THE LITTLE HAITI PORTRAITS

In the winter of 2021, while the Covid-19 global pandemic raged, I spent four months in South Florida. Unlike in Canada, the state of Florida was operating normally, other than requiring masks to be worn in public indoor spaces. While searching for distinct cultural and geographical settings to photograph, I discovered the Miami neighborhood of Little Haiti. Despite its reputation as a dangerous area, I set up my white backdrop, camera, and tripod, becoming a local fixture on the street. I spent a great deal of time getting to know the residents; and, with only the use of a translation app and hand-language, managed to communicate with my Spanish or Creole-speaking subjects. Their generosity in our exchanges was moving.

The recent political unrest in the United States was ever-present not only in the media but visually on the street. These images speak to the unprecedented complex times compounded by the political climate of a more diverse population. The resilience of art to remain relevant and adapt in the face of change is essential. These portraits capture a soon-to-be gentrified neighborhood threatened by global warming, political unrest, and survival.