The Avilas are a large, joyous, multi-generational family. They showed up for their children even while holding their breath, waiting for (hopefully) good news. Over two months, they let me in: press conferences, family celebrations, moments of frustration, church services, pool days.
Stories like the Avilas’ are unfolding across the country, affecting daily life in both quiet and life-altering ways.
I’ll never forget riding with Lisbet, at 5-foot nothing, behind the wheel of a bright red pick-up truck. “You ready?” she asked. We spent the day driving Texas backroads, laughing, swapping older sister war stories.
Simple, ordinary, perfect.
Then the call came. Her mom, Margarita, was ready to sign deportation papers.
Lisbet scrambled—lawyers, siblings, texts, calls. Just trying to find a way forward. We pulled over at a restaurant. She let it out. The weight of having to “fix” this, of going up against a bureaucratic machine, weighed heavy on her shoulders.
Lisbet inherited that sense of righteousness from her father José, a man who prides himself on providing for his family and living by God’s word. Stoic and stern to the outside world, he burst with joy holding his grandkids and cried while hugging his youngest sons who missed their mother.
A loving family, seen not only in what they have endured, but in how they hold each other through it.
Artist Bios
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Lexi Parra
Lexi Parra Lexi Parra is a photographer and educator currently based in New York. She works across the Americas, previously based in Caracas, Venezuela, and Houston, TX. Parra has collaborated with outlets like The Washington Post, NPR and The New York Times. Her work focuses on youth culture, migration, resilience, and the effects of inequality and violence. Parra’s long-term projects have been supported by the Magnum Foundation, Getty, and the Pulitzer Center.
She is the founder of Project MiRA , a photo education initiative fostering visual literacy and empowerment with young women in the barrios of Caracas. Project MiRA has been supported by The US Embassy, Canon USA, and the Davis Peace Prize.
Her work has been exhibited globally, and she is grateful to travel often to speak about her work and community-focused initiatives.
Parra is also the community manager at Women Photograph, spearheading the mentorship program and working to bring resources to our members.
She holds a degree in Photography and Human Rights from Bard College.
Organizations
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Photoville
Founded in 2011 in Brooklyn, NY, Photoville was built on the principles of addressing cultural equity and inclusion, which we are always striving for, by ensuring that the artists we exhibit are diverse in gender, class, and race.
In pursuit of its mission, Photoville produces an annual, city-wide open air photography festival in New York City, a wide range of free educational community initiatives, and a nationwide program of public art exhibitions.
By activating public spaces, amplifying visual storytellers, and creating unique and highly innovative exhibition and programming environments, we join the cause of nurturing a new lens of representation.
Through creative partnerships with festivals, city agencies, and other nonprofit organizations, Photoville offers visual storytellers, educators, and students financial support, mentorship, and promotional & production resources, on a range of exhibition opportunities.
For more information about Photoville visit, www.photoville.com
The Avilas: While They Wait. An Impossible Choice
Featuring: Lexi Parra
Locations
View Location Details Download a detailed map of this location Brooklyn Bridge Park – Emily Warren Roebling Plaza1 Water St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
This location is part of Brooklyn Bridge Park
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The views and opinions expressed in this exhibit are those of the exhibition artists and partners and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Photoville or any other participants and partners of the Photoville Festival.
