For Project 3, I chose to work alone to create a photo collage inspired by my previous research on Soma Sara for Project 2. My goal was to delve deeper into Soma’s hardships, her experiences, and her unwavering commitment to addressing gender equality and sexual harassment through her “Everyone’s Invited” movement. This reflection explores the process, decisions, and outcomes of transforming my essay into a photo collage, as well as the lessons learned from utilizing this visual medium.
Understanding the importance of rhetoric—audience, purpose, genre, and medium—was fundamental to this project. My primary audience included survivors of sexual harassment, advocates for gender equality, educators, policymakers, and the general public. The purpose was to raise awareness of Soma Sara’s vital work, emphasizing the need for societal change and the importance of visibility and acknowledgment.
I chose to create a photo collage because of its potential for visual impact. Images can convey complex messages and evoke powerful emotional responses more effectively than text alone. By focusing on visual storytelling, I aimed to capture the essence of Soma’s message and the experiences of survivors in a way that would resonate immediately with viewers.
The shift from a written essay to a photo collage required a new approach to storytelling. Visual elements replaced textual analysis, and my focus shifted to how images and symbols could represent Soma’s advocacy. This medium allowed me to create a more engaging and emotionally compelling narrative, highlighting the urgency and importance of her work.
I think that the change in medium from an essay to a photo collage represent’s Soma Sara in a new light. By focusing more on Soma’s message, it shows the crucial importance of her visibility and acknowledgement not only on Wikipedia but as a whole. With her story, she focuses on the urgent need to address sexual harassment and creating a supportive platform for survivors, while also highlighting how being seen and recognized can amplify her impact and drive systematic change. In this collage, the visual elements replaced textual analysis, and my focus shifted to how images and symbols could represent Soma’s advocacy. This medium allowed me to create a more engaging and emotionally compelling narrative, highlighting the urgency and importance of her work.
Creating the photo collage involved several affordances and constraints. First, the collage format allowed for creative expression, combining powerful visuals with impactful text snippets. However, one of the main challenges was finding relevant visuals, as I didn’t want this collage to only be surface level and lack depth. However, I think I was successful in conveying Soma Sara’s story well through the collage I made.
Creating the photo collage was a transformative experience that underscored the power of visual storytelling. The shift in medium allowed me to honor Soma Sara’s message more dynamically, emphasizing the importance of visibility and the urgent need for societal change. Through this project, I learned the value of multimedia formats in advocacy work and the importance of thoughtful, ethical representation in public discourse. The collage not only amplified Soma’s impact but also deepened my understanding of the role of visual media in driving social justice and equality.