You're invited to the opening of  “Seeding Sovereignty" to explore the lens of Syrian-American photographer “John” in  a new photography series sharing his recent trip to Gaza’s “Aida Refugee Camp.”

If hope is a muscle, and an active practice that we can grow, John has planted those seeds, and strengthens that muscle, one image at a time. When photography acts as a quiet revolution, it specifically offers a kind of autonomy to individuals and communities most impacted by colonial violence. The camera lens is a visual tool of self-determination, where every image becomes a declaration of presence and agency against histories of erasure. In this act of choosing what to reveal, frame, and preserve, photography transforms from mere documentation into actions of resistance. Each photograph, rooted in lived truth, carries the shimmer of hope: that by telling one’s own story, the future can be shaped on one’s own terms.

In 2026, we cannot talk about the camera as a tool without thinking about Palestine, and specifically Gaza. More than 900 days of genocide livestreamed to our phones, the horrors of colonizer violence easily taking center stage in the lens story of Palestine for many— but Palestinians are not the violence inflicted on them. While Zionism and its enablers have a history of disrupting the story of Palestine, the story of Palestinians is also one of joy, children playing, resilience, sundrenched architecture, or public art.

The aim of this showcase is to celebrate, and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian ingenuity, love, and creativity embodied through the work of the Lajee Center through resourcing the center's hydroponic gardens and photography students. Prints will be available for sale and 100% of the proceeds will go to the continued work on the ground in Gaza.