Kathleen Hennessy is the Director of Photography at the San Francisco Chronicle and has just joined PhotoPhilanthropy as the Activist Award Director for 2010.

I asked her everything that came rushing into my head. What is your editing process like? And how do you think photography creates social change? And what advice do you have for people submitting photo essays to PhotoPhilanthropy? Here’s what she said.

Orphfund is raising money to build orphanages in Haiti, and needs your help.

Potosi, Bolivia Miners: 5 Centuries Deep is a photo documentary project that aims to explore the changing face of the mining community and mining industry in Potosi, Bolivia. Photographer Irina Zhorov hopes to bring more awareness to the situation of the miners, the surrounding towns, and the economic implications of foreign ownership.

Whether you travel for business or pleasure, you likely interact with communities that depend on tourism to help support their economy. When appropriately distributed, the money tourism brings to a community can dramatically impact the quality of life that residents experience. We’ve outlined several tips below to help ensure you have a positive experience, and provide a positive impact on the communities you visit.

In 2009, the founders of Collective Lens will travel to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia to showcase the cultures, issues, and charitable organizations of third world countries. No matter where you live, there are many stereotypes and assumptions about other cultures that often prohibit one’s ability to make a personal connection. By showing the differences and similarities between cultures, we believe that more people will be encouraged to reach out to their neighbors across the globe.

People of colour in South Africa, through the apartheid years, had limited opportunity and access to formal education. Ukulapha was recently formed with the overall objective of facilitating the growth, development, and empowerment of previously disadvantaged and abused South African people.

An interview with Adria Mooney and James DiPadua, the founders of Partners with GLOW, an organization working to help AIDS orphans in Zambia in partnership with the GLOW Club. GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) is a loosely defined organization started by a Peace Corps volunteer, and has since spread throughout the Peace Corps. Adria and James visited Adria’s sister, Alyssa Mooney, in Zambia. Alyssa is currently a Peace Corp volunteer in Mushota, Zambia, and her work inspired Adria and James to become involved when they returned home to the U.S.

A video that portrays an extremely effective and viral fundraising technique with the help of Studio Brussels. All of the money went to Music for Life, an effort to bring fresh drinking water to third world countries.

Homegrown for Health and Economy was founded as an internet awareness campaign aimed at educating the public about the many benefits of home gardening, and assist those interested in getting started on their own gardens.

Blog Action Day 2008 is on October 15th, and this year’s topic is poverty. Join thousands of bloggers from around the world to bring attention to those in need.