Sequined By More Than Nothing

" I was the first one to migrate to America in my family, and as I have gotten older, I have noticed that I have embraced my culture more . The embroidery on my saree was passed down from my great-grand mother, to my mother, and then to me, and I will pass it down to my daughter. I want her to be proud of who she is."

In this timely photo series “Who we are: the will to adorn”, the subjects adorn themselves with pieces of clothing and jewelry that have a history, sentimental meaning, and significance to their identity. In a time where racial division is on the rise and anti-immigration rhetoric is prevalent, it is a joining of women who have “the will”, the deliberate intention, to celebrate the beauty of who they are. The combination of photojournalistic photographs and unconventional portraiture place subjects in their own home or landscapes that resemble their native land. With this, I am inviting viewers to look, listen, and think about the significance of adornment, the value of culture, and the will that it takes to be who we are, truly and fearlessly in America.