For the past year, I have been working on a documentary photography project about the soccer players of Thomas Jefferson High School, which sits 2 miles east of my house, and their lives as Hispanic immigrants in the US. Many of you have kindly listened to me talk about it for months and have often asked what I am going to do with it and when it will be made public. Well, tomorrow is the day.
I am excited to begin sharing the 11-minute multimedia piece and 32-picture captioned photo essay here and on my website. Before I do so I want to extend heartfelt recognition and thanks…
- first to my wife @kemcwh for encouraging me, challenging me, checking my priorities and motives, listening patiently to me, giving thoughtful feedback and allowing me to devote a lot of extra time to this project.
- second to Bryan Gamez @ernes2mtz, Cesar Escobar @dav_07, Juan Romano @jromanoo10, Orberlin Carachure @c.orbelin10, Sophie Rojas @rojas.sofiaa, Andrea “AJ” Juarez @___aj.____, and all the other TJ kids who honestly and directly shared their stories while graciously allowing me to follow them around for a year. - thirdly to Coach Mark Wolveck, Principal Sandi Massey and Athletic Director Kenny Jones for allowing and supporting this project.
- and finally to Michael Hamtil @mhamtil – a brilliant photo editor and good friend who graciously gave hours of his time over the past year to guide, listen, review, advise and help edit this project.
#TheTimeWeHaveHere
