What is One Lens?

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views is a statewide virtual photo and storytelling exhibit organized by the First Lady’s Office in partnership with the PA Council on the Arts, PA Historical and Museum Commission, the PA Tourism Office, and the Library of Accessible Materials for Pennsylvanians. It celebrates the hard work and commitment of all Pennsylvanians as we continue our fight against COVID-19.

For nearly a year, Pennsylvanians have been fighting against the virus. We have been working hard to stop the spread, united in our common effort to keep our loved ones and communities safe. Our sacrifice has been great, but our determination, grit, and love have been greater. The One Lens exhibit aims to capture Pennsylvanian’s legendary can-do spirit in action. Honoring our individual lived experiences by creating a visual record of our shared history during this most difficult time.

The exhibit covers three themes:

• Our Heroes, paying homage to the pandemic heroes who cannot simply stay home;
• Our Lives, looking at how we spend our time when no one is watching; and
• Our Communities, showcasing Pennsylvanians uniting in the face of a global health crisis.

This is an extraordinary moment. Please join us in creating an exhibit that is truly by and for the people of Pennsylvania.

For exhibit updates, highlights, and inspiration, follow One Lens on Facebook and Instagram.

How to Participate

Photo submissions are open now through March 8, 2021. Please click here to submit your photos.

Audio image submissions are open now through March 15, 2021.

Please call the Library for Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians at 215-683-3218 to leave your message.

Every Pennsylvanian is encouraged to share their experience during the pandemic. No photography experience is necessary. Please review the rules before submission.

Rules

This is not a competition and by submitting content you agree to the rules. There is no cost to participate and participants may submit a maximum of three photographs or audio images for consideration.

Submitted photographs must have been taken between March 2020 and present-day. All submissions should fit one of the following themes:

• Our Heroes, paying homage to the pandemic heroes who could not simply stay home.
• Our Lives, a look at how Pennsylvanians spent their time when no one was watching.
• Our Communities, a showcase of Pennsylvanians coming together during an unprecedented time.

The window to submit a photograph(s) begins on February 8, 2021 and will close on March 8, 2021.

The window to submit an audio image(s) begins on February 17, 2021 and will close on March 15, 2021.

Photographs and stories may begin to be shared on Commonwealth of Pennsylvania social media following February 8 with the virtual exhibition opening on March 19, 2021.

By submitting a photo, you retain ownership of, and all rights to, the photo. However, you also grant the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and those authorized by the Commonwealth, a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, alter, sell or otherwise make use of the photo for any purpose without requiring the payment of any compensation or consideration to, or the receipt of approval, from any individual.

Submission Eligibility and Requirements:

• Must be a current resident of Pennsylvania.
• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Content must have been captured during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 through present).
• For photos, digital file resolution must be at least 300 dpi, or 1600×1200 pixels. Images should be no smaller than 1 mb and no larger than 5 MB. Images should be a JPEG or PNG files.
• Submissions must include contact information (name, phone number, and/or email address, and county), and photos require a brief caption with entry.
• By submitting a photograph, you confirm that each person depicted in the photograph has granted permission to be portrayed as shown. However, any photos depicting individuals under 18 years of age must be accompanied by express written permission from the parent/guardian in order to be considered for inclusion in the exhibit.
• Submissions must not contain:
  • Profane/vulgar language
  • Nudity/sexual content
  • Illegal activity
  • Name-calling, threats, defamatory statements, or personal attacks towards an individual
  • Hate speech targeting an individual’s race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, or disability
  • Commercial content promoting or soliciting service or products
  • Promote political organizations
  • Information that could reasonably compromise public safety
  • Other content that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania deems inappropriate
  • Submissions are not guaranteed to be featured and will be reviewed by the
    First Lady’s Office and the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

Your submission of content is voluntary, and you assume full responsibility for any and all liability related to your participation in the exhibition, which is expressly subject to sovereign immunity by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania assumes no responsibility for any incorrect, inaccurate or incomplete information, whether caused by website users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with the virtual exhibit.

Meet Our Regional Ambassadors

One Lens has five regional ambassadors selected by the First Lady’s Office and the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

Each ambassador represents a region of the state (central, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest). Their strong connection to their regions ensures that the One Lens exhibit will truly reflect the experiences of Pennsylvania’s diverse, vibrant, and resilient communities.

Shannon Maldonado, Southeast

Shannon Maldonado is the founder and Creative Director of YOWIE, a creative platform and design studio founded in 2016.

Porcha Johnson, Central

Porcha has six years of experience in health advocacy, motivating women to live healthier lifestyles and 13 years of experience as a TV news reporter and anchor.

Ceasar Westbrook, Northwest

During his study of fine art at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Ceasar’s focus was woodworking and furniture design.

James Hamill, Northeast

James Hamill is the Director of Public Relations for the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, the destination marketing organization for Wayne, Pike, Monroe, and Carbon counties.

Matthew Galluzzo, Southwest

Matthew Galluzzo has dedicated his entire career to Pittsburgh and its neighborhoods.

Why We Started One Lens

One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views is the brainchild of Pennsylvania First Lady Frances Wolf. As she witnessed the effects of COVID-19 – and Pennsylvanians’ inspiring response to the crisis – she began imagining ways to create a deeper sense of community, even as we stay physically apart.

First Lady Wolf realized that now more than ever, Pennsylvanians were looking for an opportunity to see our similarities, common goals, and build stronger bonds between our neighbors and communities. And so, the idea for a virtual photo exhibit was born.

The Bigger Picture

Hosted by Pennsylvania First Lady Frances Wolf, The Bigger Picture is a series of virtual conversations that take a deeper look into our pandemic life, helping to forge connections, celebrate our resilience, and honor our experiences.

Archiving Our Pandemic Experience | February 4, 2021
Historians, librarians, and archivists discuss the 1918 Influenza Pandemic’s effect on Pennsylvania, the connections we can draw to our COVID-19 experiences, and the important role we each can play in creating the history books of tomorrow.
Watch Pennsylvania in the 1918 Influenza Pandemic by Pennsylvania State Archivist Tyler Stump to learn more.

Healing Through Art | February 11, 2021
Researchers, creatives, and art therapists from across Pennsylvania discuss the role that art can play in building and healing communities, and in achieving mental health and wellness. The Pennsylvania Arts Council offers resources to support members of the arts community as they work to stay safe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coping with COVID-19 | February 18, 2021
Mental health experts and advocates discuss how trauma affects people; the ways racial, gender, economic, and other inequalities factor into and compound the issue of trauma; and mental health supports and services that exist. If you or a loved one are struggling or are in need of mental health assistance, you are not alone. Please visit our Mental Health Resource Guide a comprehensive list of resources.

The Resiliency of Small Businesses | February 24, 2021
Small business owners share the innovative ways they have kept their employees and communities safe during COVID-19, while economic development experts highlight resources that exist. Please visit Business Unites Against COVID-19 to certify your restaurant as COVID compliant, find trainings and webinars, get PPE for workers, learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines, keep your employees and customers safe, and download additional resources.

Tourism and the Great Outdoors | March 4 at 12pm
Tourism professionals and environmental advocates and experts talk about how our outdoor spaces have become more important than ever as we’ve looked for ways to stay active and safely enjoy our communities. Head to VisitPA for more information about the outdoor adventures Pennsylvania has to offer.