Why the New Look? - A Call for Diversity
Hey, friends.You may have noticed that I recently updated the Dear Little One logo from this:
to this: 
It wasn't a change that was made lightly and I would like the talk to you a little more about what it means to me.First of all, the icon depicts a mother holding her child while emerging from an envelope.The name "Dear Little One", to me, speaks to our heart to leave something behind for our children...memories, which can be done effectively through photos and video. They freeze a piece of time so that it can be reopened and relived.
Now, excuse me for a moment, as I'm about to address something that has been weighing heavily on my heart for a long time. It is not my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable here, but I realize that because the rest of this post addresses people of color, those of you who do not fit into that category may not be able to relate. Just know, I still love you and I'm so glad you're here.
Fun fact #1: I am a woman of color (WOC). I'm originally from Trinidad. That's me pictured above. The births that I've attended have been diverse and I love it that way.I'm not being discriminatory and enjoy working with families from all backgrounds, but having a WOC front and center in my logo was a very personal move for me.She represents me and my hope for more representations of people who look like me in the birth field both in front of and behind the camera.
To be honest, I HARDLY know of many birth photographers who look like me and likewise, I hardly see birth clients who look like me. For example, in a major (and amazing) birth photographer group I'm in, there are over 1200 photographers. Of that, fewer than 15 are people who look like me. And then, of those, only a small fraction actively pursue birth photography. That's crazy to me. Why is there such a gap? Where are we? I can't be one of only a handful in the country who have chosen to specialize in documenting births.
I feel like the lack is due to our culture. The main reaction that I get from people of color (POC) in regards to hiring a birth photographer is "EWWWW, WHY?", because we automatically assume it's all about the crotch shot. I feel like we are trivialized into not seeing the beauty in birth..that we should be delivering only at a hospital, preferably medicated, and that we just don't hire any more than is necessary...no doula, no photographer.
It's a catch 22.We may see it being done, consider having it done, but the lack of our people that WE SEE doing it makes us unconsciously (or consciously) ultimately choose to decide against it. But, how can we see these things if they are being documented in minute quantities?
Fun fact #2: WE DO THESE THINGS.WOC, we give birth in places outside of a hospital.We give birth naturally.We hire doulas and midwives.We breastfeed and we baby wear.We hire birth photographers and videographers.
Granted all of these things are not for everyone, and that spans across all races.
I had all three of my children in a hospital with an epidural and that is completely acceptable, because that is what worked for ME.
Do your research and learn your options and decide from there what is best for you and your family.
That is my hope.That we become more knowledgable, more aware, that we have options.
When you see my logo, I want it to be synonymous with options. I want it to challenge your thinking about what is normal and what is acceptable.I would like that when you saw my logo, you'd think about what it is like for you to see us represented in mainstream media as royalty, as protectors, as scientists and creators - as loving and strong families.