CARMEN L. DE JESÚS
(b. Puerto Rico; lives and works in New York, NY)
Carmen L. de Jesús is a photographer whose work bridges art and social impact. Raised in New York City, she studied at the High School of Music & Art, California College of the Arts, and The City College of New York. Mentored by Bert Andrews, she built a distinguished career in theater photography, highlighted by Releasing the Spirit: Faces of the Theater. Her images have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and People. As Photographer-in-Chief of The Crisis, her work gained global attention during the Marie McBroom case. She also documented activist Dick Gregory and continues evolving her practice today.
Children’s Art Carnival affiliation: Teaching Artist
A March Born from Wounds and Will, 1998
Chromogenic print on paper
17 × 22 in.
Courtesy of the artist
Silent Eyes Roaring Change, 1998
Chromogenic print on paper
17 × 22 in.
Courtesy of the artist
While working as a photographer, Carmen L. de Jesús began teaching ceramics at the Carnival, a medium she was simultaneously exploring within her artistic practice. During her approximately seven months at the Carnival, she developed a lifelong commitment to nurturing the creativity, confidence, and potential of children and youth.
“Teaching became a learning experience in itself,” she wrote. “When I taught at the Carnival, I was inspired by its mission to encourage young people to believe in themselves and to recognize their own creative potential.”
These photographs document the 1998 Million Youth March held in Harlem, an assignment de Jesús covered for The Crisis magazine, the official publication of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where she worked as a freelance photographer. These images capture thousands of energized youth expressing themselves and highlight de Jesús’s dedication to using her art to advocate for youth empowerment. “These photographs carry forward the story that began for me at the Carnival,” de Jesús wrote. “They reflect the strength of young people finding their voices, expressing themselves, and imagining a future shaped by their own aspirations.”
