July 10, 2024, Shmuel Thaler Douglas.Rider, July 2, 2024October 6, 2024 For the next National Storytellers Night we return to the small California Coastal city, Santa Cruz for Shmuel Thalerfrom the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Shmuel Thaler has been a staff photographer at the Santa Cruz Sentinel since 1987. He has won numerous awards, including having his photography named the best photojournalism in the state of California in 2022 by the California Newspaper Publishers Association. He was named the 2016 Santa Cruz County Artist of the year and his photographs have appeared in every major newspaper in the United States. He spent much of 2020 documenting Black Lives Matter actions, the CZU August Lightning Complex fires and the pandemic for the Sentinel. Santa Cruz, California Police Chief Andy Mills takes a knee next to Santa Cruz Mayor Justin Cummings along with hundreds gathered on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz on Saturday May 30, 2020 to honor the memory of George Floyd and bring attention to institutionalized police violence against black people. Minneapolis resident George Floyd was pinned facedown on the ground, in handcuffs, by a white police officer who pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. He was unresponsive when paramedics arrived, and he was pronounced dead later. (Photo by Shmuel Thaler) A herd of cows belonging to Monterey County supervisor Lou Calagno graze serenely as a massive fuel-oil tank fire rages near Duke Energy’s Moss Landing, California power plant on July 8, 2003. Photo by Shmuel Thaler / Santa Cruz Sentinel His photograph of Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills and Mayor Justin Cummings taking a knee at a BLM action organized by Joy Flynn in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder went viral and aired on every major TV network. The image was shared by Octavia Spencer, Katie Couric and George Conway and thousands of others, was seen by millions and was included in the International Center of Photography’s #ICPConcerned exhibit. Shmuel received his BFA from the film school at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and his photographs illustrate numerous books including his collaboration with the late Santa Cruz author George Levenson on ‘Bread Comes to Life’ and the classic ‘Pumpkin Circle’, which has more than 120,000 copies in print and is held by most library systems in the country. Storytellers Night Home video2 Videos
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Storytellers Night Sept. 25, 2024 Brett Akagi September 20, 2024October 6, 2024 Brett Akagi’s mission in life is to make a positive impact on the people he meets and works with, regardless of the role he plays. Akagi describes himself as a quarterback, coach, or… (Click on picture for more) Read More
Storytellers Night April 17, 2024 – Jay L. Clendenin March 29, 2024July 2, 2024 April 17, 2024, 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET Many people have asked for him and he is ready to present at the next National Storytellers Night. Jay Clendenin will be by to talk about his work as a photojournalist and taking portraits of celebrities. Jay will show some… Read More