New Hampshire is a state with dynamic cultural diversity that I have seen through my camera lens.
When I started my project to photograph immigrant communities in New Hampshire, a fellow photographer, citing our lack of cultural diversity, joked that I would be done in 15 minutes. Instead, I have been at it for 15 years.
Yet, my friend had a point. The Granite State is not known for its ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, our population was 93.9% “non- Hispanic white.” Undaunted by this low diversity, I set out to photograph people who had fled their countries to find safety and freedom in our communities. Through my lens, I have witnessed both successes and challenges for our immigrant neighbors.
I have been invited into homes, served delicious (if spicy) food, welcomed in workplaces and included in cultural celebrations and religious ceremonies. I have met people with limited English who work multiple jobs to support their families, often with salaries well below their skills and education levels. I have found that all people strive to have a safe home, freedom to practice their traditions and good education for their children. I have seen strong family bonds that embrace extended family members. I home-hosted three college students from Afghanistan and watched them study late into the night for tough courses, made harder because of limited English. Two of them have since graduated with high honors and gone on to graduate work.
Not all experiences have been joyful. It’s a truism these days that this country is not welcoming to immigrants. The stress on them and the people who love and care for them is palpable. I have seen terror and tears in the eyes of men targeted by immigration authorities. I have witnessed instability in families not knowing who would be detained or deported or when. Some are hiding in their homes, unable to work or even shop for food, and wondering if it was a mistake to come to this country. I especially worry for the mental health and future of immigrant children — my photo of a small boy, terrified that his father would be deported, continues to haunt me.
Some in our communities are adding to the fear and separation of families. Several local police departments have signed 287(g) agreements, whereby the Department of Homeland Security provides funding to local police departments, and in return the police can arrest any immigrant they suspect of being here illegally. Our legislature is currently working on a bill, Senate Bill 625, that would gut the refugee resettlement program by prohibiting the allocation of any state funding. According to the Anti-Defamation League, neo-Nazi groups located in our state continue to champion antisemitic and anti-immigrant hate.
Yet, there’s hope. Many New Hampshire residents have rallied to help their immigrant neighbors. Faith groups, nonprofits, community organizations and individual volunteers are standing with frightened families, providing essential aid and nurturing hope. Some city councils have voted to become certified Welcoming Communities. The national program, Welcoming Week from Sept. 10-19, is celebrated each year throughout our state. Our multicultural festivals draw large, supportive crowds. Churches have sponsored individual families, a labor of love requiring dedicated care and navigation of the confusion and uncertainty facing their immigrant friends.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to witness and photograph cultural diversity throughout our state over 15 years. I have taken countless photographs, but I have been given much more. I have been inspired by the strength and resilience of immigrants, many of whom fled unspeakable violence to start over in a new land with a new language and new traditions. My own faith has been strengthened by experiencing similarities and differences with other religious traditions. I have admired the young people who work so hard on their studies, not taking education for granted and excelling in their grades.
The road ahead is rocky for our immigrant neighbors. Uncertainty and fear will not ease up soon. Nevertheless, with the combined heartfelt work of many, we can be a force of compassion and security. Our state is strong, vibrant and more resilient because of the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity that immigrants bring. My hope for our future is that New Hampshire will move above and beyond the current political and social divides, and recognize that diversity, welcoming and inclusion enrich all our lives.
Becky Field is a retired ecologist turned documentary photographer. She gives talks and exhibits of her photography on cultural diversity in New Hampshire. Her photography project is being archived at the University of New Hampshire. She lives in Concord.