This Photographer Wants To Shatter the Stereotype of the Absent Black Father

[kpete]

This Photographer Wants To Shatter the Stereotype of the Absent Black Father
by Clutch — Jul 14, 2014

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From Lee’s site:

For a long time, holding on to the pain of that discovery was easier than dealing with it: As long as I was able to project my misgivings onto a negative stereotype, I could justify my anger and hurt. But I also realized that a huge part of me was curious to know more about my Black father, wanting to understand, get to a place of forgiveness. And that longing had informed my creative process all along. Without any information about my father’s identity or whereabouts, the only way to come to terms with my feelings was to examine them through photography.

Over the past two and a half years, I’ve developed relationships with several Black fathers from different walks of life and in different cities in the US and Canada. Every father I met spoke with his own voice. They expressed their swagger, life rhythm, and ways of relating with their kids and partners in very unique ways. And perhaps more importantly, as I observed these families, another truth manifested loud and clear: Contrary to the prevalent media caricature of Black men as aggressive, violent, and irresponsible, the fathers I met were loving, affectionate, and dependable. They readily shared their feelings and emotions, their concerns and fears. They were vulnerable enough to allow me to photograph them in moments of joy and times of frustration. They were by no means perfect, but unsung everyday heroes nonetheless, committed to being present one fatherly act at a time.

MORE:
http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2014/07/photographer-wants-shatter-stereotype-absent-black-father/
More Pics:
http://www.zunlee.com/

[WillyT]

1. K & R !!!

[progressoid]

2. Nice images.

http://www.zunlee.com/fatherfigure