Holding the Weight of New Traction

The past few weeks have been intense and overwhelming in ways I’m still processing. So much has been unfolding with my journalism work, from stories going viral to navigating the ethical responsibility of documenting people’s lives in moments of extreme emotion. I want to take a moment here to share with you what has been happening, the weight I’ve been holding, and how I’m trying to navigate this work while keeping humanity at the center.

Less than a week ago, I shared a story about a man who ran up to the Broadview ICE facility after his wife was taken while they were inside the courthouse. He wasn’t given any information and had to track her down through her phone. That post blew up, reaching millions of views, and it has been a lot to sit with. 

The past few weeks have been intense and heavy. A story I shared about a man whose wife was taken by ICE outside a courthouse has reached millions, and it has brought with it a mix of grief, responsibility, and reflection.

When I first documented that moment, I saw the raw pain of someone searching for answers, his wife detained without warning, his desperation echoing against the walls of the Broadview ICE facility. That story spread far beyond what I expected, reaching millions of people across platforms. In just a few weeks, my page grew from around 6k followers to over 100k. It has been overwhelming to witness how far the images traveled and how quickly something so personal became public.

After the post spread, his brother reached out asking that the photos of his face be taken down. Shortly after, his sister reached out as well, and she’s the one I’ve been communicating with about information and permission. It has been a reminder of how vulnerable these stories are and how easily someone’s most painful moment can be consumed by strangers. Out of respect, I archived the post. and later reshared it with permission in a way that protected their privacy.

In the midst of this, my photos are being shared widely, including by public figures and celebrities. Seeing my work shared by actors like Pedro Pascal and Mandy Patinkin from a viral tweet that uses my photos without permission or credit is overwhelming. I am also seeing my work appear on platforms like BuzzFeed and across social media without permission or credit, which is a lot to process legally, ethically, and personally. I am now in contact with a lawyer about the unauthorized use of my photos, thanks to a fellow journalist friend who connected me with someone they work with.

Having a larger following brings both opportunity and weight. It is surreal to see so many people starting to follow my work, from professional athletes to comedians, actors, and public figures like Rosie O'Donnell and Katie Couric, whom I watched growing up on the Today Show before school. WILD. I am grateful for this attention, but it also brings a larger duty. People are looking to this space more and more, and holding that weight feels heavier than when my audience was just 6k.

I have always tried to work with integrity, but this new attention brings pressure in a way I have never experienced before. I have no formal training in journalism and have spent all these years teaching myself, learning through documenting stories and moments as they unfold. I am feeling out of my depth in ways that are both exciting and overwhelming, constantly figuring out how to be a photojournalist who puts humanity at the forefront, a thoughtful story collector, and someone who shares these moments with care. At the same time, I am wrestling with the reality that some of this attention and new following comes directly from sharing the man’s post at Broadview, documenting his extreme pain and trauma. This tension reinforces the care and accountability I try to hold in approaching each story. I know there may be aspects of how I am approaching this or sharing it here that are imperfect, and that I am still getting things wrong.

This attention pushes me to reflect constantly on consent, care, and the ethics of documenting someone’s most vulnerable moments. The work I have been doing through Humanizing Through Story has never been about me. It is about stepping back, using my privilege and platform to elevate and center the voices of those most marginalized and impacted by the systems within the United States. CBS 60 Minutes and Telemundo have reached out, and I passed their message along to the family without sharing any identifying information to protect their privacy. Protecting their privacy and giving them space is more important than any coverage opportunity. Even as it is exciting to see wider recognition, this visibility comes with the ongoing duty to act with integrity and care in every post and every story.

I am sitting with what it means to share moments like this, the obligations I hold, and how to continue documenting with care while keeping humanity at the center. All of this is shaping how I think about my work and the possibilities for it. I am navigating the weight and excitement of this huge new following and realizing it could create space to grow support for this work in a way that allows me to focus more fully on journalism. Patreon could help provide the resources to reduce the side gigs I’ve been juggling, whether grocery deliveries, production work, or driving across the country, and give me more room to dedicate myself to telling stories that matter. Even though some people assume this platform is run by a team or a formal organization, it’s just me and my van documenting where I can. Holding this thought alongside everything else, duty, hope, anxiety, and the ongoing care required for the people whose lives I document, reminds me how complex and human this work is.

There are a lot of feelings to navigate: hope, duty, anxiety, and excitement. I am thinking about how to be a better story collector, how to use my platform to elevate other voices, how to advocate without exploiting trauma, and how to approach consent and privacy in deeply emotional spaces. Moving forward, my goal is to do all of this with integrity, humanity, and care for the people whose stories I share. Within the midst of all this, I know there may be ways I am still getting things wrong, even in how I am approaching or sharing this post. I am here to learn, be corrected, and move forward in a better way.

There has been so much unfolding in recent weeks. There are countless photos, videos, and stories that I am working through to share. I am trying to be more consistent with updates, on-the-spot reporting, and sharing information and resources here on Patreon. I am continuing to figure out better ways to do that, and I would love to hear from you about what you want to see and how you want to engage.

I am also writing up an article about my time in Chicago covering these stories, and I hope to share it with you soon. Thank you for reading and being here. If you believe in this work and want to help sustain it, consider joining the support team on Patreon or making a one-time donation through Givebutter. Every bit of support helps me continue documenting and sharing stories that call us back to our shared humanity. This work is part of a collective movement toward justice, care, and truth, pushing back against the ongoing dehumanization of others.

Moments around Chicagoland between Oct 28th - Nov 7th