Born in 1948, the same year that the Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, Onaje Benjamin was destined to be drawn into the turbulence of activism evolving out of the anti-war and civil rights movements of the 60’s. Being of African American and Caribbean descent & raised in Harlem provided a rich cultural foundation for Onaje to develop his creative framework. Onaje pursued a career as a community organizer, activist and social worker, earning bachelor's and master’s degrees in liberal arts and social work. As a self-taught photographer, Onaje has sought to capture the complexity of lifestyles within the communities he resides and chooses to create monochromatic representations of the world he interprets through the lens. Defining himself as a documentary/Humanist photographer, Onaje’s work has been well received. He began his photographic work in the 80’s working with film cameras. Career demands required him to suspend his photography for a number of decades; only recently returning to the field upon retirement in 2015; which required a steep learning curve in the world of digital cameras and editing software. Onaje’s work has been well received with his work being exhibited in galleries in the Mid-Hudson Valley, New England and New York City; including a solo show at the Woodstock Artists Association and Museum. He has received numerous awards, including the Lelani Claire Award for Outstanding Achievement in Photography. He conducted artist talks at the Center for Photography in Woodstock.Whether capturing the energy and action of a women’s roller derby scrimmage or professional football game, or the intricate aspects of tattooing or political protest, Onaje’s photographs reflect the shifting cultural and political landscapes which make up the communities he resides within.