WATCH: Kengi Carr Is a Creative Genius

Photographer Louis Kengi Carr sure has been busy since we named him one of our Amazing people last year. The shutterbug was a fellow at the United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) in Washington, D.C. this year and produced the fabulous video featured below as his homage to his experience.

Carr feels strongly about telling stories through the power of photography, music, and art. He thought the video would be a great way to share his experience through music he loves and his images of things that stood out. 

It was Carr’s first time attending a USCA conference, and as a photojournalist and activist, he was really excited for the opportunity to use his skills on the national stage. “My experience, for the most part, was pretty amazing. The other fellows were amazing. I was really honored and humbled to share space with such a talented group of people. Meeting other activists I know only through social media was incredible, but the things that I will never forget are the conversations I had with folks listening to their stories.” 

As someone who has created and ran a community-based organization for over 10 years now, he learned that patience, rest, and being prepared are the keys to success as a fellow. “There were several times during the conference where communication and follow-up did not work. Some of the USCA staff were not always as helpful as I thought they could be, which made being in the space difficult and unrewarding at times. This is something I resolved to be vigilant about going forward.”

Carr’s goal is to empower people through service. “I speak directly to the people we seek to serve. They are our neighbors and our friends and I love them. No matter what the event, outreach, or action, the people we seek to serve are always the reasons why we do what we do. I believe humanity must always be first and this is what Project KengiKat has been and will always be about.”

Carr likes to call it “connection without bureaucracy," and we can’t wait to see what he does next!

Follow Carr on Twitter and Instagram, and check out his blog: Do Something Saturday.