Jennifer Waldow (Rochester Institute of Technology)
Gold | Portrait
Untitled
Leisha, 37, strives to make memories for her two twin boys Morgan and William, 9. Leisha is trying to make the best of the time she has left with her children. She was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at the age of 34. Her first surgery removed all of her breast tissue and all of the lymph nodes from her left arm. Afterwards she had both ovaries removed as well as numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Even though her cancer is in remission right now, she believes that, like most who are diagnosed with such an advanced stage cancer, it will eventually come back. Leisha lives every day for her boys and pushes herself through the pain to care for them.
Kristin Bauer (Kent State University)
Silver | Portrait
Untitled
Dillon, 6, awaits his family's move in his bedroom at Wilkes Villa. Dillon's autism has made this move especially difficult, and important throughout the years. His mother, Tabitha Crabtree, expresses her difficulty in raising a child, let alone an autistic child, as a single mother living in what many call "the projects." "How do you explain to someone you need them to watch your child so you can work, but he has meltdowns, doesn't like new places and refuses to eat?" There are many scratches and crayon marks left behind above his bed from his outbursts throughout the years. Throughout the afternoon on move-in day, his family constantly encouraged him that his Spongebob Square Pants bed sheets and his stuffed animal dog will make it to the new house so they could get through the move.
Cecile Baudier (Danish School of Journalism)
Bronze | Portrait
Behind the wall
This is Ida. She recently moved to Denmark from Greenland with her mother, in search of a job and hopefully an easier life. They are now living in a housing project outside of the city of Aarhus, Denmark. She is one out of approximately 18.000 people from Greenland, who are living in Denmark today. Here, in Denmark, Greenlander's are viewed as freeloaders, drunks and socially challenged. This photo is part of an on-going series, that is trying to show a different story, a glimpse of the real people behind the stereotype.
Sam Ortega (University of Texas)
Award of Excellence | Portrait
In My Skin
Tanya Winters is currently living with Cerebral Palsy. She has coped with this condition all her life, advocating for the rights and awareness of disabled individuals. Through her disability, she has found an artistic outlet in mixed-abilities dance, a form of dance incorporating abled and disabled dancers.
Lars Just (Danish School of Journalism)
Award of Excellence | Portrait
Trondur Patursson
In 1976 Trondur Patursson crossed the Atlantic in a boat constructed by hides, to prove that Irish monks made the trip prior to the vikings and Christoffer Columbus. Since then he has lived and worked at his birthplace, the small village of Kirkjubøur on the Faroe Islands.
Daniel Hjorth (Danish School of Journalism)
Award of Excellence | Portrait
Dicte Havelykke Thomasen, 7, ice swimmer
"My dad said, that I will get a present if I finish the season." says Dicte.
In the ice swimmer club ASS Polar Bear on Amager Strand in Copenhagen the children have to endure the pain and get down in the icecold water. They have done that every day the whole winter since september last year, and it happens without sauna or hot chocolate. The club is an offer for the fresh kids in Amager Strand Day-Care and it has 10-year anniversary this year.
Andrew Braun (Colorado Mountain College)
Award of Excellence | Portrait
David
age eight looks far older than he appears. He has the features of a man of sixty. He attends Melon Chosen Community's church service on Sunday. The church service is for only children and is organized and lead by Mama Bishop. The school and church provide help to children that live in the slums of Nakuru, Kenya. David is one of thirty that attends the church service on Sundays, and one of four hundred and fifty students that attends Melon Chosen Community. David is behind a few years of kids similar in age to him that attend public school. David's family live in the local slums and couldn't afford to pay for his school. Melon Chosen Community a non-profit school invited him to study, due to his situation. The school supplies children with food, clothing, clean water, and free education.
Rohan Smith (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Award of Excellence | Portrait
Untitled
Justin Trace Natvig, 31, prepares himself for a night of performance as Vivian Vaughn. Justin has been performing drag since 1998, but only started to take it seriously in 2008 when he enrolled at UNC. Drag is a personal escape from the many struggles he has encountered in his life. In 1992 his mother had two burst anurisms, then in 1997 Justin ran away from his father after he 'came out' to him. Between running away from home and his enrollment at UNC in 2008, a boyfriend of his shot himself, his best friend died in a car accident and one of his brothers died of a heroin overdose in Barcelona. "It has not been an easy journey," said Justin "I have had to overcome a lot."