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Fund Supporting Media Arts Seeks To Inspire Local Art Students
Foundation: Chautauqua Region Community Foundation
When Aaron Perez died in 2023 at the age of 38, he left behind a legacy that now includes an award in his name for a student in the media arts at New York's Jamestown Community College.
Perez, a photographer, videographer, and documentarian, was born in California and spent time in Europe while in high school, reports the Buffalo News.
He eventually worked as a photographer for his college paper before finding a job at New York City's Bowery Bar, where he met and married his wife, Emily Drew.
After working in New York City for a few years, Perez decided to move to Jamestown, his hometown, to teach at the community college.
He was already a favorite of the school's faculty when he started teaching digital media production, and after just one semester, his talent for teaching made him a department favorite, leading to more coursework.
He was named the college's second Artist in Residence and began working on a project about Jamestown's artistic community.
He died in his sleep at his home in Jamestown, leaving behind a wife and two children.
"We got to know Aaron when he worked on a project through the JCC Foundation," says the executive director of the foundation, which has set up the Aaron Perez Media Arts Award Fund.
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