Rumbleville

The place where children grow up and become adults ultimately shapes their interests, choices, aspirations, dreams, and potential opportunities. Drawing inspiration from S.E. Hinton’s literary characterizations of teenagers and young adults in Tulsa, the documentary photographs in Rumbleville capture a contemporary depiction of childhood maturation in the same disadvantaged locations used in books such as The Outsiders and Rumble Fish. My photographic exploration fluctuates between past and present day socioeconomic challenges evident in the city’s nostalgic identity. The cycle of adversity frequently repeats itself unless there is an intervention, mentorship, or a passionate desire to change one’s personal situation. The urban landscape fosters preconceived notions of identity, but the children and young adults in these pictures are shown partaking in activities that are familiar for most adolescents in America. The photographs in Rumbleville bring you closer to a new generation of residents in a community that is often misrepresented and misunderstood.