Images of unrest captured a year later

Vidya Rao

Most of us might not think there are any similarities between Dakar, Senegal and Biloxi, Miss. But for photographer Lolita Parker Jr., the parallels are clear.

“In both Dakar and Mississippi in the aftermath of Katrina, I saw people who maintained their pride in the face of adversity,” she says. “I can’t help but be drawn to that and capture it.”

Parker, who has been taking soul-stirring photographs for almost 40 years, was in Mississippi last week documenting the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

“I have been traveling back and forth between Mississippi and Boston since last October,” she says. “One year later, there are still people living in substandard trailers and horrible living conditions.”

Fresh off of photographing a protest march in Biloxi in the midst of blistering heat, Parker says that the secret to her ability to capture great photographs is about more than just being in the right place at the right time: it’s about understanding the emotions of her subjects and standing in solidarity with them.

“When people look at my photos and cry, they ask me how I bring compassion and empathy into my photos,” says Parker. “How? I don’t know. I shoot with my heart — I close my eyes and just listen to people.”

Parker also has the skill in her genes. Both her father and grandfather were photographers, sparking her curiosity to pick up a camera at 10 years old. When she was 16, her father recognized her talent and bought her an expensive Nikon camera. From that moment on, Parker took photos of everything — her stuffed animals, her friends, her neighborhood. She had fleeting dreams of snapping shots for Rolling Stone, but soon came to appreciate the freedom in working for herself.

“I would love to work for a publication to get my photos out there,” she explains. “But my photos are instinctual, intuitive and informed by my politics and beliefs. What I think is beautiful is not what others might think is beautiful.”

It wasn’t until 2002 that the words of an encouraging friend inspired Parker to seriously pursue a photography career. She then connected with ACT Roxbury, which helped her to become commercially viable and get her work noticed. Since then, Parker has held small exhibits, showcasing her work at the Boston Public Library and Haley House Bakery Café.

“Sometimes I’ll just lay my photos out in the street for people to see,” she laughs.

Like all artists, Parker does what she has to do to hustle her work into the public eye. But what separates her from other photographers is her concern for her subjects.

“I don’t have the heart or stomach to intrude on someone’s grief or joy even if it means losing a good photo,” she says. “So I just wait and anticipate.”

Parker has traveled extensively to capture images that mean something to her and that inspire others to action. Earlier this year she traveled to West Africa, documenting both the anguishing poverty of the region and the beautiful resilience of its people. She also regularly hops on buses to road trip around the United States in search of her next muse.

Now, in a place devastated by disasters natural and man-made, inspiration comes with little searching.

“Some of these people lost things that cannot be replaced — they lost photographs. I want to help them rebuild,” she says.

Parker also sees her work as fulfilling a larger purpose. She is more than just a photojournalist: she is an activist on a mission.

“I post my photos on my weblog and maybe 500 people see them. That’s not impressive — but if for one person, it makes a difference and inspires them, then I’ve done what I came to do.”