There is Freedom Here is a six part photo essay project by Mariah Howard and Shannon Elder, recipients of the Migrations Narrative Grant, for the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life & The Henry Luce Foundation.
This portrait and narrative interview series highlight the lives of eight young women under the age of 25 who immigrated to Austin, Texas in their youth. This project seeks to defy cultural norms by widening the generalized understanding of what it is like to migrate, how personal identity takes shape, and how there is both power and struggle when caught in-between two cultures as young adults.
The freedom of US culture was consistently mentioned as one of the best things about living here throughout the conversations. To acknowledge this theme, the project was named accordingly.
All eight women featured in this series knew one another before the start of this project. They also previously knew the editor, which was an intentional decision for the sake of trust, intimacy, and safety. All interview edits were done in collaboration with and approved by each participant.
This work was made possible by the 2021 Migration Narratives Grant from the Institute of Diversity and Civic Life, funded by the Henry Luce Foundation. View the full exhibition here.