"How Many Daughters, How Many Sons"

In every major American city there is a community that each member wishes did not exist; parents who have lost a child to gun violence. This series steps inside that community in St. Louis Missouri, and tells the stories of a handful of its members.

“So how many daughters, tell me how many sons, do we have to put in the ground before we just break down and face it, we’ve got a problem with guns, in the land of the free” The Killers

In St. Louis, and across America, there is a community of parents every member wishes did not exist; parents who have lost a child to gun violence. Inspired by a memorial by Moms Demand Action, and a lyric from The Killers' “Land of The Free”, this series steps inside that community and introduces you to parents who have faced the unthinkable. Combining photos and interviews, viewers meet the children these parents have lost, while also experiencing their grief, and how their life was transformed in the wake of pain.

With the goal of bringing each story to life, I had the parents choose a meaningful location for the photos. From childhood sports fields, to schools, and the murder sites themselves, this brought a unique aspect to the photos. I asked the parents to bring photos of their son or daughter, and items that represented them, to capture their individuality. Combined with the parent's words, this approach enhanced the narrative that each child lost to gun violence is more than a statistic.

Through working on this project my life has been changed by every parent I have met, their children, and the memories they so bravely shared with me. I asked them to not only relive the worst moment of their lives with me, but be comfortable sharing that experience with strangers worldwide. These parents shared their innermost feelings. They recounted arriving at the crime scene, and when they heard the news of their child's passing. They expressed anger with hospital staff, the dysfunction of the criminal justice system, lax gun laws, and societal issues that make homicide an option. They shared their grief for the families of their child’s killer. Yet through the pain, they expressed joy. They told me about the best parts of their child. Their favorite memories & the quirks that drove them crazy. And they shared so much love. They shared about the newfound family they gained in a community of grieving parents. And they shared the hope and purpose that has come out of pain. They gave me 100% of their hearts, and for that I will be forever grateful.

The stories we've told together are meant to bring humanity to this epidemic, with the goal of creating awareness and inspiring action. By bringing each victim to life, the hope is that this crisis will be felt, not just seen in numbers. With gun violence now seen as a public health crisis, it is imperative that we use these stories as a catalyst for change, and prevent even more parents from joining this community.