Clouds of Ash

We have all heard and seen hollywood glorify and glamorize images of war, pain, and destruction. Often, we forget that these things are all too real, and are the cause of death for thousands of innocent people every year. Those who are spared are forced to flee, living off whatever they can carry. In this photo by none other than Sebastiao Salgado, we see refugees from the Bosnian enclave of Bihac at the camp of Turanj huddled close together in the wake of the destruction that had come to them. The wide view of the ruined town goes to emphasize the massiveness of what happened there. Land mines had left any structures only shells of what they used to be, and any people only former shadows of themselves. I cannot come even close to imagining what it would be like to walk through the remains of what I once called home. The grief and terror must be unbearable, and I am sure that it is a scar these people will carry as long as they live. Seeing an image like this leaves me in awe, and as always, leaves me grateful for what I have.

http://www.pdngallery.com/legends/legends10/

From Salgado's book MIGRATIONS: Humanity in Transition

Big Brother

I am an older sister, and would do anything to help protect my three younger brothers. I love them more than they know, and I feel a responsibility toward them. I also know that there are many more older siblings out there besides me, all of them trying to help their younger brothers and sisters. What must it be like, then, to know that the best you can do is hold onto them while everyone around you suffers? This is the exact kind of desperate love shown in this week's photo from Sebastio Salgado, and it clearly illustrates just how older siblings (usually still quite young themselves) assume the responsibility of protecting their little ones. Seeing this particular image of a boy carrying a small child amidst the dreary surroundings of a Displaced Indians camp in Polho, Mexico really made my heart ache. It amazes me. These children are so strong. They endure so much, and get so little. Yet, no matter what, they keep on going. They know that they have to be strong for their little brothers and sisters, often in the place of a mother or father. These children are what inspire me to be a better sister to my younger brothers. The whole world can learn from their courageous example of love and strength, even in the darkest of times. 

http://www.pdngallery.com/legends/legends10/

From Salgado's book MIGRATIONS: Humanity in Transition

Space

With only pictures, Sebastio Salgado has made me think of things that I would have never thought of before. In this particular example, he has captured the cramped living space of an African man who is waiting to pass through to the Spanish mainland, Melilla. You can see in the picture just how many others live like him, all packed together in this camp called "Granja Agricola". I simply cannot imagine having to pack all of my livelihood in a car and then live there for days and days on end. It is amazing how so many people could live in such a small area. Of all of the things I often take for granted, space was never included in the list. I now realize just how valuable "space" is. Yet, however poor the conditions, one cannot help but admire the ingenuity seen in instances like this. These people have the creativity and the courage to make do with what they have, a skill I feel the world does not value anymore. 
http://www.pdngallery.com/legends/legends10/
From Salgado's book MIGRATIONS: Humanity in Transition

Waste Land

"What happens in the world's largest trash city will transform you."

These words are what first meet your eye when you visit the website for "Waste Land", an inspiring documentary that changed my entire outlook on how we serve others. The documentary follows Vik Muniz all the way to Rio de Janeiro as he begins on a three year project in Jardim Gramacho, the worlds largest garbage dump. As an artist native to Brazil, he feels a special connection to the land and to those who make their living picking up recyclables in the trash there. His intention is to go there, do portraits, then leave. It doesn't take much time before he starts focusing less on the people's portraits, and more on the people. It's very difficult to explain, but when you watch this it will make sense, trust me. Something just comes across in this documentary that can't be explained through a keyboard. I was so glad to have seen it, and glad to know that even when people fall on hard times, they are still people. They are people of life, hopes, fears, dreams, and astounding courage. Vik just wants the world to see that too.

Linda Simmons

Regrettably, due to an evening art class, I was unable to personally attend Linda Simmons's lecture. However, my awesome instructor was kind enough to record and post the lecture in form of a podcast. I took the time to listen to that tonight, and I am very glad I did. Linda Simmons is a remarkable LDS woman who has taken it upon herself to gather and assemble hygiene kits for victims in women's shelters around the country. It surprised me when instead of a "lecture" like I was expecting, Linda Simmons's remarks were more of a spiritual message. It was a good surprise though, as her spiritual remarks only magnified her cause. One of my favorite quotes from her was near the beginning when she was recalling the early days of her organization, and the trials she faced, "Our future is as bright as our faith,". I think that this is a vitally important idea, no matter the circumstances. We will always get the help we need, if we ask in faith. That is why I'd encourage you to reach out to others. Every bit counts, big or small, even if its just a toothbrush.

Camps

As I've continued to explore Salgado's work, I'm barely beginning to understand just how big this problem is. I can barely wrap my head around just how many people are trapped in these camps worldwide. I can barely even put it into words; that is where Salgado comes in. There is a terrible beauty in this particular photo, a beauty that haunts me. The panoramic landscape shot serves its purpose well, cramming as much information into an image as possible...just as these refugees have been thrown together. However, despite all of the obvious pain and suffering that can be seen in this image, the central focus remains on hope. Hope that is found in the face of a child. A child whose innocence has not yet been taken by the horrors he endures. The sad reality is that by now, either this child has passed, or he has grown to know where he is. It is this fact that makes me want to spread the word, to help Salgado finish what he started. http://www.pdngallery.com/legends/legends10/
From Salgado's book MIGRATIONS: Humanity in Transition

Sights from Salgado

One of the saddest things about my life so far is the fact that I didn't know anything about Sebastiao  Salgado before attending college. Even worse is my relative little knowledge of the plight of refugees around the world. My eyes were opened when I was first shown some work by Salgado, a traveling photographer with a mission, and I feel I have changed from it. If you haven't heard of or seen his work, I highly recommend you get out of here right now, go to your favorite search engine, and look this man up right away. Once you've finished that, come back and we'll talk.
For the rest of this semester I am going to be writing multiple blog posts about Salgado's inspiring work. To start, today I will be talking about one photo in particular. This image is a black and white representation of refugees in Zaire in 1994. The first thing I saw from this photo were the eyes, the eyes of those who have nothing to loose. It made me reconsider the way I judge my life. The text along with the photo explained what those people went through to get their water. I have never felt worse in my life. I complain when there's no more hot water in the shower. They walk for miles just to get water. This is not the first time I have seen the plight of others, but it is the first time it has hit me this hard. I owe it to the skill of Salgado. He has spent years of his life and career on exposing these issues around the world. The least we can do is listen. http://www.pdngallery.com/legends/legends10/
From Salgado's book MIGRATIONS: Humanity in Transition 

God Grew Tired of Us: an Essential Lesson in Humanity

Oftentimes, here in America, we are conditioned to believe that the only plights worth noticing are those within our own boarders. School curriculums are all full of The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, and both World Wars; but are sadly lacking when it comes to modern and foreign affairs. The little we are taught, and the little we already know about international turmoil is vastly misunderstood, and often America's potential to influence it is never quite realized. We are all blind, and (for the most part) sheltered from this world of genocide, terror, and war. 

While this innocence is an accomplishment to be praised, it is also a vice to be fixed. Too often do we as Americans take our condition for granted. While we are all blogging and debating about Miley Cyrus's current life choices, thousands upon thousands of refugees are living and dying in squalor while trying to escape the nightmare that they once called home. We complain about our hot water running out, and in the meantime skeletal children are drinking their own urine just to stay alive. 

Now, I'm not saying that I am completely innocent of complaining about "first world problems" but I am saying that after watching Christopher Dillon Quinn's God Grew Tired of   Us, I had a sincere desire to change. Now, I hope that I can convince you to do the same. 

Unlike many documentaries where narration takes up eighty percent of the dialogue, God Grew Tired of Us does an exemplary job of keeping it about the subjects, for the subjects, and in the words of the subjects: being three Dinka men named Jon, Daniel, and Panther. Their stories are raw, unedited, and awe-inspiring. These men are honest about what they've been through, and what they have yet to experience, leaving out no detail. 

They begin with an account of their mass exodus from war-ravaged Sudan, explaining the terror that they faced both there and on their way to safety. Many were separated from their families, with no choice but to carry on or die. After surviving the perilous journey, they find some comfort in the Kakuma, Kenya refugee camp. There they lived as a family of "Lost Boys". 

But the story was only beginning for Jon, Daniel, and Panther as they were selected for a program that relocates groups of "Lost Boys" to the United States. The rest of the film documents their adjustment to life in America, and their concern for those they have left behind. 

God Grew Tired of Us leaves the viewer with a heightened sense of hope rather than the deeper despair that many documentaries give. Jon, Daniel, and Panther convinced me that with their combined efforts (and the added help of you and I) war in Sudan can be ended, families can be reunited, and there will finally be a home for the Lost Boys. 


For more information on how you can help the cause, please visit:

http://www.godgrewtiredofus.com/charities.html


And to see the inspiring story for yourself, please visit:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/294405