Situated in South Providence, Rhode Island, Jennifer lives with her partner Tompy and their four children. In their urban neighbourhood the rate of unemployment and criminality is particularly high and a great part of the population lives under the poverty threshold.
Inequality in Providence has a long history: Its manufacturing industry began to deteriorate in the 1950s, which since has burdened the city’s economy. Since the collapse, immigration has been high with the opportunity for low rent.
The photographs in this series share Louisa Marie Summer’s experience with Jennifer, a young second-generation Puerto Rican woman, who she met by chance in South Providence.
Over time, Summer developed a close relationship with the family, a relationship based on trust, comprehension and mutual respect. Rooted in this, the photographs provide an intimate view into the daily life of Jennifer's Family. They illustrate how a 26-year-old mother, in spite of difficult living conditions, poverty, and illness, manages to remain optimistic while caring for her loved ones.
This series was created to raise awareness regarding individuals who deal with poverty and despair, on a daily basis. Playing an important role as a photographer, the photographs are honest and empathetic. They play an important role as a manifestation of “social consciousness”, capable of affecting the wider public, or at least capable of providing an alternative point of view.
