This pandemic has really thrown everyone into a spiral. At first I felt pretty fine being home, as a natural homebody, but then days turned into weeks and weeks have turned into months and now it seems we’ll be closing this year the same as we started.

What has maintained me afloat has been the little things. Little pleasures that create a sense of routine, self care, and just overall wellness in my mind.

I would say body but let’s be real, I don’t exercise and really don’t like it haha. Probably should though but eh, it’s just the truth so I’m not gonna lie, ha!

Anyway, we recently went up to the mountains and stayed in a cabin. Then we got word that a really good friend was going to the mountains and so we jumped on the opportunity. All with safety precautions and we wore masks and the whole thing.

It was fun and so great to smell the fresh air and be in nature where our cell phones didn’t have signal. The best part of the whole trip? The actual drive there and back! It was drizzling and so we got to see waterfalls the whole way up, insane fog rolling among the mountains, and it was actually cold.

Puerto Vallarta doesn’t cool down until late October so it’s nice to be able to be in humid free cool air.

I posted a couple of images on my Instagram stories if you’re interested in snagging them as backgrounds for your tech.

All the photos were snapped on my Huawei phone (not an ad, although let’s talk Huawei?!) and it takes pretty stellar photos.

Hope you are all find small ways to keep afloat.

Today, for me, it was enjoying a great tasting coffee and remembering great trips into the forest.

Xoxo,
Jackie

Family Sessions Post Covid

How we’re going to create meaningful portraits in Puerto Vallarta

When we were ordered to lock down a couple of months ago, I didn’t want to believe it. But in an effort to help, we stayed home. Either way, flights got canceled, sessions got postponed and cancelled, and everything I knew as a photographer has been on hold.

There is light at the end of the tunnel friends: we’re coming out of lock down soon and eventually, life will have to go on in a new way, but it has to go on.

I am grateful for all of my clients that have reached out and supported me all these years in giving them something irreplaceable.

It has meant the world to me in so many ways!

But the real question remains once we open up the beaches: what are sessions going to be like now?

Much the same, actually!

I usually photograph sessions alone and so risk is reduced. I also tend to keep a good distance from clients because we want to get as much of the beach as possible! Even with close ups, I’m a good 10 feet away.

I have and will wear a mask. Especially for families with children and adults over 60.

All booking and delivery of images are done online now anyway so that will remain the same.

I will only photograph immediate families that are traveling together. This breaks my heart so much because I absolutely love multi-family sessions!

Now more than ever I believe that photography is not only important but it’s absolutely ESSENTIAL.

I believe in capturing your family. I believe in creating something irreplaceable.

I believe in giving you the most meaningful souvenir you’ll ever take home with you.

If you’re planning on coming to Bucerias, Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, and surrounding areas, let’s book your family session.

We don’t know what the future holds for us, but we can make the most of it now and create meaningful memories that last a lifetime.

xoxo,

Jackie

I’ve been a professional photographer for about 12 years now… So this also means that I’ve learned quite a bit of things since 2006 - and lots of things have changed since. Here’s a short list of things I’ve learned over the years.

1 The nerves never go away

I’m forever always nervous before a session and even more so before a wedding. Before my sessions I say a short prayer asking God to use the talent he gave me to give my clients the best possible photos I can. Because it’s not about me, it’s about them. I’m an instrument and I’m here to create but I definitely need God’s help to keep the nerves down.

I get one chance to get it right. Most of my clients live in far off lands (mostly Canada and the USA lol) and it means we can’t reschedule, there are no do-overs for me. It’s doing it right or cringe. This makes me nervous because so many things both in and out of my control can happen.

2 Photography is a practice

Even though I’ve been at this for over a decade, it doesn’t mean that I’m an expert or can rest and think I’ve got it all figured out. Photography is ever-evolving and changing from year to year, let alone in the last decade.

Practice is important and while it isn’t as glamourous as it once was with models and other great photographers to learn from, I’m home shooting something new or some concept I had or taking photos of my three-year-old, which is good practice for family photos! ha ha ha

And it’s not just about taking photos. I also learn new things in Lightroom and Photoshop, about my own camera, taking videos (which I’m not great at yet), and figuring out both the technical and creative side of photography.

3 It’s about the experience

Being a photographer doesn’t come with any real special recognition outside of the photography world. It really comes down to giving my clients the best possible experience I can - and then great photos, in that order.

Making sure you’re having fun will automatically make your brain tie the fun experience to photo sessions and it will make it much easier for you to come and get portraits taken again! It will link the way you felt during that time with fun, family, and connection.

Portrait photographers who shoot to get recognition from the outside world first and take into account their client’s experience second, in my opinion, aren’t true portrait photographers. Because it’s not about us, it’s about you.

4 These are not my photos

Which leads me to my next point that the photos I take of you are not mine. I’m not going to hang them in my home. I’m not going to gift them to grandma for Christmas. I can certainly help you get all of that done :).

However, these are YOUR PHOTOS and it took me a couple of years to start shooting with you in mind as the viewer than shooting with what I had in mind.

Yes, I’m the professional and will help get the best photos possible, but with your experience and appreciation in mind. Will YOU love these photos? Will they make YOU cry when you see them because your kids are now in college and you have these beautiful images to remind you of such a beautiful vacation? Are YOU seeing your photos and thinking, “Wow, what a beautiful photo of MY family”?

You are my main focus. Your appreciation for the photos and giving you something that is irreplaceable is my goal.

Not getting photos to show off, get awards for, or get the most likes for. Usually, those photos are the ones that don’t get the most recognition.

5 Sharing knowledge is better than hoarding it

I started in a photography world when holding secrets was the key to success because it meant you had an upper hand on other photographers. Charging what seemed ludicrous for workshops, which is still the norm btw, just seemed crazy to me when Google literally has endless information on what I want to learn.

Also, given that I learned a lot of what I know by working for and with other photographers who opened up about their knowledge and experience was amazing to me.

So I share photo tips. I share what works for me and what doesn’t. If someone has questions, I’m an open book. I can’t give you a simple formula to follow to get rich quick, but I can help you as best I can.

6 Live and learn and do not repeat

Learning from my mistakes after weddings and sessions is hard. Learning mistakes I’ve made in business is an even bigger pill to swallow.

Clients are important, session experience is important, watch your focus, underexpose don’t overexpose, yes, the tripod is useful during church ceremonies, stay positive throughout long wedding days, and remember to eat before, during, and after will keep you sane, check your memory cards so that one doesn’t fall out and you have to go back after hours to look for it in the dark and with the sprinklers on (true story).

Remember, keep a percentage in savings for taxes too - learned that one the hard way. Invest in equipment, not shopping sprees.

So many things I’ve learned over the years that I do not want to repeat at all! If you can shadow or work for another photographer for a couple of years first, do that, so you can learn what to do or not to do for your own photo business.

And then don’t repeat them!

7 Community over competition

Once upon a time, photographers used to gather and create and have studios all over towns across the world. Then something shifted and it became an art and secrets were held and people got stingy with their experience and competition ensued.

Then, thankfully, during my time as a photographer, this has shifted again and as artists, we have put community over competition due to one singular undeniable fact: THERE IS ENOUGH WORK FOR EVERYONE.

Make friends with other artists, creators, photographers, writers, models, etc. These friendships can mean a referral, a learning experience, a helping hand when you need one, and the incentive to keep creating and using this community to share what we have.

8 Keep to a schedule

One thing I’ve learned, don’t be on call 24/7. Decide which days are no-work days and stick to them. Schedule certain days for certain tasks if that works for you. Yes, an inquiry is important, but not important to answer at 11:50 pm on a Sunday. That can wait until Monday. People don’t expect to have a full-on conversation at midnight via email anyway.

Don’t let photography lead your life. You’re in control and it’s best to establish that right away.

9 It’s a business to take seriously

When you start photography as a business, even if it’s a side business which is the norm in most cases, it’s still a business. My mistake was treating it like an extra each time I booked a wedding because I still had my main job.

I wish I had put what I need a way for taxes, investment in equipment, and business courses. I didn’t treat it as a business, I was all over the place.

Some things I’m still working on and refining, but make sure you treat this as an actual business if that’s your goal. Read about markups and research the best photo lab, get to know your pricing and how to figure that out, know what your workflow process is and keep perfecting it until it makes your job easier.

And most importantly, don’t give in to impostor syndrome. This is a real job even if you’re the only employee. Blogging, posting on social media, reaching out to clients, selling products, keeping your website up to date, SEO, marketing, are all apart of your business and it’s actual WORK. Don’t down play it and it will make it easier to keep this as an actual busienss than a hobby.

10 Photography is essential to life

I started photography because it was fascinating being able to take a photo of someone or some thing and allow it to be just like it is forever.

Over time, I started to really enjoy the connection forged when I would do model shoots and ultimate when I would photograph families and let’s not even get into how beautiful weddings are. Not because of the decorations or planning or the dress, it’s due to the fact because love the connecting factor during the entire day.

Photography has and always will be essential. It’ll be a reminder of your now 30-year old’s laugh when he was 3. It’s a reminder of how you felt when you took those last photos with your grandparents at your wedding. It’s a moment relived when you see you and your brother riding a wave while on the one vacation you will never forget.

I didn’t always give photography its place in this life. With time, having my own child and seeing my parents grow into grandparents, it has completely cemented the truest fact I’ll ever know:

PHOTOGRAPHY IS ESSENTIAL.

It’s all we have left at the end of the day. And it’s beautiful.

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What have you learned as a photographer? What do you hope to learn in the future?

We made the decision early on to grow slow in my photography so that I’d have the opportunity to be with my son full time as well. Little did I know that it would be a serious adjustment and being that we don’t live near family or friends, it was a challenge, to say the least.

However, it’s not impossible! Leon has been home more than he has at daycare /school and it’s taken me a while to get a good idea of how to go about it and these are my tips for you at home parents!

Work during the kid’s peak hours

Leon is the best behaved and less attention-hungry in the morning right after breakfast. He can watch tv or keep himself busy playing without needing anything from me, except for a snack or two.

Between the hours of 7:30 am and 1 pm is his peak hours. These are the hours where I can get alone and work. Especially when it comes to editing!

For the first few days, observe your kids and see what times during the day they leave you alone and those will be the hours that you can sit down and work.

I know some mamas have babies and that is a challenge in and of itself. What I used to do with Leon was wrap him to me as a newborn and he’d feed and sleep on me while I plowed away at my desk.

When he began to get mobile, I’d put him in the playpen so he could crawl around and play with toys - he hated it and it was a challenge and would just switch it up from playpen to floor time. I’ve seen people fill up inflatable pools and that gives your little one more space with their toys and they don’t feel so enclosed.

Use naptimes to their full extent

If you don’t want to miss out on this rare opportunity to be present with your child(ren) and would like to work around their schedules, use naptimes to the fullest!

Plan ahead in the morning or even the night before what you aim to get done during those naptimes. If you have one nap time of two hours, make the most of it, get your set up ready beforehand so that you don’t spend time planning or setting up while your babe is sleeping.

Screen time

I must admit that Leon watches a fair amount of tv and I don’t feel the least bit bad about it. He doesn’t know how to use the controls and so I still have control over what he can and cannot watch. I also don’t allow him to use our phones or laptops nor does he get to watch youtube.

He can watch shows on Discovery Kids, Nick Jr. or Nat Geo Kids. That’s it. These channels help Leon problem solve, learn, and even get some math in, like Blaze and Rainbow Rangers.

Give the TV breaks and yourself breaks too

Here’s the thing, tv and other devices overstimulate after a while and can actually make a calm kid cranky. Turn the set-off and use the time as a break for yourself too. If you can get outside, take a walk. I water my grass or simply sit out on the stoop and just let Leon play and dig and make up his own games.

These breaks are so important for me and when I’m home alone working away I often forget so having Leon home gives me a fair amount of breaks and I’m all for it!

Move closer to where your kids are

Sometimes, Leon just wants me to be around even if I’m not really sitting with him or playing with him. Being in the same room also helps me keep an eye on this guy because he loves to just get hurt when I’m not around.

If you can move your work station to where your kids are, or move them to where you are, this can help crankiness and help you get some work done.

For kids of school ages, this can also keep you present during their studies and close by to answer any questions they might have. It can help keep everyone focused if you’re working while their working too.

When it’s not working, work after hours

There are times when Leon makes it impossible to get anything done. That day he could just be in need of more attention, growth spurts, just feeling stuck inside and a whole list of reasons that make no sense because he’s a toddler.

When this happens, I have to just let go of my plans and work after he’s gone down for the night. I try to fit in some planning time to know what I want to accomplish so that I’m not up into the wee hours of the morning, which has happened.

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With all that’s happening right now, many mamas - and parents in general- are working from home alongside their kids. I personally am not homeschooling and wouldn’t even dare to make a schedule of activities because with a 3-year-old it’s almost impossible to do anything they don’t want hahaha.

But these are the things that have worked for me in the past as Leon has been at home more than at school or daycare.

Stay safe friends!

xoxo!
Jackie

Hey friends!

How are you holding up? It’s been a little crazy watching things happening from the sidelines here in PV and while we haven’t really gotten lots of confirmed cases, chances are that it’ll reach our side soon seeing as international cruise ships dock here at least two to three times a week.

Am I worried? A little, but not so much for my health as thankfully, the three of us are pretty healthy and I have confidence in all medical staff and that they are doing what they can to contain this and find a vaccine. Until then, we are social distancing.

What DOES have me concerned is that already I’ve had sessions postponed due to the travel ban, personal reasons, and obviously because it’s just safer to stay home right now.

This has affected my business and well, my livelihood, just as it has for sooooo many other small business especially restaurants and those in the service industry.

Today, I’m going to share how you can help me and many other small businesses continue to survive during this crazy time.

What can I do to help?

Artists work hard on their work and right now a lot of artists are creating new and exciting material/products/services just for you and to also pass the time. Right now is the time to invest in their work. Get that drawing/painting/illustration you’ve been eying for some time.

Get that handmade product or reserve that service from the person you admire now and perhaps use it later.

If I have taken photos of you, you can also take advantage of this time home to order the best photo display products for your home!

Get your favorite photo printed, choose a frame for your gallery wall and get prints included, choose a beautiful image box to hold your favorites from your session because having one isn’t enough!

Albums also work as a great way to get those images, talking to your wedding clients, printed and all in one pretty, magnificently printed album.

And right now, for all of my current clients, you get 20% off anything you order!

So don’t put it off any longer, get your prints into frames and display products into your home of all your favorite images!

Download the LOOKBOOK here.

The best part? We can do payment plans and so you don’t have to feel like you need a big budget for all the things you’ve always wanted to get.

I haven’t had a session with you, is there another way I can support your business?

Yes! I currently am putting together a small and limited fine art gallery just for this! they are photos that you can proudly display on your walls as part of your wall art, as postcards, as small loose gift prints, etc.

You can visit the ordering gallery HERE.

What if I don’t have the budget to help artists?

I get it, perhaps right now you don’t have the budget or the time to really give because you’ve got littles at your house that need both your time and attention!

You will never know the impact has with one simple share on social media, a review on Facebook or Google, or simply referring me to people you know have trips planned to the Puerto Vallarta area has on my small business.

Sharing a post, sharing the artist’s profile, just simply giving a shout out helps so much! And the best part? It doesn’t cost a thing.

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Your support in any way means so much to me! And together, we’ll all get through this crazy time.

Stay safe, stay informed, and be kind!

xoxo,

Jackie

I debated about posting my son’s composite photos here but since sometimes social media can go offline at any minute, as we’ve seen before, I thought perhaps it’d be nice to share with others who follow the blog.

We got my son a knight costume on a whim a couple of weeks back when we were browsing through a store and it seemed like a good and easy costume for him for Halloween. Since he isn’t really too particular on costumes, he liked the idea too.

I explained to him what a knight was and what they did - which he understood as fighters of ghosts who are very strong! Ha! To be three again!!

I was driving and began to think about what he’d wear underneath to complete the look and as I was daydreaming about his costume, I started to picture portraits with a castle in the background and then started dreaming a whole story in my head.

And so, these photos were born, along with the story that unfolded that morning. These are composite photos and I gave credit to the original background creators on Instagram, so you can follow and check them out there!

I also go into a little detail about how I made the composites in my stories, which I’ll put in the Leon Highlights.

Happy Halloween friends! Stay safe out there!

I’m going to tell you a secret: I love the post wedding drive home. After about 10 hours of working a wedding, sinking into my driver’s seat, turning off the radio, and taking off my shoes, it’s the sweetest feeling in the world.

I recount the funny things that happened during the day, the moments that made the day feel special, and then it creeps up.

Doubt.

Did I get the first kiss in focus? Did I get that special photo the bride wanted? OMG did I forget to get a shot of the groom by himself? I reassure myself that I did because I remember adjusting his bow-tie. With every stoplight I repeat this process until I get home.

I edit your photos, I send off your gallery link and backup the photos. I check the “completed” box on my weddings spreadsheet and turn my computer off.

Then, I get a message like this…

“I want to thank you with all my heart for your work. It's beautiful!!! We are super happy with our photos, they are spectacular. Thank you for being so professional and thoughtful. And as a person you are a marvelous human being with a big heart. God gave you this professional talent to be a photographer but He also gave you the gift of passion to be a wedding photographer. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! "

And my heart overflows with gratitude because I was able to serve my clients well. Your experience, as well as your photos, are important to me. Your wedding is important to me. You are important to me. So, even though I may doubt if I got a photo of your shoes from the right angle, I know I gave it my all to serve you the best I could.

How can I serve YOU? Contact me here.

New Form

I can’t believe that it’s been exactly 2 years since I went home from the hospital. Leon was born on September 30th at 3:21 pm. He was 40 weeks and 6 days. The doctor’s induced me because he hadn’t grown in over a month according to his ultrasounds.

Not even 1 day old.

I wasn’t worried. I knew that he was going to come close to his due date and that he would be born in September. We never found out if he was actually a he! That surprise happened that very day he was born.

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Two years old.

It’s crazy to think back, through all the struggles, the adventures, and yes, some mommy frustration and ultimately, GROWTH. Growth for the both of us and now we have this amazing groove.

Leon at 2:

• Loves to play and can play alone for hours if you give him something to assemble or put together and take apart.

• Loves water. Playing in it, spraying it, dumping it, putting water from one cup to the other, swimming in it, and of course, hates showering. He’s definitely my kid. ;)

• His vocabulary is growing and growing and can even repeat sentences that are simple like “where are you?” and rightly knows his name is Leon. Can also recognize his written name.

• He will take forever to go down stairs because, duh mom, jumping down is the only true way to go down stairs.

• Loves to egg us on in games and asks for “more” when he likes a certain game. Usually if it involves him laughing he’s all for it.

• Says, “awe” when he sees babies, animals, especially dogs. It’s the cutest high pitched “awe” you ever did hear.

• He’s had precisely one hair cut since birth. It just keeps growing and growing. And it’s so beautiful.

• Currently he’s getting potty trained and doing really well. Except when he does the pee pee dance and mommy or daddy don’t catch it in time.

• Drinks water like it’s going out of style. Loves all things sweet, no surprise ;). Hates veggies but slowly getting them in. Can officially say “more cake” now.

• Still goes to daycare and loves playing with other kids.

• He shares easily and is a sociable kid when he feels comfortable enough. Is very confident in what he does want and doesn’t want, especially in social situations.

• Loves Paw Patrol and we’ve seen the same two seasons like a bazillion times already on Netflix. When he wants to watch he says “lala guau guau”.

• Loves anything that resembles a bus or big rig trailer. He currently sleeps with his two favorite Hot Wheels. He also doesn’t discriminate, he’ll play with the dollar store cars too.

• Loves music and dancing to music. If it has a cool beat, or sounds a little electronic, he’ll flail his hands up and down as if playing a guitar in mid air or something. He’ll also stomp his foot to the rhythm and then if he really likes it, full on dance.

• He’s a sweetheart and has begun to give us hugs and kisses out of the blue just because he feels like it. He also says “I la u” when prompted haha, which I try to get him to say to me all day long! It makes me melt each time.

• Loves to play with daddy. Knows that daddy is fun and can always come up with games and when Aldo comes home from work, Leon scrambles to find a toy and give it to him.

Okay, I can go on and on but that’s Leon in a nutshell. He’s a really good kid and I’m truly blessed to have the chance to get to know him and grow with him. Thank you God for this gift that I wouldn’t have otherwise given to myself. That’s when you know God always knows best.

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I just pray that I can be a good mom, keep my calm, and know that as you grow, I need to grow with you and not against you. I pray that I always appreciate your quirkiness and personality 100% because that’s who you will always be on the inside. I pray that I am able to love you but also let you be your own self. I pray that I don’t get in the way of your kindness, sensitivity, independence, and confidence because all of those traits can make the world a better place.

Over all, I just pray that you always give me such wonderful kisses and tight hugs.

Happy 2 years my boy!

*UPDATE: I am still photographing family and weddings here in Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, San Pancho, Conchas Chinas, and surrounding areas! Contact me for more info if you would like to have more info!*

If you follow me on social media, especially Instagram, then you'll see that I've been freelance writing for a couple of photography websites. I do this in addition to my photography business which I absolutely love.

I love writing tips and tutorials for other photographers on both Digital Photography School (known as DPS) and Expert Photography. Both sites are great resources and as a fact, I used to go to them often when I first started to get help with photoshop!

It's been so nice to share what I have learned through both trial and error and real-life experience out during weddings and portraits with other photographers.  I used to feel like I didn't have much to share because I was a digital photographer and was young, and well, many other excuses that didn't really make sense. So one day, I decided to apply to write and here I am! With more than 10 articles written and it doesn't seem like I'm going to stop any time soon!

I wanted to put these links somewhere other photographers could find them so I'm putting them here on my blog with the tag Photo Articles so that if anyone ever needs to find them, they can use the search bar to the right of this page and find this post.

Thank you for your continued support in both my photography business and sharing these articles that I have worked hard on. And if you're a photographer and would love to chat about anything and everything photography, send me an email or find me on Instagram! I'm always open to share and talk :).

DPS Articles:
Visit my author page (by clicking here) to see all of the articles in one place. Currently, there are 9 articles that range from portrait, maternity, family, beach, flash, budget photography tips, and more.

Expert Photography Articles:
Tips for Lighting Environmental Portraits
25 Tips for Amateur Wedding Photographers
Tips for Maternity Poses
Engagement Session Tips

“If you don’t stand up for what is right, then you are no better than the person doing wrong. ”

— Annonymous

If you follow me on social media, you've been seeing a lot of posts from me regarding the separation of families.

My heart is literally broken. And it breaks even more so when people have commented unkind words or words of apathy.

Let me tell you why this broke my heart: Because in a short amount of time a massive amount of families have been separated.  The rest is really superfluous to the main point. The only other time in modern history that this has happened is the Holocaust. 

And even though the president wrote an executive order to stop, many children have been SHIPPED TO OTHER STATES. Let that sink in.  Children have been separated, but it's another thing to ship children like animals to other states into the foster care system, which is beyond broken as we know, and deporting the parents. HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?!

Even the Nazis had meticulous records of each and every person they held and killed. It was almost sickening however, no person was unknown.  These children, some don't even have the capacity to speak because they are literally 1.5 years old. 

My son is 1 year and 8 months. He can't say his name. He can't say my name. He can't even articulate what he wants. If they took him or if he got lost, he wouldn't even know where to begin in order to find me. Many children are in this exact position. 

I can't look at my baby without thinking of all the other babies who don't have their mamas and daddies to hug them.  Even if it's because I gave him regular Cheerios instead of the chocolate Cheerios.   Or rejoice in the fact that he plays and dances and is a happy baby when we chase him through the house.  No, these children, instead, have been separated and SHIPPED OFF to other parts of the country.  As if there was never going to be a possibility of the families being reunited. 

I don't care what your political views are, but families come together and they should go together. Detain them together. I wouldn't care if I was detained in a shack as long as my family and my child were with me.   I wouldn't even care if they sent me back to my home, as long as we were together.  

I am just in awe that today, in modern times, we are seeing a similar pattern of apathy and hate that led to the genocide of many.  Including many, many, many children.  You don't recover from something like this.  You remember it and hold it in your heart for a long time.

But we can help.  We can donate. We can donate to lawyers who are on the ground doing something.  On the ground bringing those 8-month-olds, 2-year-olds, and 15-year-olds back to their homes with parents who love and want them.  Because children need THEIR family.  Children NEED their moms and dads.  

Help by clicking on these organization links:

DONATE TO TOGETHER RISING WHO IS ON THE GROUND DEFENDING THESE FAMILIES.
DONATE TO UNICEF TO HELP THESE FAMILIES.
DONATE TO HELP WITH SUPPLIES FOR THESE CHILDREN WITH BABY2BABY.

Help.  Help all you can because that is what these children need from us. If you are on the ground close to a center, help. If you can donate clothing, help. If you can translate, help. If you can take in a family while they await their trial, help. If you can share this post, help.

Let us reunite families, like all of the families that I post on here. Let us keep families strong and united.  Stand for families, not for unjust laws. Stand to help, not add to the noise. Stand to fight for what is right, not look the other way.

Stand. Help.