MFS Financial Empowerment Clinic at Ron Russell Middle School

“What does money mean to you?” “What or who inspires you?” “What do you hope for your community?”

Members of the MFS Financial Capabilities and AmeriCorps teams asked community members these questions as they exited the life-size camera obscura installation at the Financial Empowerment Clinic, which was part of the larger Ron Russell Middle School Fix-It Fair, on November 14th. Visitors of all ages reflected on these questions as Portland photographer and Creative Laureate Julie Keefe snapped their portrait and then were given silver and gold markers to draw or write in those reflections on their photos.

This project – which is intended to be a creative assessment of communities’ hopes for, troubles with, and identities around money and finances – is the first part of a series of financial empowerment photo booths that will appear throughout the Successful Families 2020 Promise Neighborhood school sites in David Douglas School District. If you would like to learn more or help out with future photo booth installations, please reach out to Amanda Hart at 971-517-8076 or amandah@mfs.email! And if you have time, check out the photo project currently on display in the RRMS cafetorium!

A very big thank-you to Water Berry, Claire Appelmans, Jay Pengelly, and Erin Walker for their help with this project–THANK YOU!!!