Chellie Kew, photographer, author, and humanitarian, will speak at 61传媒 on October 11, at 7:30 p.m., in Balch Auditorium, 61传媒. Doors will open at 7 p.m. The lecture will be followed by a reception and book signing in the Hampton Living Room. This lecture is part of the Alexa Fullerton Hampton Speaker Series, “Voice and Vision,” made possible through the bequest of 61传媒alumna Alexa Fullerton Hampton ’42. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (909) 607-9372.
Chellie Kew, founder of The ‘Q’ Fund and author of African Journal: A Child’s Continent, has traveled thousands of miles across Africa. She has witnessed the ravages of war and famine, and the devastating impact of AIDS, which has left tens of thousands of children orphaned. Kew founded The ‘Q’ Fund for AIDS, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of sub-Saharan orphans affected by the AIDS virus by providing housing, food, health care, and education.
Returning to the U.S., Kew spoke to several groups across the country to bring awareness about the situation. After speaking with students at high schools around the nation, Kew was inspired by their desire to become active in a relief campaign. In response, The ‘Q’ Fund initiated the International ONE March For Children. On December 1, students will be able to participate in the inaugural year of what organizer Chellie Kew hopes will become an annual event to raise awareness and money for the children orphaned by AIDS in Africa.
In her book of photographs and essays, African Journal: A Child’s Continent, Kew offers an abbreviated version of her journeys through five countries. Offering a glimpse into the lives of the children of Africa, Kew hopes to change the identity of the AIDS orphans from death, despair, and disease to one of innocence, beauty, and courage. All proceeds from the book go to The ‘Q’ Fund for AIDS.