SIXXXXXX ❤️‍🔥

EIGHT 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

LOVE THESE BOYZZZ ❤️❤️❤️ HBD @gabalca 🎈

LITERALLY EVERYONE’S INVITED IS HERE!!! Literally Everyone’s Invited: An Ode to South Florida celebrates the 10th anniversary of the ZipOde—a place-based poetic form created in 2015 by @omiamifestival in partnership with @wlrn . Almost two years ago, I proposed that @omiamifestival publish a photo-poem anthology—a book that would bring together diverse perspectives to construct a multi-dimensional narrative of our shared home. With their green light and support, I assigned 130 South Florida photographers a zip code and invited them to either make new work or pull from their archive (2015-2024). From Monroe County to West Palm Beach, images flooded in and were more than I had dreamed. From the beginning, I partnered with @sarahtrudge , friend, poet and long-time ZipOde editor. @sarahtrudge selected 348 ZipOdes out of an archive of more than 18,000, and we worked side-by-side to tie it all together. Literally Everyone’s Invited is a collection of more than 450 South Florida voices, divided into six themed/color-coded chapters—people, creatures, food, tide, transit, and neighborhood. Each chapter title comes from within a select ZipOde. This book tells a true and tangled story about the mosaic of our lives in this place. When you purchase a book, you give to @omiamifestival and invest in bringing poetry to kids across Miami-Dade County schools. A number of the ZipOdes in this book, including the book’s title poem, come from O, Miami Sunroom students. @mccoy_arsimmer , a miracle and an O, Miami Sunroom teacher, wrote the book’s introduction/poem/prayer, and it’s worth a book purchase in and of itself. If you aren’t familiar with @omiamifestival , check out their website and get involved! They’re doubling down on the arts in the state of Florida, as government support recedes. MORE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

Last month, my friend Amanda (best doula out) invited me to make photos of a home birth that could be used by the @southernbirthjustice Network to help raise funds for their new birthing center in Miami. The center they’re building is both a clinic for women’s wellness, prenatal, and postpartum visits, and a location where a birthing person can experience a low intervention vaginal birth with midwife support. Black women in this country are 3.5 times more likely to die from pregnancy related complications than white women. Implicit bias and racial discrimination within the health care system lead to delayed diagnoses, ignored symptoms, and poor treatment decisions. 60-80 percent of maternal deaths are considered preventable with timely, high-quality care and better support systems. Reducing these disparities is increasingly seen as a public health priority involving clinical practice reform, community support, and policy change. If you’re able to help the @southernbirthjustice reach their goal, please donate at the link in my bio. Thank you @leezajonee , @hughmichael__ , Solis, and Indigo for opening your hearts to me and allowing me to document this experience. Last photo is by Amanda, a hug that turned into a contraction I’ll remember for the rest of my life!!

Made a book with @omiamifestival @sarahtrudge @topos_graphics and 450 friends! Literally Everyone’s Invited will be released on January 26, with a presale going live on November 24. A limited number of advance copies are available at the @miamibookfair this weekend! 💛💛💛💛

Ripple, love, ripple! Love love love you KG, Gersh, Laz, n fam 🤍

Love you eternally and immeasurably, Jo 💜

Maybe the greatest person I’ve ever met. You can read about Brooke’s story at the link in my bio. Please consider donating to @mdaorg or to ALS Together — the centralized ALS community Brooke is working day and night to grow. In awe of and in love with you, @limpbroozkit . Thank you Breanna Denney and the @nytimes for this assignment 💝

Please join me in supporting @omiamifestival this Give Miami Day. You can donate at the link in my bio. Individual donors are more essential than ever. This year, the State of Florida lost 32 million dollars in Florida arts grants. This affected arts organizations all over the state, including @omiamifestival . Your support will enable O, Miami to continue providing literary education across Miami-Dade county classrooms, and serve as a platform for amplifying South Floridians, investing in a new shared narrative of our community, and a more equitable picture of its future. Any amount, big or small, is appreciated ❤️

Outside Trump’s election night watch parties at Mar-a-Lago and the Palm Beach Convention Center, on assignment for The Guardian. Thank you for your support @guardian , @fletchinator , @mikaelamartin_photog , and @rorosiemarie

While I’ve rarely spoken about it, I’ve documented hundreds of weddings over the last thirteen years. Throughout this time, editors and mentors have often advised that I not share this work. While recently combing through the archives, I realized how much it means to me, and decided to share it anyhow. Thank you to everyone who has given me the chance to be a small part of celebrating the love in your life. I released a new selection of wedding photos on my site. LET LOVE RULE!!