P.E.I. photography book launched on September 18

A photography book created by University of Prince Edward Island researchers and international photojournalist Carlos Reyes-Manzo will be launched on Thursday, September 18, from 4 to 6 p.m., at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery.

Voice of the Community, which explores the strengths and challenges facing rural P.E.I. communities, came out of a three-year UPEI research project led by Dr. Vianne Timmons, former vice-president academic development at UPEI and now president of the University of Regina. The researchers worked with six Island communities to explore the issues and struggles faced by rural families regarding their children’s health.

This unique photography-research book highlights the voiced concerns and insights of rural communities in today’s ever-changing world. Reyes-Manzo captured the research themes through evocative images that are a powerful testament to the strengths and challenges facing rural PEI communities.

The voices of rural PEI parents, children, caregivers and service providers reveal community concerns that are shared across Canada. While the people in the communities recognize the challenges, they also identify and highlight their strengths. A strong will to survive and a desire to improve the quality of life for their children are evident in the voices.

“This book is not only stunning, but a social documentary that attempts to capture the emotion and passion that exists in rural PEI communities,” says Timmons. “Creating this book has provided us with an opportunity to share our findings with the public. We encourage readers to share with others their interpretation of the research themes, photographs and quotations.”

This research project was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. For more information, contact Shelley Gordon at (902) 566-6009 or smgordon@upei.ca.