FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 11, 2013

Contact Information:
Megan Maiolo-Heath
Marketing Manager
(970) 484-3678, ext. 11
megan@treeswaterpeople.org

Illuminating Opportunity: A Photo Exhibit for Social Good

Opening Reception: November 13, 2013

Visits by Appointment: November 14, 2013 – February 14, 2014 – call (202) 370-4618

Trees, Water & People (TWP) is pleased to announce the November 13 opening of their photography exhibition, Illuminating Opportunity: an exploration of the organization’s solar energy program through the eyes of Colorado photographer Darren Mahuron, presented in collaboration with the Organization of American States (OAS) Department of Sustainable Development (DSD), the OAS AMA | Art Museum of the Americas, and the Permanent Mission of Honduras to the OAS.

TWP’s work is supported by the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) and the ECPA Clearinghouse, which is hosted by the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development of the OAS. AMA’s mission of promoting art as an impetus for social change is furthered through this collaboration. The photo exhibit will be open to the public from November 13, 2013 – February 13, 2014 at the Organization of American States General Secretariat Building located at 1889 F Street N.W. in Washington, D.C.

The Illuminating Opportunity exhibit takes you to the heart of rural Honduras, where TWP works with local networks to distribute household scale solar lighting and phone charging systems. Darren Mahuron’s unique photos highlight Honduran culture while showcasing TWP’s important efforts to light the homes of families living off the grid.

In Honduras alone, 2.3 million people still have no access to electricity. Families rely on kerosene lamps and candles that are expensive and produce high levels of indoor air pollution. TWP’s solar products deliver immediate, triple bottom line returns to the poorest communities in the Western Hemisphere. Reducing dependency on kerosene and switching over to solar lighting systems brings staggering social, environmental, and economic benefits, in addition to entrepreneurial opportunities and new sources of income.

“We envision a world where all people, no matter how rural or marginalized, don’t have to depend on overly expensive, contaminating and dangerous energy sources to power their lives.” said Sebastian Africano, TWP’s International Director.

About Darren Mahuron

Darren Mahuron is a Colorado-based photographer whose commercial work has been published in many leading magazines such as ESPN, Rolling Stone, InStyle, and Men’s Journal. His fine art photography has been displayed in exhibitions throughout the United States. To learn more about his work please visit www.summitstyle.com.

About Trees, Water & People

Trees, Water & People (TWP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to developing sustainable, community-based conservation solutions for communities in Latin America and on tribal lands across the United States. Since 2011, TWP has been an Implementing Partner for the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas’ “Improving Access to Clean Energy” initiative. To learn more, please visit www.treeswaterpeople.org

About the OAS Department of Sustainable Development (DSD)

The Department of Sustainable Development (DSD) supports OAS member States in the design and implementation of policies, programs and projects oriented to integrate environmental priorities with poverty alleviation, and socio-economic development goals. Translating sustainable development and environmental protection goals into concrete actions, DSD supports the execution of multiple country projects in such diverse areas as Integrated Water Management, Energy and Climate Change Mitigation, Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation, Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management and Environmental Law, Policy and Good Governance. The Department also supports transparency and Public Participation, as practical ingredients of good governance. To learn more, please visit www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/

About AMA

AMA | Art Museum of the Americas’ work is based on the principle that the arts are transformative for individuals and communities. This belief simultaneously serves to promote the core values of the Organization of American States (OAS) by providing a space for cultural expression, creativity, dialogue and learning, highlighting themes such as democracy, development, human rights, justice, freedom of expression, and innovation. AMA’s work advances the inter-American agenda, drawing on the arts to showcase a constructive vision of the future of the Americas via local and hemispheric cultural exchange. This is achieved by showcasing cutting-edge exhibits of artists whose output creatively combine aesthetics with topical social and political issues and by establishing a dialogue of these works with AMA’s Permanent Collection. AMA proudly supports Illuminating Opportunity as an exhibition addressing critical social issues, continuing in the trajectory of recent exhibitions and outreach initiatives, including the Youth Orchestra of the Americas program to provide music instruction to at-risk young people, and the Two Museums, Two Nations, One Identity program which instructed Salvadoran youth in photography.

For press images please contact

Megan Maiolo-Heath: megan@treeswaterpeople.org

or

Alejandra Henao: ahenaop@oas.org

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