Do You See Me?

My photography project Do You See Me? explores the personal histories, strengths, and points of view of African-American women in Chicago. This project and much of my prior work spotlight the challenges of being a woman in America today by combining storytelling with portraiture to explore women’s resilience, strengths and hurdles they face. 

The title Do You See Me? References the lack of representation of black women in mainstream culture throughout history with the responsive action of documenting and exhibiting the stories of these women through their portraits and own spoken and written words. Do You See Me? Captures the personal narratives of black women through portraiture and their responses to the open-ended questions, “What does it mean to be a black woman living in Chicago today?”

Through the intimate process of both collecting and sharing these personal stories, my work captures moments that document women’s experience in contemporary, social and political times. Their handwritten responses are digitally overlaid on the portraits, which furthers the intimacy of the project. As a white female photojournalist, I feel compelled to bring greater equity to the images of women in our culture, and I am inspired by the stories of the women I have met through this project. Together, we create the collaborative pieces that ask - Do you see me?