I AM A WOMAN WHO uses portrait photography and confessional writing to explore the threads that connect women to other women in the world, no matter what their backgrounds or experiences. It inspires the release of raw, uncensored truths captured in the moment through stream-of-consciousness writing coupled with imagery that serves as both catalyst and canvas.

I AM A WOMAN WHO project provides an opportunity for the subjects to not only be viewed, but to speak back. It addresses issues commonly faced – and shared – by the female sex, and how those issues define who we have been, who we are now, and who we can become. Viewers of the images can then draw connections to these issues in their own lives.

I AM A WOMAN WHO is a continually evolving movement-in-progress. Women and girls are invited and encouraged to join in. See the “Participate” page for details about how.

I AM A WOMAN WHO was started by Jill Valle, an educator and psychotherapist with a specific focus on girls and women. When Jill began using the journaling prompt “I Am A Girl Who…” with students in workshops and private sessions she noticed the simple yet profound answers that were revealed. This exercise connected the girls to each other and helped them see and celebrate their commonalities rather than focus on their differences. Jill later used this same prompt with friends and acquaintances while asking permission to take their portraits. She began to see the possibility of combining photography and writing to take what is hidden inside and express it visually so that the outside is seen in a whole new way. In effect, she created a vehicle for an “integrated” portrait of the female self.