I'm embarking a personal project that's been swirling around in my head as a loose concept for years. I guess that's how most projects start; swirling and unclear. I'm happy to say that this one is very real, and gaining traction.

It's called, "Imposter," and it's an exploration into the concept of Racial Imposter Syndrome or the feeling that multi-racial people feel when they can't fully identify with any side of their racial identity. When a multi-racial person isn't completely accepted by any of their racial groups, it can cause an identity crisis of sorts, and lead to feeling like an impostor, trying to fit in, but never really being accepted.

I've experienced this feeling my entire life. My mom is Black, my dad is Hispanic and while floating between these two identities is often seen as a gift, it comes at the expense of a sense of self; Like existing in a grey area. This feeling of being an "imposter" has hovered over my relationships with friends and family, and even my everyday interactions. It is multi-layered and oftentimes difficult to recount these experiences, but I believe they are important stories that should be told. If the early interest from many subjects I've reached out to are any indication, these shared experiences will resonate with a broad audience.

Along with portraits, I'm also conducting recorded interviews to accompany the images. I'm hoping to combine the images and interviews into a multi-media gallery show one day. Big goals! For now, though, I'm looking for subjects here in St. Louis and beyond, perfecting the technical side of things, streamlining the process as much as I can to make this project a reality. Here are some images from my most recent sittings:

So that's the project and the plan. Things are off to a promising start and I'm excited to continue meeting new multi-racial people with new experiences to share. I'm also interested in diving into my own experiences as a multi-racial person. This is a large and difficult undertaking, and a truly personal project. I can't wait to see where it goes. Welcome to "Imposter."