Efrem (the boy) was volunteered to be a gorilla at the temple’s Purim Carnival. This is what went down.

In honor of my 23rd birthday, please help me raise $2300 for Outside the Lens! 

I am an AmeriCorps Fellow at Outside the Lens, an amazing non-profit that teaches global issues through photography to at-risk youth in San Diego and internationally. I run an afterschool photography program for high schoolers at a school for homeless youth, teaching them about self, identity and culture. I also help educate middle schoolers from a predominately Latino and high-poverty area in San Diego about healthy eating and lifestyles — all through photography and writing — in our newest project, “Picture it Healthy.” OTL’s class load greatly outweighs our resources; we currently have 22 digital point and shoot cameras that we use when we teach at least 2 classes per day and reach over 50 students daily. Cameras break, batteries die and memory cards fill up quickly. In order for OTL to empower youth through photography, we desperately need functioning equipment. All I want for my birthday is for you to donate however much you are able so that we can engage youth in important issues, educate them about themselves and the world around them, and empower them to make changes in their lives and communities — all through photography. Any money you can donate will be greatly appreciated!!

Damn Straight San Diego — video blog week 4A Very Disney Lunch: I had to drive to Orange County for work, so obviously we went to Downtown Disney for lunch. Because we can.

My group of about 50 volunteers at Volunteer San Diego Serve-a-thon. I was a site captain at my project, which was called, “Beautify a School with Color,” and took place at Rowan Elementary School. This is only a portion of the mural before it was finished!