FAM(ILY): 'Fam, I Love You'

FAM(ILY), an acronym for 'Fam, I Love you' is a saying that's common in every language and culture on earth. Family is not exclusive to blood bonds and is often times made up of chosen people who have showed love and support without obligation. Pure Love.

FAM(ILY): 'Fam, I Love You' explores the importance of family and human connection we all share. This collection of photos tells a story of the strength and importance of community healing, support systems and the bonds shared through grief, they also showcase the similarities and differences of how human's mourn and celebrate life across countries and cultures. When these unfortunate circumstances bring us together, it’s usually a bittersweet family reunion; although the reason is somber, we come together to celebrate the life of the deceased and re-strengthen the bonds of human connection. Grief is a part of the human experience and despite our personal, cultural and or economic differences, Fam(ILY) serves as a reminder of how precious life is and how one person can impact many. We laugh, we eat, we dance, we cry over shared memories and vow to not let so much time pass before seeing each other again, and then we disperse, somehow feeling hopeful despite the grim circumstances which brought us all together in the first place. The goal for 'Fam, I Love You' is to encourage the viewer to reflect on how we show up for one another, for the sake of ourselves and the collective community of the Bermuda, during a time where we are plagued with gun violence, antisocial behavior amongst our young people and an increased number of road fatalities. These things I believe stem from a severe lack of value for life due to ongoing and glossed over social and economic issues that leaders and change makers of our community have yet to address in detail and implement meaningful and lasting resolutions for. This message is more of a call to action for all of us to care a bit more and move through this life with empathy and purpose. To remind us all that one person and their actions, good or bad, has the power to change the trajectory of lives separate from our own, encouraging us to move with intention. At the end of the day, all we have is each other and love from Family (chosen or blood) is needed, it's everlasting and is paramount in order to foster a better collective community for us all.

All Photos and Videos in this series are taken from funeral services of personal friends and family of the artist. The photos provided in this submission are from the services of Jan Martin, Osagi Bascome, and Charles Thomas.