100 Women of Color
About the project by the creator, Evelyn Martinez
100 Women of Color was birthed from a serious reflection on my professional and personal trajectory as well as from the desire to change how women of color were represented in portrait photography. I was navigating a challenging period in my life where I felt lost and yearned for something I could pour myself into, something that deeply mattered to me. Since childhood, I've always been artistic and creative but my insecurities were bigger than my courage to try. At the age of 24, I wondered, of all my hobbies, what was I the most curious about?
I chose portrait photography as my artistic journey and having attended a women's college, I knew then I wanted to be of artistic service to women who were often overlooked—women of color. The landscape of portrait photography back in 2017 lacked intentional diverse representation of women and often times, the voyeuristic male gaze of women was more prevalent than imagery created by women for women. My intention was to create a safe space for women of color in NYC to have their portraits taken—curating their shoots around whatever ideas they wanted to bring to life. I wanted them to feel cared for, witnessed and honored through photographic memory. I wanted to photograph women that looked like me, like my friends, like my neighbors, like my city, diverse and vibrant. I took a chance on myself and learned photography, editing and project management with each photo shoot. In rain, snow, sun, before and after work, I dedicated my all to this project and adapted to every challenge I faced.
In under 6 months, I photographed 100 women of color and it was a transformative experience like no other. I went from being a hobbyist photographer to jumping headfirst into a creative career. I got to meet and reconnect with so many women of color and learned invaluable lessons about life from the creative process and from my participants.
Below I'll share a few of their stories, what I learned and what these shoots were like! Welcome and thank you for being here <3
Stories from 100 WOC 📃
Brianna
Brianna and I met for the first time at an indoor market on the corner of Canal Street. She wore her vintage bomber jacket for her San Junipero inspired aesthetic. During Brianna's shoot, I sharpened my nighttime photography skills by learning how to play more with colors, composition and backlight.
Adalhi
On a brisk January morning, Adalhi and her family invited me to photograph them in their beloved Brooklyn neighborhood. Adalhi mentioned that every year, she took stoop photos with her kids to keep memory of their transformation. We took some adorable pics on their stoop and crossed over to the school playground. There I captured this tender moment, one of many, where Adalhi's child kisses her on the forehead. Behind the scenes, I learned about Adalhi's upbringing, her family, her Chicana experience, her community building as a mother and all this continued to ground me into the importance of this work.
Kelly, Gabriella, Melissa, Celene & Michelle
For my birthday, I wanted to celebrate by creating 😁. I booked a photo studio on Peerspace and created a theme for the shoot that is now known as Rooted in Power. I wanted these photos show the interconnectedness of women of color as well as the power of their presence. It was my first time producing a curated group shoot and it was deeply gratifying to know that my models felt that magic we created.
Angélica
This shoot was an archive of the home Angélica and her family created on 4th street; a moment in her personal history and the urban history of Astoria, Queens. Developers dramatically changed Astoria and uprooted New Yorkers, like Angélica, from their homes. I took photos of her with special items she cherished, her iconic outfits and the corners of her room that she wanted to preserve photographic memory of. In the first portrait, Angélica is dressed in a traditional Mexican dress, standing next to her window where just outside, you can see the bright construction lights that regularly disturbed her and her neighbors sleep; evidence of the silent violence of gentrification. In the second portrait of Angélica is by her nook where you can see her desk, her books, her posters, her trinkets and her family photographs, nothing short of a sacred space. Angelica's bold lipstick and royal blue Mexican embroidered top combined with the vibrant red accents of her room. After the shoot, Angy and I ate takeout and conversed about life and about the future. Throughout this project I got to photograph other women of color in their homes but this particular shoot felt like we were documenting history. A before and after of Astoria that few get to see unless they or their loved ones experienced it first hand. Both portraits reverberate with strength, honor and presence.
view more photos by clicking on the names below or view by numbered sections
Alejandra Moreno ✦ Anu Akinbamidele ✦ Anais Valdez ✦ Aly Ponce Xelo ✦ Angelica Lara ✦ Adalhi Mittnacht ✦ Ashley Estrada ✦ Angie ✦ Anyela Perez ✦ Azia Egbe ✦ Anisha Burton ✦ Bella Sanchez-Llaury ✦ Brenda Leon ✦ Brianna Rodriguez ✦ Carmen Cussianovich ✦ Claudia Mendoza ✦ Collete Dodd ✦ Cristina Castelan ✦ Courtney Elder ✦ Carissa Lintao ✦ Candy Gonzalez ✦ Celene Sanchez ✦ Danielle Vasquez ✦ Danielle Goua ✦ Dennise Jerez ✦ Daisy Flores ✦ Erika Cañas ✦ Evelyn Molina ✦ Eternanda Fudge ✦ Erika Sanchez ✦ Estefanie Lliguichuzca ✦ Evana Wright ✦ Felicia Francis ✦ Gabriela Escalante ✦ Giovanna Pineda ✦Hannah del Rosario ✦ Isake Smith ✦ Ismery Lora ✦ Ingrid Morales ✦ Ivani Proaño ✦ Isabel Castro ✦ Jamie McKaie ✦ Julissa Saragoza ✦ Juliet Colon ✦ Jazmin Desangles ✦ Jazmin Muñoz ✦ Jeanette ✦ Jacelyne Bonilla ✦ Jessica Mendoza ✦ Jenny Peñaherrra ✦ Kiana Heredia ✦ Karina Ramirez ✦ Kimberly Vivas ✦ Katherine Najera ✦ Kelly Garcia ✦ Katherine Quezada ✦ Kayla Berrios ✦ Kathy Lebron ✦ Leandra Ureña ✦ Mariam Somarin ✦ Melanie Wilkerson ✦ Morghann Sims ✦ Miranda Cuellar ✦ Michelle Bello ✦ Miami Rahman ✦ Maria Perez Cortez ✦ Maoly Hernandez ✦ Melizza Williams ✦ Mekela Clarke ✦ Melissa Monsalve ✦ Michelle Peralta ✦ Natasha Lewis ✦ Nia Ita Thomas ✦ Nancy Cervantes ✦ Natalie Riquelmy ✦ Nadrienne Pinnock ✦ Pamela Hernandez ✦ Paola Soria ✦ Quanita Hailey ✦Rryona Thomas ✦ Raynique Brown ✦ Shazzia Hines ✦ Shirley Ureña ✦ Stephanie Cordova Rodriguez ✦ Shanice Core ✦ Stephanie Núñez ✦ Stephanie Barona ✦ Stephanie Fernandez ✦ Stephanie Whiteman ✦ Shateka Johnson ✦ Stephanie Mejia ✦ Suzanna Tang ✦ Talia Arif ✦ Tashi Sanchez-Llaury ✦ Thomiqua Bell ✦ Violeta Flores ✦ Vanessa A. Clarke ✦ Vallerie Matos ✦ Yuliana Pimentel ✦ Yazmine Nichols ✦ Yono ✦ Yordeliny Acosta ✦Yesenia Ariza ✦ Ysamar Peña ✦ Whitney Shannon-Alam