In Case They Ever Try to Erase Us

“In Case They Ever Try to Erase Us” is a cautionary tale. My intention is to warn community members of the effects of gentrification before it’s too late. First they try to erase us, then they displace us. I was inspired to capture buildings that were recently affected by a local fire before they were torn down, “erased,” and forgotten. The setting is East Camden, a neighborhood that is no stranger to change. Change is inevitable, but my hope is that we can still see ourselves reflected in this place we call home 10, 20, 30 years down the line. So that we can continue to nurture that which once nurtured us—much like a child does for their parents once they’ve grown up. On top of all of this, ICE is currently terrorizing our community, and they are quite literally trying to “erase” us. I wanted to highlight things, such as the Guatemalan and Mexican flags floating away in the sky, to showcase this. The “Do Not Enter” sign on the one-way street, right next to the Mexican restaurant, is meant to symbolize the American hypocrisy of seemingly wanting immigrants to not enter, but at the same time, begging for our labor, and appropriating our cultures once we’re here. And don’t even get me started on all the times they were in our countries. It made me think about how people can claim to not like you, when it’s so obvious that they do. And if anything, it’s almost as if they’re obsessed with you. Which brings me to the ending of this cautionary tale. They may try to erase us, but they will never truly succeed, as long as we continue to preserve our cultures, come together in community, and take lots of pictures. Thank you.