Independent Photojournalism Needs You!

Since my previous post was a brief history on the violent conditions forced onto the Palestinian people, I thought this would be a good time to expresses my personal connection to this occupation.

Next month, October 2009, I plan on traveling to the occupied Palestinian territories to stand in solidarity with those who are fighting for their basic human rights. As you know, I will be covering these issues through photography in order to raise global awareness on the conditions in which these people are being forced to live under. While in the occupied territories I will be covering the olive harvest, Illegal settlements and settler violence, the separation (apartheid) wall, resistance in all forms, the children of Palestine, and woman’s rights. Of course all of this is costing me thousands of dollars; money that is becoming harder to find with our sinking economy. So in order to raise the needed funds I am selling everything I own (except for my equipment) and have been living off of $5 a month for the past year by constantly relying on food banks. The past few months I have also chosen to be homeless in order to put rent money into a plane ticket and food for the trip.

Over the past year I have been pulling my resources and have been able to save up enough money to buy my camera for the trip, as well as my computer and the other equipment and hardware needed to post my photos and stories directly from Palestine. However, with one month to go there are still expenses to be covered! I am still raising the money I need for a plane ticket, camera lens, food, water, extra memory cards/batteries, general housing when I am not couch surfing and other unexpected charges.

As an independent photojournalist the majority of my funding is through donations and comes directly from you the reader! So I am appealing to the global community and those who stand for Palestine and international solidarity to help support me and my trip to Palestine! Contacts and those willing to house me during my trip to Palestine are also greatly appreciated!

Please donate and help support independent photojournalism and the ever growing push to free Palestine and end the Israeli occupation!

In love and solidarity,
Kyle Merrit Ludowitz