2022 Grant Awards
City of Diversity - Houston, TX
For the past few years, Houston has consistently been ranked as the most diverse city in America, beating out world-famous competitors like New York City and Los Angeles. Unlike those two cities, neighborhoods and ethnic lines are not so clearly drawn in Houston. What is the impact of this overlap on the identity of Houstonians? Is it living, urban proof of the "melting-pot" theory of America, or do groups maintain distinct identities? How are people drawn together through the diversity of celebrations and traditions? This project seeks to pursue the answers to such questions and present them in an immersive exhibit hosted in Houston's own City Center.
The Heart of the Islands - Male, Maldives
The 1,192 islands of the Maldives are strung across the Indian Ocean like a necklace of pearls. The country’s name conjures up images of luxury, overwater bungalows, pristine white beaches, and sapphire waves. The veneer is beautiful, yet much of the culture and people beneath that veneer remain a mystery. What is the heart of the Maldives? Who are its people? In our age of authenticity, there is a growing desire to have genuine experiences – to pursue depth. This project seeks to understand the Maldivian life from the Maldivian point of view and re-present that in an immersive photojournalistic experience to learners, travelers, adventurers, and lovers of all things beautiful and cultural.