Sunshine Village

I distinctly remember the day when a colorful fish mysteriously appeared in my flooded backyard. The months of heavy rains brought fear and uncertainty to many in my home country of Brazil. Yet, they meant nothing but an adventure to my young and innocent mind. Somehow, the whole situation seemed magical to me. 

As I grew older, grappling with those struggles, I never imagined I’d face similar obstacles in a different country. In my quest to better understand myself, my surroundings, and my upbringing, the project “Sunshine Village” was born. 

In this project, I captured the effects of tropical storms and hurricanes on low-income communities of South Florida. For a period of over 3 years, I photographed my home—  a mobile home community named “Sunshine Village”— the place that offered me and my family the opportunity of a better life. 

Through the lens of my camera, I explored themes of immigration, estrangement, alienation, and faith. Beyond the plastic walls of these homes, my images captured portraits of the people living within, their dreams, and their struggles. At night, these homes seemed to transform into ships, floating serenely in a calm ocean. My photographs became a way for me to find beauty and joy in the struggle of the immigrant experience.

A decade later, on a completely different continent, I found myself looking through a viewfinder with the same enthusiasm and curiosity I had once looked at that mysterious shimmering fish.