Manny Figueroa

Manny is a Queer, Non-Binary, Indo-Caribbean Photographer born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. My relationship to the project is one of the necessities - Manny was raised by an Indo-Guyanese family that emigrated to the US in the 1980's seeking a better life. Being a mixed Indo-Caribbean American of Indo-Guyanese and Puerto Rican descent, Manny is seeking to find answers to my identity is the basis of this project while offering my services to these communities.

"Preservation of the Indo-Caribbean," is a body of work that explores Indo-Caribbean culture through surreal portraits accompanied by photojournalist research, which directly educates and expands on the visual references. The depictions initiate social change by preserving the historical and modern context of East Indian and Caribbean Creole subcultures within the Indo-Caribbean identity in the Philadelphia and South Richmond Hill neighborhoods and expanding narrow representation. For instance, you’ll witness the use of subverting symbolic influences that challenge views on interracial marriages and racial diversity by drawing attention to the darker sides of traditionally idolized moments. In some pieces, you’ll also see the influence of the Hindu deities and symbols that relate to personal growth and experience. Others increase visibility and expand on representation for the Indo-Caribbean community, whom are rarely given the space to be centered.

Manny is specifically interested in understanding the beauty of our inherent cultural pluralism - in particular how Indo-Caribbean culture is able to maintain unique qualities of our identity and how our values and beliefs are or are not accepted within Caribbean and Indian culture. Manny's research also explores Creolization - the process of East Indian subculture, Caribbean culture, and American culture blending together to form Indo-Caribbean American culture.