WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015 | MACEANDCROWN.COM | Vol. 58, Issue 6
Bangladeshi renowned photographer Ismail Ferdous speaks at ODU on Sept. 24.
Josh Boone
Getty Images Grant Winner Ismail Ferdous Visits ODU Wes Dildy Contributing Writer
World-renowned photographer and human rights activist Ismail Ferdous visited Old Dominion to speak to students about his experiences behind the camera and share his thoughts on the negative effects of capitalism on Sept. 24. Ferdous, who was the first photographer on the scene of the Rana Plaza garment factory incident on April 24, 2013, has since become a notable figure in the world of documentary photography and human rights activism. Ferdous was inspired by the tragic collapse that took place at the eightstory garment factory in Rana Plaza in the suburbs of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The horrific accident resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 garment work-
ers, most of them women who were trapped inside the building. After photographing the tragic aftermath, he set out to use his photography to be a part of something bigger. After the collapse at Rana Plaza, Ferdous traveled to New York’s fashion week. It was then that he noticed something disturbing: the same clothing brands that were on the tags littered throughout the rubble of Rana Plaza were being displayed prominently in advertisements and storefronts. Instantly, Ferdous was reminded of the death and destruction that he witnessed in Bangladesh. “Photography forced me to see these events,” Ferdous said as he recounted being exposed to the side of the tragedy that is often unseen. Ferdous felt that the consumers of these brands were tragically unaware
of the atrocities that took place to manufacture the brand name clothes. As a result, he aspired to use his work to bring awareness to the situation. After realizing this mission, Ferdous co-founded the Cost of Fashion initiative, which seeks adequate compensation for garment workers in third-world countries who are largely underpaid. Ferdous helped bring attention to the exploited laborers behind the clothing companies by projecting his photographs of the incident onto the storefronts of the perpetrating companies. Groups of protesters chanted on the sidewalks below. Images of families torn apart, immense sorrow, countless deaths and total destruction shone throughout the streets of New York until Ferdous was ordered by police to end the pro-
test. He believes that photography is a powerful social instrument. “We’re not living in the era where one picture will change the world. One picture isn’t going to end the war. It’s more complex than that,” Ferdous said. Having documented one of the deadliest earthquakes as well as the worst accident in the history of clothing manufacturing, Ferdous explained that these events left him feeling traumatized and feeling deeply for the victims. Despite the traumatization Ferdous has experienced, he firmly believes that his photography is meant to document the lives of those affected by catastrophes. When he photographs these events, Ferdous says the subjects of his photos are very appreciative of what he does. His work is
justified by the stories that only he is able to tell. “After Rana Plaza,” Ferdous’ photographs of the survivors and families of the victims, earned Ferdous the firstever Getty Images Instagram Grant. He intends to use the grant to further his career as a photographer and as a humanitarian. “Photography is making an impact. It’s making people aware,” Ferdous said. As Ferdous grows as a photographer, he realizes the true importance of creating awareness. To Ferdous, photography is the most effective method of storytelling there is. The more photographers there are, the more stories there are being told.
To Vote or Not to Vote: State andLocal Elections Matter David Thornton Copy Editor A distressing trend has emerged amongst Virginians, and students at ODU are no exception. With the election for all 140 state legislature seats less than a month away, very few Virginians are aware, and even fewer are likely to vote. Yet students have the capacity to influence major change in the state legislature if they become engaged, organized and actually vote. According to a recent poll from Christopher Newport University, “only 41% of voters say they have
given quite a lot or some attention to the upcoming elections, while 58% say they have given little or no attention. Only 34% of voters say they have followed news about the candidates for House of Delegates and Virginia Senate, while 66% say they have not followed news very closely or at all.” Voter turnout during non-presidential elections has been fairly low in Virginia for the past 20 years. Since 1995, the amount of registered voters that actually cast ballots in off-year elections averages around 40 percent. The CNU poll projects turnout this year to be around 26 percent. This is distressing because, while
national elections may get more public attention, the Republicancontrolled Congress is gridlocked and at odds with a Democratic president, making policy reform on the national level extremely difficult at best. Meanwhile, state legislatures are frequently the battleground for social and financial issues, and this is where policy that most directly affects the average citizen is made. When the federal government can’t or won’t step in, states are where decisions occur. Recent policy battles that are being decided in state legislatures across the country include gun control, marijuana legalization,
abortion rights, Medicaid expansion and higher education, among many others. Adding fuel to the fire, the 2015 Virginia legislative session will be a budget year, meaning state representatives will be deciding exactly how much money will be devoted to each issue. “What you’re going to see in this coming session is all sorts of people standing in line fighting over every last dollar. It’s intense,” Stephen Heretick, the Democratic candidate running unopposed for the 79th district of the House of Delegates, said. The 79th district includes part
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of ODU’s campus, and much of the Lambert’s Point neighborhood. Jesse Richman, associate professor of Political Science at ODU, said that unless the current balance of power shifts in the Virginia legislature, most of these social issues won’t be debated. Currently, the Virginia Senate has 19 Democrats and 21 Republicans, and the House of Delegates has 33 Democrats and 67 Republicans. (Continued on A5)