I grew up in a community overrun with opioid addiction. I realized in early adulthood that it was not normal to know multiple kids who have overdosed and passed. From an early age, a strong sense of physical vulnerability became a part of my psyche. This anxiety, combined with a desire to blend into my surroundings, has informed my photographs and practice to date. I went to Florida initially thinking about political difference, but emerged with a personal revelation, which I wrote about while in the field: "I use the camera as a separating force between me and what I never allowed myself to do. It allows me to participate in what I fear most in a safe way." The overwhelming mud and lack of care for physical wellbeing is something I avoided because of my upbringing and I was now able to become a part of it.
