Hidden in Plain Sight

Hidden in Plain Sight is a decade-long book project reflecting long-term, community-based engagement with survivors of human trafficking across the United States, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and the Philippines. Over the past ten years, I have cultivated sustained relationships with survivor-led organizations and local partners. This work centers on portraiture as a collaborative practice. It uses shared stories and the act of being photographed to invite viewers closer to the lived experiences of those depicted. By prioritizing dignity, trust, and survivor agency, these portraits foster understanding, empathy, and dialogue. Beyond documentation, the project has been exhibited, shared in advocacy contexts, and used in educational settings to amplify voices often unseen and to support survivor-led conversations about resilience, recovery, and social change.