Artist Statement

The writer Armistead Maupin said, “We have biological families, and logical families,” a statement that conveys a process painfully familiar to many LGBTQ+ people—that of recognizing and harnessing the love, acceptance, and magic of people we meet while forming our own identities. 
The images presented here depict gay, lesbian, transvestite, transgender and queer friends who I photographed in Havana, Cuba over a period of many years. They speak to us, whether in Havana or Detroit, my hometown, of a fierce determination against entrenched hatred, prejudice, and marginalization, while creating lives abundant with joy, love, and humor. My hope is that these images reach across time, borders, and language to reveal the essence of our humanity and how we are most powerful when we are together.