Winners of Leica Women Foto Project share their experiences of exposing injustice

April 11, 2023 : Leica, the German company known for its high-end photography equipment, has awarded its annual women’s photography contest to participants from the US, UK, Mexico, and Canada for the first time. The Leica Women Foto Project was created in 2019 to provide a platform for a female perspective on storytelling. This year’s awards represented an expanded focus on promoting social justice and change. Four winners were selected by a panel of judges from the world of photography, each receiving a Leica camera, a lens, and a cash prize of $10,000. The women who won the award, including Eli Farinango, Mary F. Calvert, and Greta Rico, were recognized for their work in promoting a diversity of storytelling, breaking down colonial stereotypes and gender culture, and highlighting gender and human rights issues. The photographic work of the awardees showcased indigenous rights and sovereignty, sexual abuse of women and men in the US Armed Forces, and reflections on coloniality, gender culture, violence, and trauma. The Leica Women Foto Project is a platform for artists and change-makers to provide a voice for social change and justice while inspiring others to find healing in their stories.