This is the year we’ve all been waiting for at First Exposures!

Dear Friends, This is the year we’ve all been waiting for at First Exposures. We have finally moved into our amazing new home in the sunny Mission district of San Francisco. It took us almost three years to get here, but we did it! It only happened because of our tight-knit community of mentors, mentees, volunteers, staff, and supporters like you. Since moving into our new space, our instructors and staff have been serving more young artists than ever before through the return of our in-person summer program, young artists in residency, summer photography classes for Mission District middle schoolers at Horizons at SFFS’ summer camp, and the launch of youth photography workshops on Treasure Island in partnership with the SF Arts Commission and the YMCA. We've also been holding public art events all over the Bay Area featuring the incredible artwork of our mentees. We hosted pop-up portrait studios and an exhibition in conjunction with The Obama Portraits Tour at the de Young Museum. The work of our 2021 residency program appeared on over 35 kiosks around the city, and we were included in the All of Us All of Us exhibition at the Berkeley Art Center. We are immensely proud of all we have accomplished this year, especially in this time of ongoing uncertainty.

From moving into our new home to expanding our reach by serving more than 200 youth this year, we have found ways to adapt and thrive as a community. But as we head into the new school year, we are facing a new challenge. Much of our equipment is over 10 years old and needs to be replaced. With your support in raising $25,000, you will help us to inspire and activate more young people and bring new life into our program!

Your gift—of any size—supports First Exposures at a critical juncture as we continue to support our young artists and look toward our next chapter.

As First Exposures turns 30, we are excited to be serving more young people than ever before as we continue to create an uplifting space for youth storytelling in the Bay Area. The future is bright thanks to supporters like you! Please make the most generous gift you can by September 30 and help us empower our youth to build their confidence, express themselves creatively, and become leaders in their communities. Thank you in advance for your generosity, and thank you for being a part of our community. With gratitude, Erik Auerbach Executive Director

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