Image - the speakers
San Francisco

The Power of Human Connection: Photographer Harry Williams on the Michelle Meow Year-End Special

In-person TicketsOnline-only Tickets

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Join us for our celebratory year-end Michelle Meow Show special. We'll start with a conversation with local photographer/artist Harry Williams, who photographs the people of San Francisco. We'll explore human connections and how community engagement can preserve our dignity and compassion for each other. 

Then stick around for a fun reception and holiday cheer.

About the Speaker

Harry Williams says his work "is rooted in capturing the resilience and humanity of marginalized communities, presenting them in a way that commands attention and challenges perceptions." He spent more than a year photographing on the corner of Jones and Ellis Streets in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, a neighborhood known for its abundance of single-occupancy residence (SOR) housing and its association with drugs and crime. "This body of work speaks to more than one community; it reflects a reality familiar to cities and small towns alike, where certain neighborhoods undergo shifts that can displace the people who have long called them home. As these areas change, often becoming less accessible to those who built their lives there, a profound cultural and personal loss occurs. . . . Through these images, I seek to preserve the spirit and stories of these communities, highlighting their strength and significance in ways that demand respect and remembrance. Ultimately, I hope that these monumental images confront viewers with both the beauty and strength of communities often sidelined, making space for empathy, connection, and reflection."

Notes

This program has 2 types of tickets available: In-person and online-only. Please pre-register to receive a link to the live-stream event.

If you have symptoms of illness (coughing, fever, etc.), we ask that you either stay home or wear a mask. Our front desk has complimentary masks for members and guests who would like one.

Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our online programming.

The Commonwealth Club thanks Gilead Sciences, Inc. for its generous support of The Michelle Meow Show. 
Gilead

See more  Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California.

Photos courtesy the speakers.

All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable.

Thu, Dec 19 / 6:00 PM PST

Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California
110 The Embarcadero
Taube Family Auditorium
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States

Speakers
Image - Harry Williams

Harry Williams

Photographer; Artist

Image - Michelle Meow

Michelle Meow

Producer and Host, "The Michelle Meow Show," KPIX+; Member, Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California Board of Governors—Co-host

Format

5:30 p.m. doors open & check-in
6–7 p.m. program
7–8 p.m. holiday reception
(all times PST)

COST

Free