JADA

Stepping into the ABA center, I was first greeted by Jada—a confident and energetic little girl who immediately made a lasting impression on me. As one of the few children I met that day that were verbal, she broke the ice with a bold statement: “I am so damn smart!!!” I laughed along and replied, “And that, you most certainly are!”

 

Jada’s charm wasn’t confined to her words alone. Unseen in the black-and-white photos, she had drawn on her eyebrows with markers.  The night before, she’d shaved off her natural eyebrows and replaced them with fuchsia and turquoise lines.  It had us all laughing, including Jada. 

 

During our whirlwind five-minute shoot, I let Jada lead the way. Unfazed by my large camera, she chatted non-stop and displayed a range of expressions that perfectly captured her lively personality. Every time she asked to peek at the images on my camera, her grin would grow wider, a clear celebration of her own unique artistry.

 

That day, witnessing Jada light up with self-pride was nothing short of magical—a reminder that sometimes the smallest souls leave the biggest impressions, and that moments of pure bliss have the power to stay with us forever.

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**Click on each image to see the full composition**