Three alumni of The VII Foundation programs have been shortlisted for POY Latam (Pictures of the Year Latin America), a prestigious documentary and artistic photography contest in Ibero-America. Its goal is to empower communities through art and journalism, emphasizing cultural diversity and raising critical awareness faced by the region.
The three shortlisted photojournalists are:
Alejandra Orosco, a Level 2 alum (2022), was recognized for her work Un sueño en azul (A Dream in Blue). This story follows a group of women artisan in the Andean highlands who depend on imported dye from North and Central America to create their traditional blue cloaks. The narrative highlights their journey of hope and determination, and the complex emotions that arise when fighting to preserve a tradition that has slipped from living practice into historical memory.
Javier Álvarez, a Level 1 alum (2021), for his work titled Escaping Libya: Begins on the Ocean Viking. This series documents the intimate consequences of rescuing men, women, and children fleeing violence, captivity, and forced labor in Libya as they embark on a fragile journey to safety in Italy aboard the Ocean Viking, an SOS Méditerranée humanitarian ship.
David Diaz Arcos, a Level 2 alum (2024), was honored for his project The Invisible Holds the Visible, inspired by the indigenous notion of “The Great Mystery.” This work reinterprets the Andean worldview, where visible and invisible forces coexist to sustain reality. The series explores the spiritual practices of communities in southern Ecuador, as well as the memory of pre-colonial rituals.
A rescued man holds a small bird he found drifting at sea before being saved by the Ocean Viking. Survivors often spend days exposed to the elements in fragile wooden boats before help arrives. Following rescues, Italian authorities frequently assign distant ports of disembarkation—requiring up to five days of navigation—delaying medical care and draining the ship’s resources, despite the often critical physical and psychological condition of those on board. © Javier Alvarez.
