“Every character, like every person, is the hero of their story. No matter how terrible it gets, triumph awaits. Always. Without fail. I wish people knew that more acutely. The mess is good! The hard shit is what lifts you to the better shit! If only we celebrated that more… imagine how extraordinary life could be…”

Girls Just Want to Have Fun-Damental Rights // My Birth Control Will Outlast Your Presidency // Smash the Patriarchy // Stronger Together // Hitler Was Elected Too // I’m Not Usually a Sign Guy But Geez // Trump’s Lies Matter // So Bad, Even Introverts are Here // The Future is Nasty // I’ve Seen Better Cabinets at IKEA // Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate; Only Love Can Do That // We Go High

“Getting to write our own vows was a very emotional process for us, so when it came time to actually say the words out loud to each other in front of our family and friends it was a really powerful moment. Looking into each other’s eyes and speaking directly to one another while the entire room was just overflowing with love for us, and happiness and hope for our future together… It still chokes me up a little just thinking about it. I’ll always keep those words somewhere safe so that when I need to remind myself of what our marriage was founded on I can call them up and go back to that beautiful moment we had together in front of our loved ones.” – Kait

My partner, Nick, and I spent 22 days on the road and travelled 3,800 miles across the West of the US earlier this year. Of course, I made lots of photographs along the way, but I also wanted to create a video experience from the journey. I hope you enjoy the (much abbreviated) version of the trip. 

Featuring: Conrad Dean, Callison Stratton, Kirby, Jesse Youngman, Samira Menghes, Akheil Singla and Butch Goette.

Cool, dark forests lead to baking hot dunes marked with shifting footprints, the temperature begins to drop as we hike continually upward and find feet of snow on the trail, the just-audible sound of swallows swoop overhead as the sun sets red behind distant mountains, and blue shadows creep across a deep canyon. Gas stations with the same salty snacks, drive-thru espresso shacks, street signs and open maps, a double yellow line that leads forward and people who make me smile. Around 3,800 miles and it was awesome.

The Vermont Commons School schedules three “Encounter Weeks” a year, and during these times students from all grades are mixed together to work on a project, hike in the mountains, or travel somewhere interesting. Encounter Weeks were some of the most important times for me when I attended the Vermont Commons School, so when I had the opportunity to lead a photography week in Cape Cod with Jess Redmond it was a done deal. 

My visit to Mexico + Guatemala with Food 4 Farmers was one full of inspiring stories, suiting up to visit bee hives, marveling at the natural beauty of the landscape, visiting families in their homes, walking through cities with my two companions Marcela & Luis, informational workshops, tasting the variety of honey products produced by farmers, and, of course, so many photographs.

A week from now I am so thrilled to embark on another trip with non-profit Food 4 Farmers, traveling to Mexico + Guatemala! Food 4 Farmers works in coffee communities to find constructive solutions to seasonal hunger for coffee farmers and their families. In 2013 I traveled to Nicaragua with co-founder Marcela Pino and was able to document and learn about their work with coffee co-op SOPPEXCCA, and see the beginning stages of their program. This time I’ll be entering a later step in the process, visiting communities in Mexico + Guatemala that have been working with Food 4 Farmers for several years, and will be able to observe some of the ways this has impacted their daily lives. 

On Friday, April 1st I will be hosting a Gallery Opening event at Uncommon Grounds Coffee & Tea in downtown Burlington, VT where my documentary Food 4 Farmers photographs are on display. Food 4 Farmers is a non-profit that works with coffee communities in Latin America to address the problem of chronic seasonal hunger. This exhibit offers a window into the daily lives of Nicaraguan coffee farmers and the powerful impact of their work. 

After a morning of interviews, Ben & Jerry held the world premiere of the “Bernie’s Yearning Sundae” on Boston’s own Newbury Street.  Outside of the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream store, a large crowd gathered to sample the treat and show their support for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.  The sundae is vanilla ice cream topped with a chocolate disk, meant to symbolize the concentration of wealth among the country’s highest earners.  To eat the sundae, you need to smash the chocolate disk and mix it into the ice cream, a delicious metaphor. Boston’s Metro newspaper announced the event, and used one my my images!