PRINTS WITH PURPOSE
Thank You (2022 Update)
Back in October 2020, I announced my Prints with Purpose campaign, where every print helped create a small fund for my brother and sister - Benjamin and Isabella. Because of you, I was able to raise $1,500 for a Colombian family I adore and make a small difference in their lives. And earlier this year, I was able to give it to them in person.
During my time in Colombia, I spent most of it not exploring new places, but revisiting the old ones that defined my experience there in 2014. Many of my stories now start out “Eight years ago, this is how it was. Today, things have changed.” But what hasn’t changed is my love for this region - Sugamuxi, the place where the indigenous Muisca people once believed the Sun was born.
Today, I am excited to announce that I am creating a nonprofit that will bridge my two homes together. It’s called Sumercé (soo-mehr-seh), a word used by the inhabitants of Boyacá to show kindness and respect. Sumercé works with more than a dozen local artisans to provide fair wages for them and their families. Each item is purchased directly from the source, allowing for immediate impact and meaningful change. As this Prints with Purpose campaign comes to a close, I want to thank all of you who contributed and express how incredibly grateful I am for your generosity.
To learn more about Sumercé, click here.
Our Story
Back in 2014, I accepted a volunteer position in Colombia as a photographer at the non-profit organization Fundación Montecito. Every day, my job was to catch the local bus and capture the quiet, undisturbed towns with my camera that make up the region of Sugamuxi. The goal of this project was to create a portfolio of photographs to help promote responsible tourism - which in turn will help fund conservation efforts for the region.
One day, I wandered down a cobbled street of one of these pueblos. There I found a woman and her 10 year old daughter smiling at me. When I asked if I could take their photograph, they obliged. The mother Olga waved me to follow them to their finca on the side of the mountain. In their adobe farmhouse, Olga made us all lunch on an old, wood-burning stove. She introduced me to all the animals they care for - some fifty sheep, four dogs, a dozen chickens, few cows, and a donkey named Cleopatra, who would barge through the door for a share in our meal. I met her 6 year old son later that afternoon when he returned from school. When it was time for me to go, I promised to return later that week to give a copy of a photograph I took of them. And thus began my friendship with Olga, Isabella, and Benjamin.
The Pandemic
Over the years, we have kept in touch. In 2017, I returned to visit and stay with them for a week. I was quickly adopted into the family, and the children have called me their ‘hermano’ ever since. In March 2020, I was prepared to spend an entire month with them. But as the pandemic spread throughout Colombia, the government announced an emergency shutdown of all public transportation. By noon the following morning, there would be no buses until further notice. I remember their faces when I said I couldn’t stay anymore. My brother and sister begged me not to go. But with teary eyes, I waved from the window of the last remaining buses heading home. I was heartbroken. When Isabella turned 16 in 2020, I wished her ‘happy birthday’ from 3,000 miles away. It eventually dawned on me how much they have grown since the day we met. And I wanted my next visit to be special. I know I will never be able to give to them as much as they have already given me. But with this campaign, every print purchased helped provide a college fund for my Colombian sister and brother - Isabella and Benjamin.
Dedication
Thank you Lunar & Lake Book Market for the platform to share my story. A few years ago, I came back to Fond du Lac from a bicycle journey across the country with nothing left but stories. The owner Margaux let me in on her dream, and the two of us were learning what it took to run a small business. But for me, she gave me a physical space to promote this campaign. I would watch customers flip through my photographs - watch them pick them up and read the story on the back. As a photographer, nothing has brought me more joy than to watch my work reach the counter - especially without knowing who took the photograph. And that feeling is incredibly validating as someone who often doubts my own abilities and the transient lifestyle I chose to follow over the past decade.
Thank you Jen & Rich from Artesanos Design Collection in Durango, Colorado for stocking my print inventory in your store. They took my brother and I into their home during our cross-country bicycle trip from Wisconsin to California. Much to my surprise, they chose to donate their commission right back into the Prints with Purpose campaign.
Thank you Ang from Mix It Up Bakery for choosing my campaign as the recipient for your monthly generosity “tip jar” for March 2021.
Thank you Gallery & Frame Shop for being the cornerstone for the Fond du Lac art scene. Many of my successes as a photographer stemmed from their generosity, support, and guidance.
Thank you Juan Carlos Morales Agudelo for permission to use one of his amazing paintings of Isabella to promote the campaign.
And to all of you, who supported my work all these years. Thank you!