Black Futures Matter, Santa Barbara, CA 2021

Black Lives Matter Protest, Santa Barbara, CA 2021

Mural, Santa Barbara, CA 2021

Facing Ourselves: Carpinteria Juanita, Mexico/USA 2019 During the year of preparation and seeking to photograph all facets of the community of Carpinteria, in the end Juanita was the only undocumented person who wasn't fearful of being recorded. We initially agreed that I would only photograph her from behind, but after seeing the portraits in my studio she thanked me for the work we were doing, and told me I could photograph her face as well. Her portrait hung proudly on the main street of the city. All grace, no fear.

Facing Ourselves: Martignano Cletus, Nigeria/Italy 2017 Born in Nigeria, when Cletus' Grandfather was murdered in their village his family escaped to the city of Maiduguri. At a certain point his father instructed him and his brother to travel west to Kano where they would be safer. Subsequently, his father and aunt were killed in a bombing in the Maiduguri marketplace. While we were filming him in the tiny Italian church of Zollino, he suddenly stopped, pulled up his shirt, and revealed where he had been shot in the back. A Christian, he was shot in the back while escaping from the Sharia-ruled zone of Agadez. He walked for 2 yrs to reach Italy, leaving his wife and children behind.

Facing Ourselves: Martignano 2018 This image, shot immediately after the triptych was hung on a billboard on the streets of Martignano, captures the poignancy of the locals seeing their community portrayed in this way for the first time ever. Martignano, situated in the "heel of the boot" in southern Italy, feels like time has passed it by. People move slowly, the older men sit outside the bar playing cards, the elderly women sweep and chat, the children wander safely and freely. The language that unites them uniquely is Griko, a form of ancient Greek from the days when it was Greek territory. They understand what it is like to carry a suitcase.

Facing Ourselves: Martignano Luca + Clara, 2017 Luca and Clara, both raised in Northern Italy, paved the way back to their ancestral homeland in the South. Over time other young Northern Italians have followed. This repopulation is helping Martignano and other small villages, which had lost so many of their youth due to the economic crisis. They are making a large creative and energetic contribution to the area and are actively welcoming their "new neighbors" through creative and community projects.

Facing Ourselves: Carpinteria Wade + Debbie, Japan/USA/Australia 2019 Wade's parents were forced into internment camps during World War II, returning to Carpinteria to raise their family. The first Nikkei Mayor of Carpinteria in 35 years, with his family's history he is especially sensitive to the rights of minority citizens, so the injustice his parents had to go through will never be forgotten. After the Facing Ourselves exhibition, Debbie and Wade requested the use of one of the large outdoor banners from the Facing Ourselves: Carpinteria exhibit. They hope that the banner, which featured them, would help convince the INS that they were indeed part of the community. She got her Green Card.

Facing Ourselves: Martignano Hassan, Egypt/Italy 2017 At age 18, Hassan came with one of the first waves of African refugees crossing in boats to the southern coasts of Italy. Along with other refugees to whom I was introduced, Hassan was fortunate to be taken under the wing of Philos Associazione Multuculturale, a local NGO tirelessly working on behalf of the local refugee community. Hassan's big ambition upon leaving Egypt was to find work as a bricklayer. His vocal rendition of Che Sara is heartbreakingly sweet and filled with hope.

Facing Ourselves: Martignano Cletus, Ivory Coast/Italy 2017 Soccer-loving Cletus came with one of the first waves of African refugees crossing in boats to the southern coasts of Italy. He was fortunate to be taken under the wing of Philos Associazione Multuculturale, a local NGO tirelessly working on behalf of the local refugee community.

Facing Ourselves: London Rehab, Sudan/UK 2017 Strength and determination. Along with many other Sudanese-born women whom I met through Waging Peace, Rehab is passionately involved in the "Anti-GFM" movement. Female Genital Mutilation. We in the West can't begin to imagine how far these women have come, on every level.

Facing Ourselves: London Ziqcra, UK, 2017 Born of Sudanese-refugee parents, Ziqcra is the first of her family to be born on English soil. Her mother Amouna and I picked her up from school on the day of her portrait; she chattered the whole way excitedly, and upon arriving home immediately changed into her favorite dress. Her spirit lights the world.

Facing Ourselves: Carpinteria Maria de las Flores, Mexico/USA 2019 Installation image, Linden Avenue Maria is an undocumented immigrant, married to a legal resident with two sons, currently living in Carpinteria, California and working in "las Flores," the local flower industry.

Facing Ourselves: London/Martignano Taq, Sudan/UK 2017 Installation Image