Meet Mohammed, the Photographer

Mohammed N. has been a part of Anthesis since December 2018. Since then, Mohammed has experienced significant personal growth. Prior to Mohammed becoming a part of Anthesis, Mohammed shared that one of his most impactful experiences was when he and his family moved to the United States from Pakistan in 2001. He was only 6 years old at the time and recalls “things being very different in the United States,” as his family arrived in the United States right after the 9/11 tragedy. However, Mohammed and his family quickly adjusted and found a supportive community at their church, which is still an important part of his life.

Mohammed has had the opportunity to learn new skills and hobbies through the Anthesis Transition Program. The Transition Program focuses on providing community-based support through participation in community integrated activities and on providing both job and career training for individuals. While the Transition Program mainly focuses on the tools and support needed to be more productive members of the community, it also assists participants in the exploration of various jobs and careers that are available to them. With the help of staff at the Transition Program, Mohammed has created a schedule based on his personal interests and job-related goals.

When Mohammed first came to the Transition Program, he worked with a community coach who helped him set person-centered goals for what he wanted to accomplish during his time in the program. With these goals set by Mohammed and supported by the Transition Program staff, Mohammed has learned many new skills and hobbies. One being having an opportunity to explore his interest in photography. Mohammed expressed a desire to have a job in the field of photography, which helped guide his path when transitioning to the Discovery Program. The Discovery Program assists each person to develop job/career goals that match their unique skills, interests, and abilities needed for competitive integrated employment. Once in the Discovery Program, Mohammed was able to explore the steps needed to be placed in a paid position that matches his interests. With support from both the Transition Program and Discovery Program, Mohammed gained job-related skills, such as building a strong resume and portraying confidence while interviewing.

Job developers in the Discovery Program were able to arrange for Mohammed to get some pointers from photographer (and Anthesis board member), Sonja Stump. From his meeting with Ms. Stump, Mohammed expressed an even greater interest in pursuing a career in photography. To further explore his interest, job developers set up a meeting with Kathleen McCall of the Gallery SOHO located in Montclair Place. Kathleen took notice in Mohammed’s art and passion for photography and offered Mohammed an opportunity to work in the gallery under a Paid Internship Program (PIP), which is a type of supportive employment sponsored by Regional Center. The PIP is teaching him about different aspects of running a gallery. Some of the new skills he has learned include how to frame the artwork, as well as how to display the pieces. During his tenure at the Gallery SOHO, Mohammed has even been able to show some of his work. Congratulations on the opportunity to display your photos at Gallery Soho, Mohammed!