Shawn Pridgen

“[My goal is] to promote and empower a diverse community through fitness, mental health and wellness, with a special focus on people of color.”

Meet Shawn

Born in San Clemente, California, and based in Brooklyn, New York, Shawn Pridgen (he/him) began his photography career during the rise of the Black Lives Matter protests against racial injustice in 2020. He has since published his work in Harper’s, The Washington Post, and elsewhere. A graduate of DePaul University, he is the founder of his own documentary photography business focused on racial equity. He is a recipient of numerous honors including Google Arts & Culture: Black Lenses Matter, which features unique Black Creators (documentary photography), and the Directors Fellowship from International Center of Photography (ICP), where he was previously a student.

Shawn’s commission project for Adobe Stock Artist Development Fund is called, “Can I Kick It?!?” The project encompasses both empowering new imagery and a component of direct community service. Shawn explains, “To promote and empower a diverse community through fitness, mental health and wellness, with a special focus on people of color, I’m creating content featuring a minority-run and operated mixed marital arts facility in New York. I’ll also contribute to the gym’s younger low-income clients and potential clientele, with a goal to elevate, educate, and to give a platform to an underserved community.”

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