In Motherhood

2026 (ongoing)

Growing up with a single mother, I never stopped to consider what my mom endured after she tucked me in and said goodnight. Her unwavering commitment to giving me a normal childhood sheltered me from the realities of her struggles. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I began to understand the challenges she faced after separating from my father. In one of my most recent conversations with her, she told me a story about my aunt — a women who in my mind took us in when we needed it most but, did so at a price. She often criticized my mother for her divorce and questioned her ability to parent because she felt like my mom couldn’t do it alone. For me, independence has always been a driving force in my life, representing utmost freedom. However, for my mom independence became scrutinized rather than respected and something that she needed to defend.

Taking inspiration from my mother and her resilience, In Motherhood examines single motherhood through the lens of autonomy: what autonomy means at this stage of life, how it changes, and whether freedom and individuality can exist alongside raising a child. In this work I collaborate with six women (and their children) – Reina, Marissa, Jennifer, Adriene, Olga my grandmother, and my mother, Dynah. Each woman spoke about their autonomy being transformed by the demands of single motherhood oftentimes existing more in a space of survival rather than liberation. However, even in this, their sense of self never disappears and while my artistic perspective is present throughout the work, I further my exploration of autonomy by giving space for the women to maintain their agency through collaborating with me on images and at times, photographing on their own. 

Rather than presenting autonomy as complete independence, this ongoing work questions whether autonomy can exist within interdependence, responsibility, and care. The women within this series reveal that freedom is not always the absence of obligation, but sometimes the ability to retain a sense of self within it.