By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – Sharing the complete picture of humanity, especially the hard topics, so that one-day she can affect positive change.

That’s the reason photographer and Washington State University Tri-Cities alumna Madison Rosenbaum first picked up a camera. Shedding light on difficult social issues and providing a voice for the unheard is also what led her to document local protests following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

The images themselves do the talking, and they allow others to share their own stories, Rosenbaum said.

“There are seven billion people on this planet experiencing the world differently every day,” she said. “If I can provide a glimpse into those experiences for others intentionally or unintentionally seeking to better connect with humanity, then my artistry is serving the purpose I want it to.”

Photography as a catalyst

Rosenbaum said she hopes her photographs of this month help the community mourn the unjust deaths of African Americans, tell the stories of those still experiencing racism and inequality, and serve as a catalyst for positive change.

“As an artist and someone who identifies as white, I want to do better at providing a space for marginalized groups­—for black, indigenous, people of color—to see themselves in art and to have their stories heard,” she said. “I will always be a believer that storytelling through photography can help be the bridge to connecting and understanding someone else’s lived experience with an open mind and open heart.”

Photography, she said, can often shed light on feelings, emotions, actions and even consequences where words may fall short. In her recent photographs of the protests, the portraits display the frustration, grit and pain experienced by many as they held signs stating “Black lives matter,” “I can’t breathe” and “Together we stand.”

“In an age of social media, it is easier than ever to be vocal about social issues,” she said. “I hope those viewing my work are choosing to listen to the stories told by those in the photographs and take their stories to heart. Their experiences are valid and real.”

Building a foundation with education

While she didn’t know it at the time, Rosenbaum said choosing two seemingly unmatched degree programs to double major in at ���سԹ�, digital technology and culture and psychology, helped open her mind to how she could use creativity to shine light on social issues.

Through her digital technology and culture courses, she mastered and refined the skills and techniques that now allow her to capture color, angles, light and emotion in her art, and she learned the power of using art to shine light on important topics. Her psychology courses, she said, provided a foundational understanding of the human mind, and how humans interact and relate.

During her senior year, Rosenbaum was invited by digital technology and culture professor Peter Christenson to participate in the “Women artists from the Columbia Valley” exhibition, which featured 64 contemporary female artists and their work. As part of her submission for the exhibition, Rosenbaum collaborated with two other artists on images of mental health, and specifically her personal journey with depression.

“They were self-portraits that we each helped one another construct and produce,” she said. “Being in front of the camera as a model exploring something incredibly vulnerable was difficult, but I realized it was an outlet to discuss something that I was passionate about and often did not have the words for. It was the first step for me in understanding storytelling through photography and an experience I keep in mind always as I help others explore theirs.”

Telling stories

After that first exhibition, Rosenbaum began producing and participating in other photography and art projects that helped shed light on social, emotional and political topics.

She organized ���سԹ�’ first student-curated photo exhibition, which featured artist-submitted works on the topics of domestic and sexual violence, social injustice, racism, sexuality and inequality. She said while it made some people uncomfortable, it was well received by individuals who stated that it helped them explore hard to discuss topics.

After graduating from ���سԹ� in 2015, she expanded upon a series of photographs she began as a student called “,” which features dozens of individual portraits and stories that explore vulnerabilities of humankind and examine sociopolitical barriers through an artistic lens. She began another series titled “” on what life is like as an immigrant in 21^st century America, as well as a series specifically detailing struggles with mental health called “.”

In March of this year, amid the COVID-19 health crisis, she began a series detailing individuals’ experiences from home and those who work on the frontlines in healthcare titled “.” The series features individuals from the Tri-Cities area, as well as others who live around the world. Many said they wanted to participate because they wanted to share their personal experiences, and also as a way to connect while everyone feels so isolated.

“When Madison asked me if I would be interested in participating in the project, my family and I [had recently] experienced a tragedy and I wanted to share a realization,” said Carina León, a participant in the project. “My life has suddenly become more precious, and I want to be more conscious of the moments I have with myself and with my loved ones.”

“I participated in ‘Tales from Home’ because I wanted to give people the perspective of someone in the heart of the pandemic, one of the largest metropolitan hotspots in the world,” said Maximilian VonderMehden, a ���سԹ� alumnus and a nurse in Los Angeles. “I wanted to give some perspective that even if the disease isn’t ‘right at your doorstep,’ what we’re all doing still matters, still plays a part, and is still essential.”

Using art to open eyes

Rosenbaum said while some of her projects may make people uncomfortable, it is for the purpose of positive change, and it has helped to open her eyes to her own inherent thoughts and emotions.

“I want to challenge viewers and their biases,” she said. “I want to challenge my own views and biases. These stories have changed my life. I have become more educated about the histories and cultures and experiences of marginalized groups. I have become an advocate in my community. My work to dismantle white supremacy and examining my white privilege is a constant journey, but I am trying every day and in every story I share.”

Photography, Rosenbaum said, is a way to not only express herself, but to express the thoughts, emotions, struggles and triumphs of others.

“We can all be agents of change,” she said. “Blog. Write. Sing. Create. Photograph. Draw. Paint. No matter your craft, do it with intention.”

To view Rosenbaum’s work, visit .

By Maegan Murray, ���سԹ�

RICHLAND, Wash. – After taking one class at a time over a 40-year journey, Washington State University Tri-Cities business administration alumna Vanessa Moore said she now has a sense of professional security and knowledge she can utilize throughout the remainder of her professional career – especially with her position out at the .

After getting involved with a variety of business programming in the mid-1970s as a student at Hanford and Richland High Schools, Moore said she always had a yearning to go into business. She participated in the Cooperative Office Education program at her school, which was business-related, and also in Future Business Leaders of America.

She decided to attend WSU in Pullman because she liked the smaller university size as compared with other public schools and the close-knit community atmosphere where she began her degree in business administration. But shortly afterward, her plans diverged.

“My plan was to go for five years and get two degrees: one in accounting and the other in business administration,” she said. “But plans change.”

Switching gears mid-career

Moore got married in the spring of 1976 and afterward, decided to continue with an associate’s at Columbia Basin College in Pasco. There, while raising two sons, she took one class at a time before earning her associate’s. The slow process allowed her to focus on her family, while gradually working toward her degree. All the while, her husband managed his family’s business.

“I was fortunate to be a stay at home mom at the time, so I was able to take one class at a time and study,” she said. “I wouldn’t have to be away from home that much. I could fit study time in between. And all the while, I could make sure there was no financial burden on our family.”

In 1985, Moore returned to the workforce, holding various positions with Bank of America until taking a job with the prime contractor at Hanford. With improved financial security, she said complacency set in and she took a break from school. A few years later, however, she was laid off due to workforce restructuring.

Knowing that getting her bachelor’s would provide her with a safer foundation for if she were to ever experience that strain again, she decided to go back to school for her bachelor’s at ���سԹ� in 2009. Once again, she would take one class at a time.

“I never wanted to be in that position again – not having a bachelor’s,” she said. “I remember looking at the job postings when I wasn’t working, thinking, ‘Sure I have years of relevant experience, but you have to have a degree.’ It motivated me to get back in and go until I was finished. You always want to be prepared.”

Why ���سԹ�?

Moore said ���سԹ� provided a great local option for higher education, in addition to the rigor and reputation of an established business program. She said many of her family members are also WSU Cougs. Moore’s brother, Duke Mitchell, also previously served on the WSU Advisory Council of Tri-Cities, in addition serving on the board at Columbia Basin College.

“Of the six of us siblings, four of us are Cougs,” she said. “It’s special knowing that you all have this connection to the same school.”

While studying at ���سԹ�, Moore said she relished the interaction that she got from the diverse group of students on campus, as well as her professors. The age range of the students, she said, provided her with a good atmosphere to feel comfortable with people her own age, but also to experience the younger side of life with more traditional-aged student.

Her older age, she said, also allowed her to connect to current events that she could then help to explain to some of her younger peers.

“I was able to provide my perspective of what it was like in the real-world, and I think some of the other students appreciated that,” she said.

She also enjoyed the classes, themselves. From her business programming, which is directly applicable in her current position as a staffing coordinator for the work-based learning department at , to her core-curricular classes ranging from history to science, she said there was always something applicable to her life to be gained.

Her business courses were taught by professors, who, in conjunction with their role as educators at ���سԹ�, also held current or former jobs out in the business sector.

And while on her educational journey, Vanessa use what she learned to co-found three companies and guide two charitable organizations through the non-profit solidification and requirements process.

A bachelor’s is worth it

Now, after spending many years completing her business administration degree and finishing this past semester, she said it feels surreal driving to work every day to PNNL and passing ���سԹ� without having to go to class, but that the effort was worth it.

“I am very grateful for my experience here and the people I came to know and what I have gained as a result,” she said. “Getting my degree was important to me, and I wanted to finish it without accruing any student loans. The feeling of completion and accomplishment and knowing that I did well is so validating.”

She said she also wants to thank her family and employer, PNNL, for their support.

“My husband, Leonard Moore, was so supportive of it all and patient in understanding why it was important for me,” she said. “He, I and the boys kind of went on this journey together … I am also thankful to my employer for the tuition reimbursement program, and to my colleagues. My manager at work was so excited for me when I finished.”

Moore’s brother, Duke Mitchell, said seeing his sister graduate from WSU after all these years is inspiring.

“In my opinion, higher education is one of the primary keys to success in life for everyone, not only now, but throughout history,” he said. “I am so proud of Vanessa … She has raised children and helped raise grandchildren and she has always been a great role model for everyone throughout the years. Her graduation from WSU now is just one more example of her strength and character.”

‘Don’t wait and lose out’

Moore encourages people to take advantage of the opportunities while they are younger.

“It definitely got harder as I got older,” she said. “The ability to stay up late and study and remember it all. I noticed a big difference in my 60s as compared to my 40s.”

She also encourages people to think about the earning potential and possibilities at stake without a bachelor’s degree.

“Think of the earning power that was lost and the opportunities,” she said of her years without a university degree. “There are a lot of benefits that come with a bachelor’s degree. Don’t wait and lose out on those opportunities.”