A LIfe (More or) Less Ordinary--what's the difference?

My hope and dream is to bring the faces of those who have suffered and are suffering from social injustices into the comfort of our lives. I want to show that they are not just THOSE suffering people, but human beings just like you and me.

There seems to be a stigma that those who suffer from social injustices are different, not the same type of human beings as you and me, "those unfortunate people." But in reality, we are all the same human beings. They live and breath as you and I do. They smile and cry as frequent or as infrequent as you and I do. They laugh, yell, scream, run, jump, talk, sing, dance, sleep, hope, dream...just as you and I do. They LIVE. Just as you and I. Just because we may have an education, job, clothes on our back, a roof over our heads, food and water to eat and drink everyday, that doesn't mean we live any MORE than they do and that doesn't mean they live any LESS than we do. Again, I reiterate, we are all the same human beings. From head to toe, we are the same.

I think that we can be more active and more effective as people in a position to help if we come to the realization that WE ARE THE SAME. You always hear about community efforts for this or that cause, raise money for Bobby and Johnny's baseball team, etc. So why can't we view the global community the same way?

My hope and what I seek as a photographer, regardless of this contest, is to portray the similarities of our lives. Simple as that. I want to interact with them, get to know them, learn about their interests, play sports with them, and just love them as much as I can in the time that I am with them. I hope to be able to capture them living their lives as you and I do and share with you a journal of images and experiences over the course of days/weeks of new friends I've met that are similar to the friends that you'd meet right where you are.

Of course, I am not disregarding the things that have happened to them. I think the injustices that surround their lives are the reason why we need to help and love them more. But because too many of us see "them" as so far removed from "us," we are not so moved to act or help out or be a good samaritan. It's the idea that their lives have nothing to do with our lives. But through realizing and understanding that we're not so different, I hope that we can feel more of a responsibility and conviction to extend a helping hand. This is the first step. And what follows, I hope, will be a picture of change.

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