When I first walked into E. K. Powe, I could immediately feel something different about it. From the hallway decorations, to the teachers' warmth and kindness, to the smiles on the students' faces, I knew I was in a community that was not only accepting, but welcoming.
Getting to know the students in Ms. Austin and Ms. Starin's classes has been nothing short of amazing. Every week, I looked forward to photographing their classroom antics, their unreserved authenticity, and their crazy, silly, and completely lovable personalities.
Special thanks to Ariel Austin and Brianne Starin for everything they have done for me throughout the course of this project - for their continual support for what I was doing, their unbounded patience, and all the small things in between.