The Masks We Wear

Every young person carries a version of themselves they show the world — and another, quieter one underneath. Naming that gap is hard, and harder still to do out loud.

The challenge was to create a space where young people could explore who they are, honestly and without judgement, and feel that their story matters.

In partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago, The Masks We Wear invites young people to reflect on the personas they wear — and then to set them down. Their words and faces become a short film about identity, belonging and the courage of being seen.

This is community work first. The young people are collaborators, not subjects — shaping the questions, the words and the way their story is told. The role of technology and craft is simply to hold space and amplify their voices.

It's the clearest example of a thread running through our work: reaching beyond the screen into real communities.

Beyond the film itself, the project opens conversations — among the young people, their peers and the wider community — about identity, empathy and belonging. Creativity becomes a mirror, and a doorway to change.

Technology and storytelling are at their best when they help people understand themselves and each other. The Masks We Wear is a reminder that the most meaningful projects aren't only seen — they're felt, and they leave a community a little more connected than before.