A LITTLE ABOUT
a brief bio:
Angela Francine Popplewell is a Founder and the CEO for the nonprofit organization, 100cameras. With over fourteen years of experience working alongside localized educational and community development programs worldwide, her work focuses on the intersection of equipping youth with storytelling tools to process and tell, uplifting their points of view, and furthering the fundamental need for locally rooted development initiatives to be the lead in each community. Prior to 100cameras, she started her career at Charity: Water followed by her role as Director of Development & Administration at New Life of NYC, an inner-city community center in downtown Manhattan.
After building and testing the 100cameras curriculum and model to scale, Angela has recently led 100cameras to host meaningful partnerships with Apple, Fujifilm, ViacomCBS, Framebridge, Adobe, the Whole Foods’ Foundation, the United Nations University, and the Malala Fund. Angela has participated on panels at UNICEF and contributed to primetime media. Articles for these and more can be found at 100cameras.org. Through these program platforms, over 29,000 youth have had access to tools to help process and tell their stories, impacting how they view themselves and their role in their community.
Angela currently lives in New York City with her husband, Ty, and their two children.
THE KEEPING-IT-REAL ADDENDUM TO THE ABOVE
Key disclaimer for those who are like me and stating the above second paragraph feels a bit like smoke and mirrors, because —
It definitely took an incredible team who volunteered for many years to make these opportunities possible before we were ready to hire (aka not just me AT ALL). Opportunities like those listed took over a decade, and it was all launched and built in spare time outside of full-time jobs.
Many of the above partnerships are from cold contact or from focusing on building relationships versus a transaction. Combined with trusting in the importance of timing and the practices of stewardship while creating systems for internal accountability and integrity that are far bigger than one person. Also it’s worth noting that at my helm, the organization lost a huge opportunity when it was young because we were not ready. I’ll share what I spent the following 5 years fine-tuning so we would be ready.
Honestly, I’ll be an open book and share whatever I can. Countless people have supported me over these years, and it is everything.
If you are building something that works to make the world a more equitable, safe, and positive space for all and if it would support you to hear some literal, action steps based on what I’ve learned and continue to learn, I am here. In my twenties, I remember the feeling well of wondering often if I would ever be able to innovate and grow something with an absence of built-ins from my background, and it was quite the road of roads. And if that’s you too, I am an absolute tell-all. My email is below <3
A LIFE BIO IN her own words:
Because life is too short to only write about yourself in the third person.
I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, entrepreneur, storyteller, community member, believer in equality for all, pursuer of hope & joy, and citizen of our country and world. I strive to learn how and when to prioritize and pour into each meaningful piece of who I am to become a stronger, more courageous, more boldly-loving person that makes others feel welcomed, accepted, cherished, and loved. In light of some great darkness inflicted across our shared earth, I cannot help but ask myself, "Is it not my responsibility as a human to be a steward of my one life by living out love, light, and hope equalled by an uprising against injustices alongside as many fellow humans as possible?" I am committed to showing up to listen, unlearn, learn, and try to get it right — and then repeat and then repeat some more.
I am a grateful first-generation college graduate, and my parents managed four jobs for most of my childhood to make that possible. They taught me a lot because of it all, and I am in awe of what they worked through and accomplished.
This may or may not also be a good moment to interject that I am moved deeply by the reality of death. But not in the careless way that it may sound, I hope. Instead in the way that awakens.
Our life is such a gift of a responsibility, such a short breath in the grand performance of time, and such an honor to be alive and a participant in the majestic units that make up our earth. Yet, there is a destined end. And tragically, time on earth is not fair or just or made whole for all humans — based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion, socio-economic status, sexuality and more. With a finite amount to work with, it is clear that we simply do not have the time to waste on working to make this right.
I believe one of my family members articulated it most beautifully one summer afternoon just before passing from cancer at the age of 34:
Who’s to say if I will get 35 or 85 years? And even then, the weight of it all is really what will I do with that 35 or 85 years?
Every day is your full life. Live it well; make it count.
This is what I know with every thread of my soul: Life on earth is but a vapor. Will I seek to support in the fixing of broken and failing systems that oppress and harm? Will I continually commit to do my (ongoing) homework and heartwork to listening and finding out how I contribute to and/or perpetuate the deepest roots of such broken systems? May I always remain a committed student and partner, with all that I am.
I am motivated to continue learning, evolving, and exploring this, and figuring out how to live well with all of my strengths and while working on all of my weaknesses.