APA NY Censored & Silenced: Palestinian & SWANA Narratives in Focus

Join APA| NY for an unforgettable evening celebrating the strength, creativity, and truth of Palestinian & SWANA photographers!

Censored & Silenced: SWANA Narratives in Focus brings together leading SWANA photographers in a curated panel discussion, highlighting their experiences navigating an industry that has often silenced or sidelined their identities.

This panel will center the lived realities of SWANA photographers as they balance creative expression, professional integrity and personal resilience in a world where their existence itself can be seen as a political statement. It is a space for open, unapologetic conversation about creativity, solidarity and what it means to claim agency in the face of systemic erasure.

More than just a discussion of challenges, this evening will celebrate the beautiful cultures, heritages and boundless creativity that SWANA photographers bring to the industry.

Moderated by APA National Board member Eva Woolridge (she/her); an award-winning Queer, Black & Chinese conceptual portrait photographer, public speaker and social activist based in Brooklyn. Known for her striking portraiture that explores the emotional and spiritual nature of femininity, Eva’s work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Harper’s Bazaar. She brings a dynamic presence to the conversation, drawing from her national speaking experience and her leadership on the Diversity Advisory Council for Fuji Cameras North America.

Expect a vibrant evening of community building, unfiltered storytelling, and an opportunity to connect with others who believe in the power of art to speak truth.

This is not just a night of conversation. It is an evening celebrating culture, heritage, art and resistance.

Come to listen. Stay to remember !