Undocumented talks

It is very clear that migration has become such a controversial topic to discuss. It goes even further when we talk about illegal migration, most of foreigners become victim of generalisation and stereotyping.

As a legal migrant myself, I confirm that living in another country that is quite far from your own, requires sacrifices, bravery and a lot more.

From personal experience I have noticed migrants in European countries either go marginalised and ignored as if they are not part of the society. Or they get discriminated for who they are; their identity, their skin colour, their accent, their traditional clothing. This should not be a reason for them to be forgotten.

This is a series of real stories of migrants that have left their mother land chasing a better future. This is a story of doctors of have become waitresses; This is a story of kids of sneaked into boats, crossed seas to have an education and a career that can feed their mothers and sibling back home. This is the story of your favorite mechanic, the story of your neighbour, the story of the best barber in town. This could have been your own story.

This series hold value and celebrates migration and successful migrants who hide their stories to the world for safety, to forget, to not be judged.

My goal with this project is to break this harsh stigma that we have of migrants and stop generalising people, giving credit to them for their bravery. I aim to provide a voice for those who have come from other countries with only a backpack full of clothes and a painful untold story.

"(...) No one leaves home unless home chases you

fire under feet"

"You have to understand,

that no one puts their children in a boat

unless the water is safer than the land

no one burns their palms

under trains

beneath carriages

no one spends days and nights in the stomach of a truck

feeding on newspaper unless the miles travelled

means something more than journey (...)"

Home by Warsan Shire

My biggest inspiration in this project is my uncle, who was an illegal migrant for many years. With time he managed to get his documents prepared, and he has become one successful man that never fails to inspire young people.

His name is Rahim. He has travelled from Algeria to the UK crossing European lands and sea. He ceased to see the risks with his selfless and determined attitude and with only one goal in his mind, he made it. He's overcome the fear of failure, he ignored the prejudices and he has become what he always wanted to be; an independent successful family man.

I often had the chance to listen to many of his stories, and they are just inspiring; very often surreal.