In the late spring of 2021, I embarked on a road trip through Arizona—one of the most eye-opening and emotional journeys of my life. I learned firsthand from the Navajo people about the United States' colonial past and present: the genocide that claimed over 12 million Indigenous lives, the forced displacement, the boarding schools, and the ongoing injustices Native people continue to face.
I drove hundreds of miles through breathtaking landscapes, capturing this shot on the outskirts of Tuba City, where dinosaur tracks mark the dry earth, and the horizon bears no trace of industrial pollution. Despite the genocide, broken treaties, forced assimilation, and cultural erasure in boarding schools, the people of this land remain strong in their humanity, with hearts filled with kindness and generosity.
This journey inspired a travel essay, filled with the experience of a lifetime. Part of the proceeds from the sale of this image will be donated to Chinle Planting Hope (CPH).