'Backbone of America'

"Photo project gives a voice to 'backbone of America,'" is a interesting piece of journalism about a book that captures the detailed lives of everyday Americans called "The Oxford Project." The book combines photos with inmate details of the lives of residents in the small town of Oxford, Iowa over 20 years.

I think the photo project does a great job of giving a voice to the residents of Oxford, because it captures the real-life experiences they have experienced throughout their lives. The article also does a great job of using multi-media to tell the story by adding links to photos over 20 years, video, a map and information on the town of Oxford.

"The Oxford Project" not only documents the lives of ordinary people, but it presents them in a not so ordinary way. Check out the video on author Stephen Bloom speaking about giving a voice to the voiceless and not talking to the decision makers, but the people that are affected by the decision makers. It reminds me that everyone has a story... which is one of the reasons why I was originally attracted to the world of journalism in the first place.
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/10/07/oxford.project/index.html