My friend told me he didn’t think it was right to have kids. With an uncertain future because of the climate crisis, he said he didn’t feel comfortable bringing a child into the world. We were twenty. He was the manager at a warehouse where we both worked, and I had decided I didn’t want to go back to college. The rest of our lives felt immediate. That summer, I got a volunteer position at a farm labor organization. It was 120 degrees in Portland, and a farm worker died in the fields from heat exposure. Another farm worker told me that when she touched the berries they just turned to hot mush. Those berries were her livelihood. She was paid by the pound for them, and the farm owner would not pay for mush. It was so hot that summer that the leaves on the bushes outside the organization were scorched black by the sun.

The climate crisis has reached a point where it no longer has to be spoken about. It can be seen and felt. This project was inspired by Billionaires going into space. I’m angry because those who threaten our stability may not have to face the consequences of their actions. It’s infuriating to think about wealthy private citizens buying their way out of the environmental disaster. The rich have an immense amount of power. They have profited so much from this planet and should be responsible to the people who depend on it. I think that if you have the necessary means to address a problem without ruining yourself, then you have a responsibility to act. My generation is forced to wonder if the planet will be able to sustain a future that they can invest in. There is no sense in saving up to buy a house or starting a retirement fund if those who can change things choose not to address the problems that threaten the future.

These images question how one becomes docile in a time of imminent danger. They serve as a view into constant monotony, separation, and surveillance. This visual warning is in contrast to a future with hope. Despite overwhelming inequity, the possibility for a better future lies in the hands of those who must overcome complacency.