Nothing shines as brightly as the smile of a proud parent watching their child in the spotlight. Part of the mission of Future American President is to shine the spotlight on children from as many different ethnic backgrounds as possible because far too often, the picture of the future excludes many.
I recently watched the hilarious Mindy Kaling TV commercial for Nationwide Insurance, which shows a young Indian woman believing she is actually invisible. The sad truth is if you don't see yourself represented you can feel like you're invisible. The day I stopped the family below and asked if I could photograph their son I made every family with roots from the subcontinent visible and part of the future American president conversation.
There are times when families are very vocal about their feelings in being included in this project, and times when words alone can't express the feelings. This day was one of those times. As I photographed my young subject and asked him what he'd do if he were the president fifty years from now, his parents looked on with overflowing pride. They didn't have to say a word because I knew what the question and photograph meant, and what his image in the book could mean for other children around the world.
As I packed my gear and prepared to leave, the father came to me and shook my hand and simply said, "thank you," and I knew exactly what he meant.
Always Dream Big