This project is a journey inward, a means of reconciling my own identity as a Black, queer woman. The photographs depict worlds between generations, between tradition and progress, between their truth and mine. Returning to my hometown of Gadsden, South Carolina, I was drawn to photograph my grandparents as members of my family siblings have assumed the caretaker role.

I am interested in exploring the tension between connection and dissonance as I navigate the complex landscape of family, love, duty, and self-discovery. Gadsden is a rural town deeply tied to the traditions of the South. It is a place I know intimately but often feel disconnected from. I am interested in exploring the idea that a place that is so familiar can feel so distant. My grandparents’ home in Gadsden is a place of comfort and contradiction where history lingers in every shadow. Tenderness and tension define my grandparents and our unique bond. In photographing them and the town, I seek to capture a present experience that often reflects the past. The South, which is often referred to as the bible belt, is where God, Guns, and Government reign and heavily impact not only my community and my family but my life.