Photograph / by Environmental Humanities Hub

Andy Holzman, American

Photograph

This photography work captures farmworkers working in Camarillo, a small city in southern California, under the sky full of smoke from the wildfire event. Being present no matter how severe the weather would be, farmworkers were told that they are expected to stay and continue their work, and will be fired if they were to leave during the fire. They not only do not have the resources to evacuate with their property, but also do not have the access to protection against the disaster, such as facemasks. This demonstrates the injustice that the marginalized communities experience during disaster like the California wildfire. Label by Yifei He

This photo shows farmworkers in a field with a dark smokey sky above them. The glow of flames can be seen through the smoke poking out behind mountains. This image shows the ways in which vulnerable people are put into danger by forest fires. The landscape does not look like it should contain people. The smoke in the sky is heavy and the distant flames evoke a sense of dread. One would expect to see this sky over a barren landscape with all life having fled for safety. Instead at the bottom of the photo is a green field where about a dozen people continue to work. Label by Becca Gurysh