Always Yours ❤️💋 — Friday the 13th, February 2026

Our Colors Will Not Fade: 2017

The residents of the Virgin Islands are a direct reflection of the environment that attracts them: the brilliant oranges and pinks of the flowers, the glowing aqua blue of the water, and the lush greens of the mountains; these vivid hues are emulated in a community where every exclusive character and talent has a place.In the wake of back to back Category 5 hurricanes Irma and Maria, a decimated Caribbean is scrambling to put the pieces of their lives together again. While continental United States is complaining about who is and is not standing for the National Anthem and worrying about the future of the Playboy Bunny, there are American citizens struggling to find a place with running water to shower. They are waiting in line for hours to purchase fuel so that they may go in search of a very spotty cell phone signal in attempt to contact their mothers, children, and friends just to find out if they are alive. Diabetic patients are spending their entire days in search of ice to keep their insulin cold. No power results in no ice.The US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico among other devastated islands are full of very real people, just like you, and are entangled in the height of a humanitarian crisis in which very few news outlets, celebrities, whatever media sources you typically pay attention to, seem to notice. Our islands need your help. YOUR islands need your help. Our vibrant pigments may be temporarily darkened and dirtied, but OUR COLORS WILL NOT FADE. Our prismatic shades will shine again, and we will remain STRONG, HOPEFUL, and UNITED in ALL OF OUR COLORS.
We are #vistrong — We are #caribbeanstrong

Our Colors Will Not Fade: One Year Later

Photo project documenting the recovery of the Virgin Islands after a year has passed since double Category 5 Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Photos in this series were created specifically for a Calendar print design, so some dimensions are not suitable for frames.
Full resolution images are available upon request.
St Thomas, USVI 2018

Rebirth, rebuilding, resilience: these words can't construe the strength that exists on these islands. The best way that we can possibly depict this community is to show you; so here is our collection of images that capture our progress and our people. It’s been one whole year since two back-to-back Cat 5’s shredded the Virgin Islands to pieces: Hurricanes Irma and Maria will be spoken of for lifetimes.I’ve personally had people that I never expected to come forward and catch me as I was falling, including people that were going down with me. We all held on to each other, and refused to let anyone slip. We’re climbing back up now. There’s a lot of negativity in the news and you don’t often see the good in the world.
We want you to see it.I am not a professional photographer. These are not professional models. These are real people - our friends, that we see and talk to daily, that work hard, pay bills, and have families. These are people that hid in bathrooms and under mattresses, soaking wet, as Hurricanes Irma and Maria tore away our homes and our jobs. These are people that have put on their Carnival costumes, their symbols of pride for these islands, with the intent to share a particular message with you:
Everyone here has their own unique puzzle piece. The shapes are cut into strange dimensions with rugged edges and they look like they shouldn’t even be close to fitting together. But they do, better than any puzzle I’ve ever assembled before. You can always kind of see the seams where the pieces are cut, but not this puzzle. One piece doesn’t end where the next begins. It just flows.This place is special. These people are magic.
And the interesting thing that I’m learning about life is this: if you want to find that magic, you have to believe in it.
This is where we are now, still together, in all of our repainted, regrown, renewed brilliant colors.The VI is ready for you.