Eyes On Main Street- American Center For Photographers Wilson, NC - July 2023

TOBACCO AND TRADITION

The tobacco industry has traditionally been one of the most important industries in North Carolina and a backbone of the state's agricultural heritage. Wilson, North Carolina was the leader of tobacco crop production at its height but now smaller family farms are overshadowed by monopolies. A majority of the farming is outsourced to Mexican works who move the United States on labor visas and send money home to their families. Their work days are strenuous but fair and they have come to know the soil as if it where they had been raised. As U.S. government continues to grapple with illegal border crossings, they act as the backbone for the tobacco and agriculture industry.

THE STREETS OF WILSON

I came to Wilson, North Carolina with no expectations. I had spent much of the past 18 months living far from the United States that I was raised in, the cities I have come to know. However, the stories of small town America still very much intrigue me. The quieter zip codes that fight to survive along the railroads that were once booming places of trade and landmarks of civil convention. I spent a great deal of time during my month in Wilson, North Carolina walking the streets, talking to residents and business owners and attending family gatherings and community events.  I learned quickly that Wilson has its own magic that radiates from its complicated history, its local culture, and a lot of hard work. Most of the people who live there now have lived there their whole lives and represent a part of town they call home.

A SUMMER IN THE STANDS

Growing up my father would take me to Orioles games at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD. Impressive as the stadium was, my memories of those games are mostly me getting hives and overheating in the long stretches of the later innings. The commercialized major leagues never struck a chord with me but I have always appreciated the community that sports build in a city or a small town. Arriving for my first Tobs game (Tobs v. Japan) was uncertain at first but in the first moments, I was sold. The charm of the historic Fleming Stadium was impossible to ignore and the games became something I refused to miss. A nostalgic slice of America that felt rare every time. Three times a week I would stand on the field and sit in the stands cheering on the Wilson Tobs and getting to know the fans who have been fans their whole lives. The more I came, the more I realized it's not even about baseball.