My objective as a visual storyteller is to connect with individuals and families on an intimate level, especially if this leads to long-term trusted relationships. When collaborators find a level of vulnerability that allows them to reveal unseen aspects about themselves, a certain power and authenticity manifests in the small, ephemeral moments.
I capture these moments to challenge pervasive tropes regarding the depiction of African-Americans, whether it is the characterization of black males as violent criminals or as deadbeat dads, or the description of black families and communities solely as dysfunctional and despondent.
Workaday moments of ordinary black life are often not considered newsworthy. But it is these moments that represent quiet acts of resistance, reclaiming narrative without the need for big gestures or artificial iconography. My aim is to show African-Americans as empowered agents in their own lives, whose humanity doesn’t need explanation or defense.