Photovoice: Frames of Empowerment

You may have heard that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Photovoice is a qualitative research method where people take and share pictures that capture and express the needs and strengths of their community. Frames of Empowerment: The HEART ATX Photovoice Project explores successes, challenges, best practices, and solutions for addressing health and social issues in Austin/Travis County from the lens of Community Health Workers (CHWs). The CHWs were asked to take pictures that answer the questions, “How do CHWs make a difference in addressing Social determinants of health (SDOH) and connecting individuals to SDoH resources?” and “How do CHWs make a difference in supporting healthy behaviors?”.

We would like to take a moment and thank all that supported this project, especially the Community Health Workers at Peoples Community Clinic, CommUnityCare, Housing Authority of the City of Austin, Foundation Communities, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School and APH who participated by taking pictures and sharing narratives. We also thank Drs. Andrew Springer and Alexandra van den Berg, Evaluators at UTHealth School of Public Health for their guidance in this project.

The Photovoice project reflects the views of the Community Health Workers that participated in the project and do not necessarily represent the official views of Austin Public Health, the City of Austin, CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

This project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1.4 million with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Testimonials From CHWs Participating In This Project

I enjoyed working on the HEART ATX Photovoice Project because it has allowed me to get personal with my experiences in the underserved communities that I have worked in. The project has enabled me to express my creativity through photography. Working with my group was a good experience, we all had common ground on our experiences as CHWs. This project taught me that there is power in working with other CHWs and sharing personal experiences.
– Hannah

I enjoyed the opportunity to be able to showcase our work visually. The photovoice project allowed us all the chance to foster empathy and support for our members. For our viewers, it presents an avenue to see what our communities endure to survive and for them to self-reflect. Working with my group was a fantastic way to connect, discuss, and address how we are finding solutions to address those the social barriers. The community taught me that there is a deficit for long term solutions. It’s the hope that projects like this will highlight that struggle and additionally show the value, impact, and importance of having Community Health Workers be an integral part of improving our communities’ quality of life.
– Chris

I enjoyed going out and taking the pictures the most because I was able to bring our message to light. I was able to physically show our audience pictures that did not need an explanation and spoke for themselves. The hardest part was not showing faces, but I liked the challenge. I love working with other Community Health Workers and being able to see everyone else’s WHY and what made them come into this profession.
– Nemesis

Photovoice: Frames of Empowerment