Soraya  

Growing up, my grandmothers were my foundation, helping me to grow into the person I am today. Due to a dictatorship, both immigrated from the Dominican Republic to Washington Heights in search of better opportunities. I was born and raised in Washington Heights, also known as “Little Dominican Republic.” The people of my neighborhood, much like my grandmothers, have always shown strength, love, and community despite all the obstacles they have had to deal with. My photographs portray my neighborhood and family members in this light. To me, this is crucial to my work because these stories are not told. Our stories are often overshadowed by negative generalizations. I hope to contradict that through my work. I often use black-and-white photography to evoke a comforting and familiar feeling, telling the story of who I am and the world that surrounds me. This is inspired by Mel D. Cole, who uses black-and-white photography to show alternative perspectives. In his work, he captures nontraditional views in the hope that people understand an entire story—much like how I photograph images in opposition to the bigotry that affects the world around me.