Fernando was born in Montevideo, Uruguay to a teenage seamstress and an airport ramp agent. The Decillis family set out for the United States in the 80s to escape Uruguay's military dictatorship. At ten years old, speaking no English, Fernando attended public school in what is known today as the Dekalb International Corridor of Atlanta, or Buford Highway. His love of fútbol was an inroad to making friends with other immigrant children from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, who were simultaneously assimilating to life in the U.S. Fernando quickly learned to rely on nonverbal communication to foster a sense of oneness on the field with teammates who all spoke different languages. Fernando translates this skillset fluidly to photograph people from all walks of life.
