March 2nd - 16:49

Title: March 2nd - 16:49 Medium: Super-8 film Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Resolution: 2880 x 2160 File Type: H.264 Codec / MP4. Comments: From Mexico City to Los Angeles. I picked up a rental car and drove down to Torrance to pick up Tony. Tony and I had this plan tripped for months and today was the day! The vision was to ride down to the US and Mexican border to make a portrait connecting two people holding hands across the line. We came with an idea, and left with a pleasant surprise. On the way down to San Diego, Tony was telling me stories about the hills we were seeing. They were part of a large military base that spans for miles and he was sharing about his past in the service. The first time we ever met he was sharing about the nonprofit he worked on to help aid immigrants who were crossing the border and that stayed with me ever since, as I appreciate nonprofit work and the passion that goes into it to help people if you can. After a few hours and many stories by Tony we made it to a small town right at the border. We were searching for an opening, but there was no hope in sight. Only a bronze wall with barbed wire and vans securing the area. We drove around to find an opening but there was nothing. I felt defeated at first. Then we stopped at a small fruit stall and Tony asked the woman cutting the mangos with Tajin and squeezing the watermelon with lime. She suggested we go a few miles to the border center and try our luck there. We were following the signs, quite literally, where to flow on next and to make this portrait that we dreamed up. We parked the car, I pulled out my cameras and we sat in a coffee shop to strategize our next moves. We were right next to where people were walking in and out of the border. Then we heard sirens and noticed a parade of people with Palestinian flags and posters. There was a Gaza protest happening at the US / Mexican border. We walked over to check it out and followed the protestors. It felt quite significant that there was a protest like this at the border, because this is what was happening in the Middle East. Boundaries being crossed and borders in fraught. Even though we did not photograph people holding hands across the border, this protest felt meaningful to witness like this was the image we were supposed to make. It was real, and it was happening before our eyes. We followed the protest and heard their cries. People were angry and wanted justice for the innocent. There was a moment when we reached the border and the group started speaking in a loudspeaker with speeches. I noticed the flags blowing in the wind that were on the poles of the buildings. America, and Mexican. And here are people waving Palestinian flags and all they want is Peace in the Middle East. That is all we ever wanted; Peace on Earth. Where no one is killed in cold blood and people can live their lives freely without causing harm to anyone or being harmed by anyone. To love our friends and families. To make an honest living. To do our best to make this world a better place than we were born in it. I guess that's the dream for a dreamer. Like the great Imagine a world where there is no borders, where would we be? Like the great John Lennon sang in his songs, "Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace"