It’s inevitable that aspiring high school seniors want to change the world.

Surprise. It just changed — more significantly than many ever imagined as a result of the pandemic.

Ask any senior to characterize their life today. You’ll get a similar response that may begin with an explicative or two.

“It’s on hold. Absolute hold,” says Brandy M., a soon to be graduate, who notes although some communities may be loosening COVID-19-related restrictions, many Flint and Genesee County area parents still have their kids on lockdown. Herself included.

At a time that many students are really beginning to enjoy their first taste of unfettered freedom, it has been snatched away. And that hurts.

“I got my homecoming, my prom, my senior skip day and my graduation ceremony,” says Alvin Brown, a freelance photographer/videographer who shoots professionally for TheHUB Flint and a number of other corporate and personal clients under his Eye Snap Studios banner.

“But they won’t,” says Brown, who will be joining eight professional photographers and MAUs (make-up artists) to capture an important right of passage for students like Brandy — their senior portrait.

Volunteer photographers include Jennifer James, Emila Fay, Antowoine T. McClinton, Tez Mizphit, Trevor Norman,  Ameer Rutherford, Archie Walker, and MAUs Chevonna Lipsey and Tyronda Harrison, 

Many local designers are also donating clothing from their signature lines, including Say It Ain’t Krispy’s Vantrell Erving.

“The make-up artist sessions, clothing and portraits are free,” says Brown. “This is something we are doing to show our support of area students, who are in desperate need of something that looks and feels normal to them.

The event, coined Walk & Shine 2020 , will take place on Saturday, August 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Flint.

It’s is a first of sorts for the volunteer photographers who will be trying out the latest camera models, thanks to Canon USA, which has donated professional equipment to support the event.

Yes, there will be lots of memories from this year for all of us, but this one is going to be good.

To get details on the event visit the Walk & Shine page.  Scheduling information and locaton is provided to students upon registration.

Lead photo by Jennifer Jones

  Alvin J. Brown, Ameer Rutherford, and MAUs Chevonna Lipsey, Antowoine T. McClinton, Archie Walker, Canon USA, Emila Fay, Eye Snap Studios, Flint and Genesee Country, Jennifer James, Say It Ain’t Krispy, Tez Mizphit, Trevor Norman, Tyronda Harrison, Vantrell Erving, Walk & Shine 2020

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