Skid row can be a very dark place. The gray concrete, battered tents and trash in the streets can create a very dismal environment. One is frequently struck by the many transgender individuals who walk the streets oozing with confidence and looking fabulous from head to toe. Their fashion can easily be seen as a reflection of their resilience and determination.
Many in this community have lost much but refuse to lose their identity. In light of this, participants in this portrait series were asked to wear their favorite outfit that they felt best represented them as an individual. I wanted to make this portrait series because the debate about the rights of transgender individuals has been in the national spotlight. The consequences of these rights seemed so distant and vague to me until I started working with Lamp Community in Skid Row and met many of the individuals affected by discrimination. I heard so many of their stories of struggle and became inspired by their beauty. I want to share these examples of strength in the transgender community in Skid Row in hopes of ending the stigmatization of these individuals.
Featured in the LA Times photo blog
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