Photography Program At Jack Yates Needs Help!

*******NOTE: THIS GO FUND ME WAS NOT ORGANIZED BY JACK YATES HIGH SCHOOL.  THIS INITIATIVE WAS ORGANIZED BY BRIA LAUREN********

My name is Bria Lauren, and I am a proud 3rd Ward native, visual artist, storyteller, and community organizer. I graduated from Jack Yates High school in 2011. Unfortunately, I didn't learn about Mr. Ray Carrington's magnet photography program until sometime later, but in February 2021, I curated the public screening of Eye On Third Ward in collaboration with Carrington, Project Row Houses, and Aurora Picture Show for Eldorado Nights organized by Phillip Pyle. Carrington and I talked for hours while I was sorting through thousands of darkroom prints and, in conversation, became aware of the decline of support his students and classroom was facing. Approaching four years now, Mr. Carrington's students no longer have a darkroom, working cameras, and photography equipment. This Go-fund is made possible with Carrington's permission, and more about his story and how you can help is below. 

 

Mr. Ray Douglas Carrington, III (b.1948) in Austin, Texas and a graduate of Texas Southern University has been a pillar, educator, leader, and father to many in Third Ward, Texas, for nearly 30 years. Upon receiving a full scholarship to play tennis at TSU he was mentored under Coach Herbert Provos — photographer, businessman, and tennis coach who serviced segregated Black schools throughout Texas and Louisiana. Like Carrington, he utilized his film photography skills and pushed boundaries to develop students' interest in being the best at tennis and doing their best in life. Between living to see the Houston police riots at TSU and witnessing countless injustices during the civil rights era, Carrington has been devoted to community building through his lens, fostering disadvantaged youth to succeed beyond his classroom, and transcending all he learned from Provost back to the students of Jack Yates High School since 1992.

 

Because of Carrington’s influence in the community, his photography classroom has shown work in the Middle East and across Texas during his tenure. One initiative that has impacted countless students was Eye on Third Ward — an annual exhibition for Jack Yates students to showcase their personal stories in collaboration with the @mfahouston beginning in 1995. Before COVID-19, Carrington’s classroom has always been outdoors, where he and his students walk through the historic 3rd Ward for miles to connect to members and history of the community, learn the foundation of storytelling and photography, and document the roses that have been blooming in our hood for generations.

 

During the construction planning for the new Yates building on 3650 Alabama Ave. with an estimated budget of $65 million, Mr. Carrington and his students were not considered in the design. Entering the (2018-2019) school year, Carrington returned to a new classroom without a darkroom. His students have not had access to learning printmaking, B&W developing, and the basics of film photography, such as aperture and shutter speed. Carrington’s classroom has limited access to community tours due to the school's COVID guidelines. Without working cameras, ink to print work, and photography equipment to create work indoors, students have been forced to use their iPhones because the program doesn't have any resources.

 

As a Black woman and photographer from Third Ward and graduate of Jack Yates High-school, this is a personal mission to see these students with an equipped photography program, access to a darkroom, and Mr. Carrington receiving more flowers for his consistent work, loyalty, and offerings to our community. The hood deserves to build and benefit from local social capital, period. And this is an opportunity for anyone reading this to support the students of Jack Yates High school and Mr. Carrington simply because they exist and are in need. 

 

If you love 3rd Ward, if you are from 3rd Ward, if your business/organization/art institution(s) or home is near 3rd ward, this is our mission, and I hope you will join me. All proceeds will go directly to funding Carrington’s photography program,  future programming, + resources for an outdoor photo studio experience at Jack Yates for the senior class of 2022. Donate what you can, and if you can't break bread at all, please share this everywhere with everyone until needs are met and our goal is complete.

 

“You’ve got to demand freedom for yourself. You’ve got to say, No! Sometimes you’ve got to stand up and say that’s not right.” —
Mr. Ray Douglass Carrington lll (University of Houston

Oral History of Houston Project Aug. 2010)