Life in rural Maine can be arduous for a single mother.
Cora’s story was one I knew well from my own work as a Public Defender, court appointed attorney and guardian ad litem. I encounter impoverished families, living off the beaten path, without adequate support. I wanted to better understand their lives.
I met Cora in 1993 when she was nineteen. Walking by an apartment building in a small coastal town I observed three strollers on the sidewalk. Looking up, a young woman leaned out the window. I asked to come upstairs. Cora said yes. Shortly afterwards, I photographed her wedding. For the next 30 years I documented Cora’s growing family amidst the many changes in her life.
A third of low-income households in Maine are headed by women [Maine Development Foundation]. Some became mothers as teenagers, raising children as single parents at various points along their journey. These women often endure trauma, addiction, and/or health issues while managing their family’s lives.
My photographs capture the intimate moments of daily life and the dignity of struggling families. Through my lens, love and affection reveal themselves in ways large and small despite the hardship. Cora’s story is one of determination, devotion and commitment to her family.
I continue to photograph Cora, her children and grandchildren.
