Documentary Photographs

Across the border from Yuma Arizona, we find hundreds and hundreds of people called "skydivers"

who have settled on mexican property without permission and have made it their home. These illegal settlers explain how it is that they do not have the resources to process permits and tired of not having a home for their children, they began constructing their homes out of anything they could find. Many of these people have been settled in this scorching desert for more than 3 years withough electricity or  running water. Not only do they face the hardships of weather for themselves and their children, but they also live in constant fear, knowing that any moment they could be thrown out of their homes. Without doubt, the conditions that they are living under really impacted and touched my heart, however there was something that drew my attention even more. In that community where cribs and beds are out in the sun, where houses are made of cardboard, where they have no bathrooms, I could see children playing, families gathered to talk and I could hear laughter, a laughter that still echos in my head. This community strives to protect their homes and to preserve their strength, joy and faith. They face the future with a smile and with the  hope that one day they can provide a better future for generations to come.