FACES OF HARLEM

I like to tell stories. I want to capture and document people’s faces, stories and moments in time with my camera as things are rapidly changing. Stories that are personal and authentic. Ones that capture the beauty and essence of my community to show that authentic energy communicated through my portraits of them, from both sides of the lens. Time is all we have. We just don’t know how much of it. Because in a blink of an eye it will all be gone and no one will remember what it used to be. That which will never be again. FACES OF HARLEM is my love letter, a visual photographic conversation piece, a celebration of beauty, resilience, strength and power. Archiving this very moment in time creates the space to see and tell our own stories reflected in our own communities from our own perspectives. Beyond helping to retell and reinstate the narrative of belonging, safety and SELF LOVE, this project seeks to act as a cultural mediator, inspiring meaningful conversations and fostering connection through public art, oral history, and photography. Inspired by Harlem's history of an ever-changing diaspora, my mission is to create cross-generational opportunities for communities of color to participate in cultural experiences that reflect their needs and desires. In this historically unprecedented time, I believe that it’s important to celebrate Black Love, Black Life and Black Joy.