Dress: Handmade by CMH, Bodychain: Thrifted, Jacket: H&M, Shoes: Elisabetta Franchi for Celyn b.
Photography by: Larry Everage (Ig: @larryeverage, website: LarryEverage.com)
There's no place like Louisiana. I love the easy-going, steady flowing, laissez faire vibe this place exudes. The thick wet air keeps my skin so moist & my curls tightly coiled. Whether it be the elevated temperature or the pride of the people, but it seems to always be warm down here. The language is so foreign, in yet so familiar. Down here we speak with character. Our voices are loud because we need our words to be felt AND heard. Our tone is sharp because that's how our minds work. We laugh from our guts. We love from the bottom of our hearts. We hug instead of shake hands. We drink because we're alive and able. We celebrate EVERYTHING and for everything there is a festival.
And the food...Louisiana tastes like dark rues, deep fried seafood, smothered anything, stuffed whatever, flavored with the elites of peppers & spice. And it's always cooked from the depths of someone's soul. Our food is so powerfully healing. You can taste the World in every bite. Our people are strong but stubborn. We're self-righteous but serving. We believe in whatever we believe and what you believe better be what we believe. We pride ourselves on history, tradition, and culture. Though sides of that don't reflect the open views of modern-day society, there's still hope for a fair future.
There's a reason why many leave Louisiana, but there's also reason why we stay. There's a lot of magic in the air down here and the potential for growth is in foresight. I often feel like a big fish in a small pond. Though I may not live down here forever, while I am here I'm gonna swim as many laps around this pond as I possibly can. I pride myself on being from Louisiana. It is every part of who I am. Wherever I go, with me I'll always bring a piece of home.
