As a Caribbean-American, I have always been fascinated with the rich, vibrant, and layered culture of Brazil, a nation with many historical parallels to my own origin. My career has taken me all over the world and allowed me into spaces and places I would otherwise never know. When traveling, it is often too easy to find the differences between myself and the people of the land. The various social customs marking clearly the line between what is Western and what is not. On this trip, I was compelled to merge my world with Brazilians from Rio de Janeiro and Salvador de Bahia; to explore and identify the things that make us one; to document the spirit and values that align. And perhaps, to find parts of myself in a world so seemingly different than my own.