Documenting the daily lives of LGBTQ+ refugees while they wait for asylum.
"Caza de Luz" is a photo documentary essay about a group of Central American LGBTQ+ refugees that took shelter in an abandoned house in Tijuana while waiting for their asylum papers.
Fleeing persecution, gang violence, and poverty in their home country, the LGBTQ refugees are particularly more vulnerable. Travelling as part of the Migrant Caravan, the LGBTQ refugees have been sticking together to protect each other, sending a powerful message for the LGBTQ community worldwide. I wanted to translate this message visually by portraying these individuals, showing their personal stories, and interpersonal relationships.
About the Artist
As a photographer and activist, I have focussed on various marginalized LGBTQ+ communities for many years. Last year, I became close with a group of Central American LGBTQ+ refugees and documented their travel as part of the Caravan that left Honduras in January 2019. At the end of the journey, the group eventually found shelter in an abandoned house in Tijuana they named "Casa de Luz", where I lived with them documenting their daily lives while they awaited asylum.
I wanted to break from the visual narratives seen too often in the American media where refugees are shown clashing with the police, trying to cross border fences, and emphasizing on violence. These photographs instead showcase a candid view on these extraordinary individuals and the beautiful bonds they created while trying to reach a better place for their future.
This photo documentary essay portrays the camaraderie of a group of strangers who became family and the humanity of the LGBTQ+ refugee community as a wholly unique group within a broader geopolitical crisis.
Raphael Chatelain
www.raphaelchatelain.com
