As part of the citywide Monument Lab project, photographer Jamel Shabazz is coming to Germantown during the Memorial Day Weekend Day of Honor event, presented by the Aces Museum. Jamel will photograph veterans and their families, kicking off a series of community-based photo sessions throughout the fall as part of his “Love is the Message” project.

Veterans and their families are invited to participate; no RSVP necessary. Please bring a photo, memento, or other special object tied to military service (optional). All who are photographed will be given a copy of their portraits.

Iconic street photographer and portraitist Jamel Shabazz was born in Brooklyn, New York. He picked up his first camera at age 15 to document his peers, and was inspired by documentary photographers Leonard Freed, James Van Der Zee, and Gordon Parks, who focused their lenses on the African American community.

Major support for Monument Lab projects staged in Philadelphia’s five squares has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. An expanded artist roster and projects at five neighborhood sites have been made possible by a significant grant from the William Penn Foundation. The lead corporate sponsor is Bank of America. Additional support has been provided by the Hummingbird Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Nick & Dee Adams Charitable Fund, Parkway Corporation, Tiffany Tavarez, Tuttleman Family Foundation, and Joe & Renee Zuritsky.

Lead Monument Lab partners include the City of Philadelphia, Historic Philadelphia, Independence National Historic Park, Penn Institute for Urban Research, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Partners for Jamel Shabazz’s project include the Aces Museum, Friends of Vernon Park, Germantown United CDC, the Office of Councilperson Cindy Bass, and the City of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.