Porches
Porches are America's lost rooms.
"-Barbara Grizzuti Harrison
Dusk in Trinidad, Cuba. Consider this photo an ode to my southern roots or my yearning nostalgic desire. One of the most appealing aspects of Cuba, or perhaps my travels in general is the retention of community via sitting outside. Neighbors and families sit outside and chat. They laugh, they listen, they debate, they observe and they interact with passerby's. Perceptively, it taps into a powerful emotive desire. It just feels right. It feels human.
Admittedly, one of the more arduous cultural norms I find about living in the United States is the lack of outward and genuine appreciation of community. Holistically speaking, we sequester ourselves behind closed doors. We don't connect with each other in the day-to-day. In my humble opinion, largely this has led to the turmoil we are seeing. We fashion bubbles, we litter our yards and front doors with no trespassing signs, we shy away from conflict, we callously attack each other on keyboards, and we take away human interaction. Don't get me wrong, social media is a wonderful platform, and it's amazing to be able to connect with my friends around the world at the snap of a finger; however, I desperately wish we would sit outside, welcome each other into our homes, share a cup of coffee, sit on the front porch and watch the world go by...and just be...to just be present and connect with each other versus ensconced behind locked doors and screens.
Behind my subjectively pretty photos, there is a larger message...I hope. I hope to use my photography as tool for activism and awareness...to capture moments in time that portray the essence of what it means to be human. I welcome a healthy dialogue and would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for engaging! I wish we could do it over a cup of coffee...but this will do!