A photographer captures life inside Chicago Public Schools

Melissa Ann Pinney

NPR Staff

November 01, 2025 / 6:00 am

Melissa Ann Pinney photographed the everyday moments of adolescence inside Chicago Public Schools during a seven-year artist residency. Her series Becoming Themselves portrays students, especially those marginalized and underrepresented, as they navigate identity, community and the many transformations of growing up.

We interviewed Pinney about the making of her series and the stories behind some of her favorite images. The interview has been edited for clarity and length.

What drew you to photograph inside Chicago Public Schools?

I was invited by Artists in Public Schools, an organization that pairs artists for residencies in schools all over the city, to photogra

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