Michoacán is a large western state of Mexico, whose name has been as synonymous with violence since some of the first narco-terrorist attacks occurred in the state capitol Morelia, in 2008. Since then the state has seen intense and complicated violence, due to various cartels clashing with themselves and the autodefensas (civilian militias which began in early 2013), with civilians in the middle of the crossfire of feuds revolving around narcotrafficking and production
Michoacán is reputed to have some of the most fertile soil and ideal agriculture conditions in Mexico, and is considered the avocado capitol of the world, responsible for approximately 36% of the global production of the valuable fruit. While the major outright street-war between the autodefensas and cartels has largely ended, most experts agree that the autodefensas have largely merged to become a kind of cartel themselves, a situation almost impossible to understand that has its ties deep within the corruption of the Mexican government itself. As of March 2018 The U.S. Department of State has still listed Michoacán with its highest level 4 advisory, strictly advising civilians to not travel there, as well banning the travel of government employees through the state (with few exceptions).This advisory level is on par with that of Syria ( which is still suffering the ongoing brutality of the civil war and various factions fighting). While this may speak to the overgeneralized way that a foreign government understands a conflicted region, it also raises the question of who lives behind these labels and advisories. Michoacán has been inhabited by humans for over 10,000 years, perhaps it is a misfortune its only reputation is the current one. This series was created with the intent of showing the side of life in some of the small towns, to offer an alternative perception to the bloodshed which still plagues the state. Festivals are celebrated, women and children walk the streets, clothes get washed in a stream, and the night market glows with cheap wares: largely life goes on, conflict or not. Of course one individual with a camera cannot presume to represented everything in totality, however one can offer some of the views, nature, and people, which are experienced, and through the shared language of imagery, we can communicate place, culture, and hopefully a greater understanding for the context of the lives of others.