2019

This is a portrait of a transgender woman who was seeking asylum, while being sponsored at my brother's home in the Bay Area. She had traveled from Honduras with a friend, who died while in custody at the US Border. Although she had endured much trauma, she had a strong spirit and became an activist for other LGBTQ asylum seekers. She won asylum during the time she posed for me. The butterfly is the national butterfly of Honduras and was included to represent the spirit of her friend who had died, but who remained in her heart.