any) in the United States. It’s important that image makers have a connection to the place they purchase their equipment; a Black-owned space will allow BIPOC and other disfranchised groups to explore a field that has been primarily dominated by white males.
How will this money be used?
Your donation will be used to pay the storefront’s rent for one year (to ensure the business can continue without interruption), purchase inventory for the camera store including film, darkroom equipment, cameras for sale and rental, and help cover the salary of a part-time employee who will assist me with day-to-day operations.
Who am I?
As mentioned above, my name is Dominick Lewis and I’m a Brooklyn-based photographer and artist. I’m the founder of Photodom, an online retailer for all things photography related. In the past, I have owned a community photography photo studio in South Florida, curated exhibitions for local photographers, and taught beginner photography courses. As an artist, I’m known for my portraiture and documentary photography. In my latest project, Document Brooklyn, I am photographing pre-gentrified neighborhoods to preserve Brooklyn’s culture and heritage before it is lost or irreparably changed.
Thank you all in advance for your generous donations.
The first photography workshop I hosted at my community photo studio in South Florida (May 18th, 2016 )Organizer
Dominick Lewis
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY