This body of work is titled Soursop. The purpose behind this project is to delve into the inner workings of the Caribbean oasis that is New York. It is inspired by my parents, who emigrated to New York from the islands of Jamaica and Panamá in the 70s.  They found their way to each other through nightlife, during my father’s time as a DJ in the 80s. This body of work is influenced by my parents’ respective journeys to New York and their process of defining what home looks like within not only their connection with each other, but within their newfound local community in an environment that was foreign to them.

These interconnections have informed my work and are the root of my desire to accurately portray the existence of Caribbean immigrants and first-generation individuals in New York. Soursop narrows in on the channels in which love travels from one individual to the next. It explores individuals of Caribbean descent and their path to finding solace in the city. It is a visual love letter to the warmth that pulsates throughout the Caribbean community in New York. It is fluid - transcending generations and gender, flowing through the community freely without bounds; built upon mutual understanding and an ongoing search for security.

An Independent Study with Scope of Work and Feels like Home. (2023)