Not Alone

Dear Tyler,

You are 21 years old, and life has been a fucking lot to deal with. You have been bullied, lost loved ones, experienced heartbreak, and so much more. It took all of this and more for you to grow as a person. I know once you thought that all the trials and tribulations were happening only to you. But, then, you met many people along the way that have gone through similar situations as you. I just want to say that everything happens for a reason. And, even though you may feel defeated a lot of the time, never stop believing in yourself. There are people around you that feel the same way, and are still pushing to achieve the things they want in life. You need to do the same.

Stay safe,

keep being you,

and remember you are

NOT ALONE!

Sincerely,

Tyler

Ronardo: Something I struggle with is socializing with people that are not either my family or close friends. I am naturally quiet and reserved around people I don’t know and sometimes this comes off as me being rude and arrogant. In reality, I d

Johnna: My whole life I was told I need to find a healthy way to deal with my stress, anger, and anxiety. The older I got, the more I realized there is
no right or wrong way to deal with mental health issues. You have to find what works for you as

Josh: I struggle with remaining consistent. Sometimes I’ll have tunnel vision
and be so locked in and others I’ll be completely indifferent.

Ciri: As the first college graduate in my family, the people in my life have always had high expectations of me, and I have always set high standards for myself. However, constantly trying to put your best foot forward and constantly comparing your a

Matthew: I struggle with confidence; my lack of confidence clouds my decision making and just makes me insecure. I deal with this by always surrounding myself with great people. I’ve been developing more and more confidence by focusing on things I’m

Ruby: I’m trying my best not to blame and learning to accept what is lost.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Not Alone started as a personal project that touched on my pain and struggles during a dark point in my life. But, as I began building my project, I came to realize that it is about more than just me. It’s about the people I’ve met along the way, classmates, friends, and family.

I learned that I was not alone. Everyone I photographed are people who all struggle with mental health and more. While talking to and photographing them, some for many hours, each impacted my life. Every conversation has helped build amazing bonds. Along the way, I have met people who have become lifelong friends, while some I even consider family. Artists like Wendi, Nick, Mac, and Andrew inspire me through their music. My talented classmates, Bobby, JD, Zoe, Ruby, and Haley, have pushed me and each other to make our best work. Ciri, Eryn, Matt, Blu, and Kaytlynn have helped me see life differently and given me words of wisdom. Tim, Josh, Alex, Ronardo, and Matthew are five of the most important people in my life. We all have bonds that began in elementary school and that grow stronger every day. They have been by my side and have always believed in me.They are like family to me. And there’s Johnna, my sister. She gives me the motivation to get through any amount of pain and struggles. She looks up to me, and because of this, I had to learn that not only must I be strong for myself but also be strong for her.

I have made portraits of each of them and myself and gathered quotes from each. In the process, I wanted to ensure everyone felt safe and know they are not alone in life. For the artists, I used lyrics from songs they have written because they pour their thoughts and emotions into their music. For the others, I asked them to talk about one of three topics: something they have struggled with and how they were able to get over it, what they wish they knew about mental health growing up, or provide an inspirational quote to motivate others.

Finally, I collected songs from everyone I photographed, including myself. I made a playlist of music to create an atmosphere of sound as a background for viewing.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to see the world through my eyes, and always remember you are

NOT ALONE!