Cathie Berrey

Artistic Statement

My work is grounded in visibility, dignity, and the belief that everyday people deserve to have their stories documented with care. I am drawn to women and community leaders, the people who do the work, who hold neighborhoods together, who often receive the least recognition. Through portraiture and documentary storytelling, I aim to honor their contributions and create a visual archive of their impact.

I photograph unseen labor: the emotional work, the activism, the caregiving, the quiet leadership that shapes families, movements, and cities. My goal is not simply to take images, but to create moments of connection and to help people feel powerful, seen, and celebrated.

I believe that until all of us are seen, none of us are seen.

Community is at the heart of everything I do. Whether I’m photographing a protest in Philadelphia or working with girls in India, I approach every story with respect,
collaboration, and the belief that photography can be a tool for empowerment.

Awards & Honors

Memberships & Affiliations

• Photographers Without Borders

• National Press Photographers Association (NPPA)

Creative Projects

Creative Philadelphia – Women Who Move Philadelphia

A portrait and storytelling series honoring women leaders, activists, and entrepreneurs across the city. This project highlights unseen labor, neighborhood leadership, and the women who keep Philadelphia moving.

Village Arts Women’s Portrait Project

A collaborative portrait series created with Village Arts & Humanities that honors the women leaders, artists, and culture-keepers shaping Fairhill and Hartranft areas of North Philadelphia through creativity, care, and community strength.

Behind the Trek: Uganda 2026

A long-form documentary project focused on the workers behind eco-tourism (porters, trackers, lodge staff, conservation teams) whose efforts protect gorillas and sustain local communities. This story centers the people who make these journeys possible. Produced in collaboration with Buhoma Lodge and Ndali Lodge.

India & Philippines Empowerment Workshops

Cathie leads “Lights, Camera, Confidence,” a portrait-based empowerment program for women and girls in under-resourced communities. Participants receive their first-ever portraits and engage in confidence-building storytelling.

Protest & Movement Photography

Rooted in decades of activism, Cathie’s movement work documents LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, environmental activism, and the everyday Philadelphians who show up to demand change.

Women-Led Neighborhood Storytelling

From Fairhill to East Falls, Cathie documents women who sustain their communities through leadership, advocacy, mutual aid, and generational wisdom.

Speaking & Workshops

Speaking Topics

• Panelist, “Storytelling & Impact,” hosted by the Institute for Business and Community Development.
• Women’s empowerment through photography
• Community-based storytelling
• Documentary ethics and consent
• Movement & protest photography
• Visual storytelling for nonprofits and grassroots organizations

Workshops

• Lights, Camera, Confidence (India & Philippines)
• Portrait empowerment & confidence-building workshops
• Storytelling workshops for youth and community groups
• Photography + storytelling workshop with Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Restorative Justice Department