Documenting Diaspora

I have been a student and practitioner of the Afro-Puerto Rican musical tradition of Bomba for 15 years. I started my journey with Bomba while living in Los Angeles, and upon returning to Chicago, found myself being welcomed into what would become my cultural home: La Escuelita Bombera de Corazon under the direction of Ivelisse Diaz. In 2023 I picked up my camera and after decades, I started shooting photos again. What began as an attempt to return to an old hobby, has become a documentary archive of this incredible family and community that has become a place for me to rediscover my creativity and love of culture.