Manuel Teopantitla (Museum Edition) Photograph

Who I am and what I've done is irrelevant in the face of my intention to create. Once upon a time, a squeaky-voiced child sat in a waiting room as he prepared to be examined by a doctor. A couple walked in with their daughter. They were tense, uncertain of how the world would react to her presence. Her physical appearance was distorted in relation to those around and she was unable to see the world with the eyes she was given. “Mom, what’s wrong with that little girl?” he asks. And in a motherly reply, “Nothing is wrong with her, God makes everyone special.” Regardless of having not yet learned to read well, the boy decided to sit with her, pick up a book, and share a story. The insurmountable tension turned to relief, and it was at this moment that I became obsessed with the human condition, connection, and the power of creation. We are all creators. One can walk into a room replete with despondency, and with the smallest of actions, shape an entirely new reality brimming with solace, gratitude, and acceptance. We limit ourselves by defining who we are through the actions of a person who no longer exists instead of who we choose to be, here, in this moment. Even though cameras have always played an integral role in my life and creative process, I no longer see myself as a photographer, but as someone using a camera to change the world.