Ring Light Special I AM WHO I AM: THE STORY BEHIND THE EYES
In 2017, Stacy Beaucicaut-Etienne's son went to Haiti to spend time with her family. It was the first time that she had been away from her son for such a long period of time. As a mother, she was devastated and dealing with her own separation anxiety. However, when her son returned home, she knew this had been a life changing decision. He was different. His eyes shone. He was absolutely beautiful. She had a burning desire to capture him in that state…HAPPY. The emotion radiated through his eyes telling a story he didn't need words to speak. She listened. This moment between mother and son was a catalyst of digging deeper into her work as a photographer. The trip to Haiti changed her too. She further honored the power of the lens, understanding the great responsibility it was to capture a moment in time, a story behind the eyes. She spent more time listening and feeding into the souls of all who stood behind her lens. In turn, they also were able to truly see themselves. They listened. Beginning in 2017, after her photoshoots, Stacy would symbolically take a ring light to capture the moment. Each photo is a snapshot of her clients’ journey up until that moment, the secrets behind their guise, and the hope surrounding the next steps they were soon to embark on. Between 2017 and 2022, Stacy had taken over 100 ring light portraits. 16 people were selected from this beautiful collection to be honored at this inaugural event and share their stories. Ring Light Special is a reminder to us all to let our light shine. It encourages us to stand in our power and proudly proclaim "I am who I am." Yet, it also allows us to be vulnerable and let others in, allowing them to see the stories behind our eyes. 2023 Honorees: Delia Becca, Nyakya Brown, Andrea Dalzell, Dumont Etienne Jr., Joshua Thelonius Etienne, Ericka Fignole, Potonia Hampton, Diana Hilaire, Jordan Jennifer James, Lamont Keyes, Kelly La Fond, Therese Myers, Patricia Robinson, Claudia Steere, Daphnee Supris, Marcia Yhap-Davson