Photographer Janna Stephens worked with the Good Life Youth Foundation (GLY) to take photos of the organization’s impact on at-risk youth in Syracuse. The content Janna captured has been essential in helping to raise awareness of GLY and to help advocate for their work. Janna also worked directly with the youth of GLY, running a summer content creation course and leading workshops on entrepreneurial skillbuilding, and ultimately developing an entire photography curriculum for GLY. Youth had the opportunity to accompany Janna on a field trip to see the Jay-Z exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library, while also meeting and speaking with an established DJ. Janna also worked with GLY to help design a content creation studio space for youth to have access to audio and photography equipment for creative production.

The Good Life Youth Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in August of 2012. It exists at the intersections of youth engagement, entrepreneurship, and hip hop culture! It was born out of a desire to eliminate youth violence, poverty, and incarceration by exposing youth to the power of hip hop culture. The organization aims to use hip hop culture and youth culture to connect the highest risk youth population with opportunity access through entrepreneurship.