Gordon Smith

Gordon Smith

April 1, 1993 – May 1, 1993

I made my first photographic trip to Jamaica in 1989 and have taken five subsequent excursions. I photograph on the island because I like the people who live there and feel that they have a story which needs to be told. The majority of Jamaicans are born to a life of poverty from which there is little or no hope of escape. The marginal quality of the educational system and distinct lack of vocational opportunity forces much of the populace into a life typified by hard physical labor and a strong belief in God. They manage to successfully combat the island’s harsh environment and persistent economic turmoil with a remarkably resilient and proudly individualistic spirit.