Jenna Hoffman
Matt Black, "Texas Migrant in Her Yard." Teviston, California
2001
The image I chose was Texas Migrant in Her Yard from Matt Black's project called "Kingdom of Dust". Photojournalist Matt Black is using his project to show the hardships for the agricultural workers in rural California. From California's severe drought crisis to the advancement of technology, many of the agricultural workers are losing their jobs and still trying to support their families with income below the poverty level. I was drawn to this image because it reminded me of being at grandfather's ranch and watching my grandmother sitting on the porch. My grandfather led a migrant lifestyle, until finding an agricultural job in Parlier, California. Each year he wished for a good 'growing season' to support his nine children. Black's project captures many small towns in California being the home of some of the richest farms in America and the people who reside in them. Matt Black's raw imagery is used to impart to us the realization of how important these jobs are to the residents of these farm communities.
