Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Luke Slaboda. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Luke, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?
As a school social worker, I get the honor of working with students whose needs, desires, and voices are often- or under-represented in the traditional classroom model. The joy I have to share is that thstandardal classroom teaching model is shifting and beginning to incorporate student support tactics that are more inclusive of the diversity in learning, processing, and comprehension styles of our learners. Within this trend, I find the most critical shift in perspective – internalizing that these new teaching methods are to benefit all learners and establish more just and equitable classrooms.
The Multi-Tiered Systems of Support model, or MTSS, encourages the integration of many classroom management needs once reserved for students designated with Individualized Education Plans, or IEPs, now available to all students. It may seem like a complete overhaul of teaching systems, but it is not a massive shift – it is just a shift in highlighting quality teaching techniques. For example, Tier 1 supports include methods of repeating directions, upbeat narration, anchor charts in accessible locations in the classroom, or simply having every student use math manipulative. These techniques were often siloed to benefit students deemed “special needs” to try and get them on par with their peers. Adopting the inclusive nature of the MTSS model within general education classrooms allows for learning in diverse ways to be normalized and encouraged. With this slight yet pivotal shift in perspective, the United States can break through our creative box and begin to reclaim our name in creative innovation on the world stage once again.
I believe in doing this, we must begin with delivering our future generations high-quality education. Education is the key to unlocking our gridlocked society from our slow stagnation into the status quo. As a mental health worker, the foundation of my practice is psychoeducation and empowerment. My goal is to simply present information before my clients and guide them through their change path. I often explain to the middle schoolers who come to my office for advice or an ear to listen that we often fear or don’t like that which we don’t understand – so if something is scary, challenging, or different, that is an invitation to pause and try and learn more. By learning more about others, our environment, and ourselves, we open our minds to better informed decisions, perspectives, and judgments. So the challenge for us “educators” is to spark curiosity and wonder in discovering the mystery of the world we live in in hopes of witnessing the progression of humanity into a thriving community.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Luke Slaboda, and I am the founder of Slaboda Photography. My mission is to “capture moments that speak.” In my honest reflection, this is a selfish endeavor – I am searching for moments in the world and with people that speak to me and hoping that, through some form of transcendence and trans, sfertalk can talk to someone else. I think this started while growing up in a large, creative family of quirky misfits in a town of creative misfits. Athens, Georiga is home to the GA Bulldawgs to the vast majority of the SEC-south. For a large community of us, “Athens,” athens is home to an off-beat, eclectic collection of creatives, musicians, foodies, hippies, and hipsters. I love it. Being one of the youngest in the family, I led my way in quietly making my voice heard and expressing my creativity. In line with our patriarch, I fell in love with photog and with finding how my voice can mimic or harmonizfather’smy father’s.
While in college, I explored my love for the lens – often revisiting the same places for the best shot and eventually growing into trespassing to capture the magnificence of abandoned property. In my most natural state, I am searching for a photo opportunity at any moment – hovering over the brake on a road trip to frantically searching for “the shot” around the corner on a walk. I learned this from my father – who talks about “seeing life in photos.” I feel most at home on the side of the road, with a camera in my hand and something captivating in front of me – just like when my father and I drove from Athens, GA, to Southwest Colorado on a road trip.
My mission is to capture moments like that trip. My mission is to capture inspiration like my father instilled in me. I aim to capture moments that speak as my father speaks through photos. Selfish? Maybe. Intriguing? Hell yes.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For many years, I fought calling myself an artist – I felt the title did not fit me as well as it did all the “real” artists I grew up around in Athens, Ga. So, it wasn’t until I was empowered to embrace the title of being a photographer that a cocoa-nib-loving professor challenged me to be myself. My hesitation to embrace that part of my identity spawned from insecurity to express myself authentically in fear of criticism and rejection. What I’ve found the most rewarding about being an artist is having a creative outlet to express the inner battle between being who I am and who I want to be. I find reward in sharing my perspective and finding a connection with someone else. It is corny, but honestly – I want to capture and share moments that speak to me.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The brand is the creative person and mission for many creative endeavors. For my brand to grow, I need to develop a community network that isn’t based on quid pro quo but on relationships. My primary mode of growing clientele is firm in word-of-mouth recommendations. This is not the best strategy for all creatives; I am focused on a professional career in education, and photography is an aspect of my identity I still desire to express.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.slabodaphotography.com/
- Instagram: @slabodaphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slabodaphotography