Jemiah Fields, 18, is a 2019 high school graduate and PROUD new alumni of the Samuel L. Jones Boys & Girls Club in Decatur. Jemiah says the experiences she gained at her Boys & Girls Club helped her in many ways. Her journey of self-discovery includes finding her passion for storytelling through photography– a hobby that has since turned into a growing business that she plans to continue nurturing and perfecting throughout college and beyond!
Jemiah is just one example of a Boys & Girls Club member who has found her passion and her path! She is a productive and responsible citizen who is prepared for college and career, making good choices, and leading in her community. Get to know Boys & Girls Club’s gifted teen entrepreneur and artist – Jemiah Fields!
Name and School: My name is Jemiah Fields. I just graduated from DeKalb School of the Arts in May 2019! I’m getting ready for my freshman year at Georgia State University. I’ll be majoring in film & media studies.
Name of Club: I began attending the Samuel L. Jones Boys & Girls Club when I was in 7th grade. My mom needed after school care for my brother and me. I enjoyed going to the Club from the very beginning because of the people. The staff like my Executive Director John Strong and Momma Love were really encouraging and supportive.
What were your favorite Club programs? Coordinating talent shows, choreographing dances, budgeting in Money Matters, and taking field trips and job shadowing experiences in CareerBound. I also really loved taking pictures for my Club!
How did you become the photographer for your Club? Everything started with the Martin Luther King Center
field trip that we took a couple of years ago. I was just taking pictures casually and the Club staff asked me to share the pictures I took. They ended up submitting my pictures to a photography contest. I had no idea they were going to enter my photography, but I won a ribbon.
Winning a ribbon boosted my confidence and I started taking pictures of everything for my Club – basketball games, special events, field trips, trees and just things I found interesting in my neighborhood.
My picture from MLK Day is still hanging up in the game room to this day!
Is there a story behind your photography? I use my pictures to tell stories through the teenage perspective. Some of my work has focused on serious issues like police brutality, suicide, and depression.
What inspired you to launch and establish your own business at such a young age? I just became more and more passionate about photography. I always really liked the aesthetics of photography…I looked through photography books, but the Club gave me an opportunity to get a lot of hands-on experience and improve my craft. Photography became a hobby I began taking seriously.
What was your first paid photography job? I think it was taking pictures for my friend’s homecoming or prom. My mom saw how passionate I was and helped me get my own LLC – things took off from there!
What’s the name of your business? Zhané Production is the name of my business. The name is inspired by my middle name, Zhané. Check out my work on zhaneproduction.com!
Name one of your most memorable paid gigs. I designed a photo booth for a festival at my school. I did the decorations, set up, and everything. I get a lot of compliments on one picture I took of my media teacher and his son.
Who inspires you to keep going? My CareerBound advisor, Ms. Tosin, is like the big sister I never knew I needed. She always sends information about job preparation and gives good advice about planning for the future.
What’s next for you and your business? After I get my bachelor’s degree from Georgia State, I plan to make more socially conscious documentaries (which I really like exploring now) and continue to work on taking my photography business to the next level.
For more information on how you and your company can help teens get college and career ready, visit https://bgcma.orgcareerbound/