Communities Are Always Speaking to Us ... Are We Listening?

Photovoice is a culturally grounded research method wherein photographs often taken by participants are used to explore and address community needs, stimulate individual empowerment, and create a critical dialogue to advocate for community change.

In 2021, MSM partnered with the City of East Point for the Advancing Health Equity Through Policy in the City of East Point, Georgia project, funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health. One activity of the project involved a photovoice study, conducted between May through June of 2024. The study aimed to understand the experiences of East Point residents using photography, with the intention of promoting social change, and was led by Dr. Monica Ponder, health communication strategist and founder of MLP Communications, in collaboration with Chanda Scott, an East Point resident and photographer. Participants were asked a series of questions, such as What does health equity mean to you? and What brings you joy? Photos were captured to visually reflect their answers and interviews were recorded for in-depth analysis.

On August 23, 2024, these photos were exhibited at ArtsXchange - a community cultural arts center in East Point - during an intimate community event. The event was well attended by community members and local policymakers and displayed a large collage of photos and quotes from the interviews. This exhibit was reimagined in March 2025 and displayed again at ArtsXchange, showcasing a smaller curated collection to allow the audience to forge deeper connections with the photos. Three photos from this exhibit were previewed at East Point City Hall to promote the exhibit and five will be permanently displayed in locations across the City.

In the News

Grapevine R. Pictures of health: Photos help East Point show community’s challenges, but also joys. Health Beat (Atlanta). Published Aug. 30, 2024. To read the full article, click here.