So the other day I realized that I never posted photos from my first trip to Guatemala, last December to work with the awesome non-profit Champions in Action.
Champions in Action’s goal (pun!) is to connect disadvantaged youth to life-changing mentors through soccer. With some luck and planning I was able to come down and mostly photograph a few key people, some soccer of course, and some daily life in Guatemala images for them to use. It was difficult communicating since my Spanish is TERRIBLE and I do my best when I photograph to learn about my subjects, but it was worth it! My friend Jairo was a great assistant!
We explored Villa Nueva, multiple zones (the capital city is organized into zones), and met mentors and students involved with Champions. One thing was for sure, no matter where we were, the people I met were so content. It was encouraging and powerful, especially folks like Humberto and Kakayla (girl her mom below) who live in shacks above dug out holes.
Also, on the last night before I was supposed to leave, I got to see the National Soccer Championship between the Rojos and Cremas from the field! What an experience! Enjoy some of my favorite images below. To find out more about Champions in Action and getting involved visit their site: http://www.championsinaction.org/
*Some images are iPhone, others are my old Canon camera