Hey Community!

I’m Yolanda Chioma, and this year is special—I'm celebrating my birthday on April 25th and 10 years of being a photographer, storyteller, and community documentarian. To God be the Glory!

For the past decade, my camera has been a bridge—to connect, to witness, and to reframe how we see each other.

It has been a journey of growth, reflection, and purpose.

To honor these milestones, I am launching three powerful new projects rooted in community, culture, and justice.

For my birthday, I am asking for your help to support and fundraise $5,000 - $7,000 in launching 3 amazing photo series projects that I am eager to share in the next 1-3 years! These funds will support me with equipment, travel, exhibit costs, to help create meaningful experiences around this work.

Your funds will support the following:

📸 Venue Space for Photo Exhibit (valued at $2,000)

🏡 Studio time for photo series projects (valued at $1,000 for 12 photo sessions)

🖼️ Printing and Display Needs (valued at $750)

🎨Printed Albums of Projects (valued at $2,500 for 50 books)

✈️Travel Costs (valued at $750)

🎬 Why It Matters:

These stories matter.
They create empathy.
They challenge the narratives we have been fed.
They remind us that we deserve to be seen in full color and in full complexity.

If these stories resonate with you, if you believe in the power of art to shift narratives—support if you can, share with someone who might, and let’s build something meaningful together.

About the Projects:

1) "The Empathy Atlas Project"— an interactive experience that blends photography, oral history, and geospatial tech to map the lived realities of Black communities. This project was birthed by Clinton Johnson, founder and Executive Director of the NorthStar of GIS. This project uses maps and photographs to uplift the lived experiences of Black people through geospatial storytelling.

2) "Turntable Queens & Vinyl Spins: The Sound of Sisterhood"— Telling untold stories from behind the booth. Documenting the women remixing Chicago’s music scene. A photojournalistic journey through Chicago’s Black women DJ movement. Their city. Their sound. Their story. Celebrating the rhythm, power, and artistry they bring to sound culture.

3) "Beyond the Loop"— A visual love letter to the neighborhoods of Chicago that exist outside the downtown core. Because the city’s heartbeat is found in its people, block by block."

*If you would like to donate now with a "No Fees Option," you can do so below:

Venmo: @imagerybychioma

Venmo Website: https://account.venmo.com/u/imagerybychioma

Zelle: Email me at yolanda@imagerybychi.com

Paypal: Email me at yolanda@imagerybychi.com

In return, I have put together special thank-you packages that will go out when the projects launch—prints, digital zines, behind-the-scenes access, and more.

🧡 Rewards / Donor Packages:

Donation Level	Thank You Gift
$25 - $49	Digital Thank-You & Downloadable Visual of Project Photo behind-the-scenes project update Name in project credits as supported donator Formal Invite to Photo Exhibit (All 3 if you can attend)
$50 - $99	(All of the Above) Framed Copy of 3 Photo Series (8x10)
$100 - $199	(All of the Above) VIP Ticketed Exhibit Invite (includes gift bag perks for all 3 exhibits)
$200 - $399	(All of the Above) Limited Edition Print Album (choose 1 project)
$400+	(All of the Above) Invite to private project preview / launch event Printed album book for all 3 Projects! More to come!!

👉 Contribute now! Share with your people! Let’s build together!

🎉 Thank you for riding with me all these years. Here's to what comes next!!

Through My Lens Photojournalism Fundraiser

Help Yolanda Chioma Fundraise 3 Stories That Matter!

Team Members