Sometimes I feel like my first language is photography.

Like, I can communicate better through my work than I can through my words.

And when I don't know how to show up in community or when I'm not sure how to participate or how to give back, I can always default to portraits.

I'm Jovell Rennie.

I live in Anchorage, Alaska.

I was born in Trinidad and Tobago.

But I moved to Alaska as a baby, I had a great relationship with my parents.

I grew up a mama's boy.

My mom passed when I was nine years old.

My dad is big on community.

He's big on looking out for other people.

the sense that if you can do something, you should do something.

So regardless of what I may have going on in my life or on my plate, if there's an opportunity to help, I want to try and take it.

And we'll do these free picture days where anybody can come and get a headshot, family portrait, whatever they need.

The community of people that have come in for free headshots is pretty reflective of the Anchorage community.

It's all sorts of people, all demos, all walks of life, especially because we do them in different parts of Anchorage and different communities and I see so many people.

The established business professional who wants to get a free headshot during their lunch or a mother, single mother with a child who just wants to get a photo with her baby.

Since starting, we've probably done maybe 30 or so different free headshot events, totaling around, like, maybe 300 or so headshots.

I think that historically, there was a long period of time where art was reflective of a community of community struggles, concerns, fears, joys, you name it.

But nowadays a lot of things that we're making are just products, for lack of a better way to put it.

It can definitely be intimidating when you want to help.

And it feels like there's so many places that need help and you don't know where to go.

best place that I think you can start is just by talking to your neighbors.

Have a conversation with them.

Get to know the people around you.

And figure out how you can help in your neighborhood.

And from there, it spreads.

If we're lucky, we will get old.

And when we get old, we will need help.

So you want to sort of build up, a strong foundation of support of people that you trust and care for, that if times get tough for you, you know you're not going to be alone.