Support visual journalism. Help local photojournalists thrive.
Thanks to donors' generous support last year, we officially launched the inaugural Altavoz Lab Nick Oza Visual Fellowship — honoring the legacy of a beloved photojournalist whose work was grounded in empathy, humility, and human connection.
After a rigorous selection process with a panel of renowned visual editors and photojournalists, we are proud to announce the inaugural recipient of the NOVF.
Meet Gabriela Campos, our inaugural Nick Oza Visual Fellow, who is beginning her fellowship project documenting the lives of women in New Mexico’s lowrider culture — a deeply rooted, often overlooked tradition. Gabriela has already spent years photographing her community, and this well-deserved fellowship provides her with essential resources and mentorship to expand and deepen her photojournalism. Mentoring Gabriela will be Roberto “Bear” Guerra, visuals editor at High Country News . She will also receive audience engagement support from Rux Guidi, audience engagement manager with Altavoz Lab, as well as training and collaboration as part of the Altavoz Lab's Community Journalist Fellowship cohort. This opportunity for Gabriela to work on her dream project is what becomes possible when a visual storyteller is supported to stay rooted in their community — and your help will make this a reality for many more fellows in the years ahead. This is just the beginning. |
Help us make the Nick Oza Visual Fellowship a lasting program.
Together, we will support a new fellow each year and build a growing network of community-rooted visual storytellers across the Southwest so their work will endure and continue to reflect the communities it serves.
This campaign to raise $50,000 is a grassroots effort. Here’s how your generous support makes it possible:
The remaining funds will cover travel, potential equipment needs, and the outreach and administration required to sustain the fellowship. Community engagement for this project will mean bringing Gabriela's photography directly to the people she photographs; meeting them where they are, rather than asking them to seek out her work. This will involve producing print materials like zines, booklets, or banners and placing them in spaces where the community already gathers, such as local car shops, cruising spots, parks, parking lots, etc. The goal is simple: for the community to see themselves in Gabriela’s work with the same dignity and pride they bring to their lowriders. |  |
At Altavoz Lab, we believe in investing in journalists who stay — those who are deeply embedded in their communities and trusted to tell stories with care and accuracy. This fellowship is designed to support their work and create the conditions for it to continue.
Meet Nick Oza.
Originally from Mumbai, India, Nick worked in Illinois, Georgia and Mississippi. His images were part of the Biloxi Sun Herald’s Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation in Biloxi, Mississippi.
In 2006, Nick arrived in Phoenix with his family to work for The Arizona Republic. In 2017, he and the team at The Arizona Republic won a Pulitzer Prize for their reporting on the border wall during the first Trump presidency.
Clearly, Nick was a rising star. But tragically, on September 27, 2021, Nick died due to complications from a car accident. He was 57.
Together we can grow the Nick Oza Visual Fellowship.
- Make a cash donation by clicking the "donate to fellowship" button (you don’t need to register to donate)
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Participate in the campaign by fundraising with us clicking
the "register" button
- register as an individual
- create a team
- join a team
All donations are tax-deductible.
Please promote the campaign by spreading the word with your friends, family and colleagues.
Stay connected on social media for updates on our inaugural fellow Gabriela Campos!
Your support ensures that community-rooted photographers — many bilingual, bicultural, and deeply trusted — have the tools to tell the stories that matter most and often go untold, carrying-on Nick Oza’s legacy.
Thank you for your generosity.
Please contact valeria@altavozlab.com if you have any questions, ideas or if you want to become a sponsor.
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