Children of Children: Resources

REVIEWS/RESOURCES

THE LOCAL PLANET, NORTHWEST NEWS & CULTURE: SPOKANE, WA
"May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, and that’s a cause for celebration over having the travelling exhibition Children of Children here at our doorstep. . . Go inside, and before you is a most intriguing gallery walk of sight and sound. Making your way around the room allows you to pick and choose which portraits to stand before, put headphones on, and listen. As soon as you hear the first clear word, you are entranced. It’s as though someone is about to tell a great story. If you’re open to it, the room is full. . . Jerre Freshley, exhibit attendee and daughter of a teen parent. . . (states) " This exhibit gives me hope." Zan Agzigian

THE NEWS: STUART, FLORIDA, FEBRUARY 2, 2001
"It crosses generations, all races and ethnicities are represented. And it’s as much about teen dads telling their stories as teen moms . . . The teen pregnancy Task Force of Martin County Healthy Start Coalition is presenting the show as a result of a focus group in May. . . Results of the focus group showed that teens needed to be informed by something "real." Nye’s exhibit fits that description", said Sarah Gosney, executive director of Healthy Start." Brian Bixier

TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA,
MARY BROGAN MUSEUM OF ART
"Most of their eyes look straight at you. There is no shame or defensiveness. Although few smile, most appear strong, open, alive. They have a story to tell . . . I saw the exhibit a year ago in Hillsborough County and knew we had to bring it to Tallahassee, said Ann Davis, Director of the Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition. . . "I think it’s so powerful". The people he interviewed spoke honestly about their lives: how they felt being a parent, what they want for the future, the dreams they had and lost and perhaps found again". . . " Sharon Rauch

RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL: RENO, NEVADA
"Each life portrayed in Michael Nye’s photographs has felt the effects of teen pregnancy. . . Children of Children is more than a collection of photos. With each picture is a narrative explaining how a teen pregnancy affected the lives and families of the person photographed and changed the person’s vision of the future. . . The exhibit is very powerful educational tool," said Lynn Carrigan, spokeswoman for the Nevada Public Health Foundation. . . A board member saw the exhibit in another state and brought it to our attention. We thought it would be a very effective way to speak to teens about pregnancy." Susan Skorupa

THE PALM BEACH POST: PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
"Kristine Beane, the teen pregnancy prevention coordinator for Palm Beach County fell in love with Michael Nye’s work last fall. . . when she walked into his exhibit, the faces, the stories, the tears. They made her come alive. Because Nye’s show isn’t just photographs. It’s voices as well. . . "I don’t know what it was, but I saw it and I just thought, this is so wonderful. We have to have it here." Emily Minor

SUN-SENTINEL: SOUTH FLORIDA
"The hallmark of Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Month, the exhibit was brought to Fort Lauderdale for five weeks by the Broward Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. We want parents to see this. We want community leaders to see it. We want policy makers to see it," says Marilyn Bonilla Krantz, chairwoman, . . The beauty of this exhibit is that it really speaks to the heart and soul of those who have experienced teen pregnancy. It is a very human portrayal." Kathleen Kernicky

NEWS-SUN, HIGHLAND COUNTY: SEBRING, FLORIDA
". . . simple and mesmerizing art exhibit. It opens Saturday at The South Florida Community College. . . Nye’s goal wasn’t to condemn, condone or romanticize teen pregnancy, but to provide a forum where young parents could explain to their peers what the experience is really like." Sharon Jones

CORPUS CHRISTI CALLER-TIMES: CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS
"Children of Children is currently on display at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History. . . Nye’s subjects are diverse. Their ages span nine decades. A young woman, herself once adopted, speaks of deciding to put her child up for adoption. An aging dancer describes growing up in her grandfather’s circus and meeting her husband while working in a theater when she was 16. A middle-aged writer, the child of teen parents, reminisced about sitting in her father’s black sedan on Galveston Beach. . . remembering her young parent’s love for each other. . . "Graphically, his work is superb," said artist and photographer Barbara Riley. . . "The prints just jump off the wall at you. I’m dazzled by them. . ." Paige Ross

THE TAMPA TRIBUNE: TAMPA, FLORIDA
"Sometimes a photograph of a person, that split-second portraiture, can convey emotions and attitudes that would otherwise escape notice. Such is the case with the evocative black and white photos by Michael Nye appearing in the show, at the Tampa Museum of Art through Jan. 15. Without condoning or condemning, the 50 photos depict people of all ages who have been affected by teen pregnancy. Grandmothers, babies, aunts and uncles and of course, teenage parents all come alive in surprising and touching ways through Nye’s lens. Augmenting the effect of each photo is an accompanying sound recording by the subject, offering personal reflections of this life-changing event. Don’t miss this opportunity to view the works of this renowned artist." Esther Hammer

ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS: ABILENE, TEXAS
"With the added inspiration to record each subject and let their own words tell their stories, Nye created an exhibit that takes two-dimensional photographs and adds a stunning third dimension. "It was exactly what the Grace Museum and the Community Foundation of Abilene was looking for," said Kathy Mayer, project administrator. It is incredibly powerful and unbelievably moving, it shows what happens when people have their lives impacted by teen pregnancy." Brian Bethel

THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE: AUSTIN, TEXAS
"I got home from the opening of Michael Nye’s photo exhibit, Children of Children at the Witte Museum in San Antonio determined to inspire as many people as I could to see it. . . I am certain this outstanding exhibition will go on to be seen around the country. If this were just a show of photographs, it would be phenomenal. But the pictures are only half of what’s offered here. Beneath each image is a pair of headphones, and when you put them on, you hear the voice of the subject. . . as it turns out, the way Nye listens is similar to the way he sees. . . He honors the stories the way he honors faces, and in doing so gives us almost shockingly immediate access to a stranger’s humanity. As you listen to the stories, staring into the speakers’ eyes, the meaning of the show quickly transcends its stated topic. Teen parenthood becomes a window through which all of life is seen: love, courage, family, aspiration, sorrow, and abuse, the way a destiny takes shape, the interplay between fate and will. There are so many stories I will never forget." Marion Winik (NPR commentator)

CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
"Michael Nye labored more than three years to create a personal and humane perspective on teenage parenthood. These photographs are large, quite dramatic studio portraits that invite the viewer to inspect the person while listening to their voice . . . The impact of pregnancy upon the young people and their families is revealed in a non-judgmental way, and their particular struggles with complex and difficult conditions stir in us emotions. . . The voices are diverse, including elderly and middle aged women and men, young fathers and pregnant girls. Some of the people are unschooled and some are well educated, but all speak eloquently about growing up, love, family, responsibility, weakness, strength and hope." Dr. Karen Stothert

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
"For many people, teen-age pregnancy is a set of alarming statistics, a social issue, a problem that challenges families, policymakers, health-care providers and educators alike. But in Children of Children, Nye’s documentarylike collection of 50 haunting portraits and compelling stories in a show opening at the Witte Museum, he shows us the humanity behind the statistics – the individual lives, sometimes the generations of a family, profoundly altered or significantly affected by teen pregnancies. Men, women, young, old, they are all here in an exhibit that smashes teen-mom stereotypes and presents stories "without condoning or condemning" as Nye puts it." Marina Pisano

Programming/Resources

Children of Children exhibition has traveled to over 50 cities throughout the United States and most of these venues have included programs in collaboration with the exhibit.

Forming a community collaborative committees brings expertise and experience to the planning of programs.

Opportunities for Public Programming:

-- Public lecture presentations on the topic of teen pregnancy.
-- Public forums on the dilemma of teenage pregnancy and parenting workshops
to develop parenting skills, sharing and learning with your child, fatherhood, nutrition and healthy eating habits.
-- Teen summits focusing on pressures of everyday life, stress management, and being a teen parent.
-- Evenings for educators to preview exhibit and discuss issues and progress of teen pregnancy programs.
-- Review of exhibit and programming of local teen pregnancy organizations through television, radio and newspaper.

Resources to seek out:

-- Health district personnel involved with birth and teenage parenting programs.
-- Social service organizations working with pregnant and parenting teens.
-- Adoption services and agencies.
-- Medical personnel involved with pregnant and parenting teens.
-- Parenting programs in the school districts.
-- Art and cultural organizations.
-- School districts.
-- Teen parents and former teen parents.
-- Community Centers from neighborhoods with teen parent programs.
-- Representatives of the Faith Communities.
-- Business and economic development organizations.
-- Representatives from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.