It was finally time to show Weleh the finished piece. I drove over to his home equally excited and nervous not knowing what he would think.

When I got there he was chilling in the living room with is friend lounged on the couch. We caught up a bit and then the time came for me to pull up the video on his big screen tv. I held my break as the 4.5 minutes went by.

“Yooo, this is dope!” his friend exclaimed.

Weleh paused for a beat, gave me a smile and said he liked it. Relief immediately washed over me.

A moment later, he says to me, “this is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen myself.” 😭😭😭

This coming from a 35 year old man was the greatest creative compliment to date.

I started this project in the middle of a pandemic because I was itching to create and tell a story. I got more than I bargained for. The ability to capture a person in a way that helps them see themselves in a new way is what it is all about.

See Weleh’s Work : @weleh_ca and @kidsofimmigrants