For a while now, I have been thinking of starting a long term project. The idea for this project has come at me from many different directions, but the basis has to do with human migration. I’m not exactly sure what that means at the moment, but basically, I am talking about the need for people to stay or go. There is of course a giant migration of hispanics who are moving north into the United States and elsewhere. Most I would believe are doing this in order to better their lives and find a source of viable income which they can use to support their families. And, naturally they are met with the obvious obstacles.
I’m not so interested in the political mess we are in along the Mexico-United States border, but more about how a giant migration will affect the culture in both their destinations and their origins.
And, it seems like many want to get to “America.” So there is the migrations of others from places like the Dominican Republic and Haiti, etc.
Then there are those who are trying their hardest to “stay.” Take for example the Palestinians and the Israelis. I bring them up only because I have spent some times documenting their conflict. Now that I think about it, I should have been focusing on their need for land and stature and stability. The Israelis (most of them) migrated form other nations and created Israel as a refuge. The Palestinians of course (and many can debate this definition) where nomads, who needed an identity in order to create their sense of place. Why do they feel so strongly about staying put, while others feel the never ending desire to get away to bigger and better things?
I think the movement of people around the world is incredible. I myself feel somewhat homeless and nomadic. I have had my share of “homes” over the last 5 or 6 years, but I have never felt that sense of settlement. For some reason I feel that desire growing inside me, that need to create a place of my own which I will call my “home” for the rest of my life. I don’t know where it came from, or how rapidly it will develop, but I can feel it itching underneath my skin.
I will be calling this project, Migration, of course, and once I have done some more serious work on the project I will create a website for it. I have a few equipment needs to get in lace before the real endeavor begins, and then I will need to begin my research and follow my leads. I will keep you updated on the project’s progress here at this site.
Along the same vein, one of the best multimeda photojournalism sites out there, 