NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - August 08, 2016) - ELLE announces the debut of an original multimedia documentary project, "FLINT IS FAMILY." The project is the culmination of an in-depth, five-month endeavor between ELLE and photographer LaToya Ruby Frazier -- a 2015 MacArthur genius-grant recipient-and will be revealed for the first time in the September issue of the magazine and on ELLE.com today.
In FLINT IS FAMILY -- her first published work since being named a MacArthur Fellow -- Frazier evokes themes from her critically acclaimed book, The Notion of Family, as she makes collaborative photos with three generations of Flint women who both suffer and thrive amid the worst man-made environmental catastrophe in recent memory. In the September issue of ELLE, FLINT IS FAMILY appears as a ten-page photographic essay featuring black and white images, along with reporting by Mattie Kahn and captions by Frazier, to create a bold visual narrative. An extensive digital package including an expanded photographic portfolio, a short film by Frazier, and an in-depth story about a Flint woman and her family, along with a report on the origins of the water crisis, a look at what's happening now, and an examination of what's next for the city when FEMA's emergency funding comes to an end on August 14, premieres on ELLE.com today.
"This project, an important and impactful collaboration between the website and the magazine, is a creative expression of ELLE's dedication to bringing women's stories, and the work of women artists, to light," said ELLE editor-in-chief Robbie Myers.
"After admiring The Notion of Family, it was clear to us that there was no one more suited than LaToya to tell the story of what is happening in Flint," said ELLE.com site director Leah Chernikoff. "Her images evoke with aching beauty the reality of raising a family in the face of environmental crisis."
"Working intimately with Shea Cobb, seeing the city of Flint through the perspectives of her family and creating collaborative portraits that complicate our understanding about the people and landscape of Flint, further deepens my belief that in order to have both social and cultural change in our society we must listen and learn from the residents who have resisted injustice and calamity," said Frazier. "I hope that readers will be moved and inspired by Shea's resilience, understand that the water crisis is not over and take action by writing letters to the governor's office in Michigan to demand that funds and resources be released to Flint. Water is a human right."
FEATURE & PHOTO PORTFOLIO: FLINT IS FAMILY
http://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a37628/flint-michigan-water-crisis-latoya-ruby-frazier/
The September issue of ELLE is on select newsstands starting August 10 and nationwide August 16.
VIDEO: THE WOMEN OF FLINT ARE STRONG
http://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a37628/flint-michigan-water-crisis-latoya-ruby-frazier/#the-film
ABOUT ELLE:
ELLE is the No. 1 fashion magazine brand in the world, with 46 editions, 44 websites, and more than 158 supplements worldwide. The ELLE U.S. brand reaches an audience of over 28 million across all platforms and inspires women to explore, cultivate and celebrate their personal style in all aspects of their lives. ELLE is also the foundation of numerous brand extensions, including ELLE Décor (25 editions), ELLE à table (4 editions), and ELLEgirl (3 editions). ELLE is owned by the Lagardere Active group (France), and ELLE U.S. is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst, one of the nation's largest diversified media and information companies. With 21 titles in the U.S., Hearst is the leading publisher of monthly magazines in terms of total paid circulation (AAM 2H 2014), reaching 78 million readers (Spring 2016 MRI/GfK at 79.5 million) and 54 million site visitors each month (comScore). For more information visit ELLE.com, or follow ELLE on Twitter (@ELLEmagazine), Facebook (facebook.com/ELLEmagazine), Google+ (plus.google.com/+ELLE), Instagram (@ELLEUSA), Pinterest (pinterest.com/ELLE), or Tumblr (ELLE.tumblr.com).
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