I am a documentary photographer working in the SF Bay Area. Most of my projects deal with people whose stories and experiences are not often heard. Some of the projects are viewable at the Social Documentary link.
This project is called Home Away from Home: Little Palestine by the Bay. HOME is a multi-media project juxtaposing recorded oral histories and B&W Portraits from the SF Bay Area Palestinian community, second largest in the US. The viewer will be able to hear the voice while looking into the (photographed) eyes of the person telling their story.
Essentially, the project explores the question “What does it mean to be Palestinian in America?”
Twenty-seven members of this community describe how and why they maintain ties to and aspirations for their homeland Palestine; and how they reconcile this with life in a country whose political culture is so profoundly hostile to those aspirations.
Recent Awards, Grants, Recognition:
* Cultural Equity Grantee, SF Arts Commission for Home Away from Home-2013.
* Arab Fund for Arts and Culture Grantee for Home Away from Home-2013.
* Luminance 2012 Photo Competition, NYC – First Prize-2012.
* Photography Fellow, Rayko Photo Center, SF-2011.
* Born Among Mirrors named among top ten photo projects by SocialDocumentary.net-2008.
* Nominee for US Artist Fellowship-2007.
* California Newspaper Publishers Association – Photo Essay, 1st Place-2002.
Recent Solo Exhibitions:
* Home Away from Home: Little Palestine by the Bay, Rayko Photo Center, SF-2014.
* Born Among Mirrors: 50 Years After, Jewett Gallery, SF Main Library, SF-2012; Jerusalem Fund Gallery, Washington, DC-2010; Rayko Photo Center, SF-2008.
