Calling the Soul
A Photographic Documentary on the Hmong-American Refugee Culture
And its Roots in Northern Laos
The project uses digital photography to document the saga of two thousand new Hmong refugees as they arrive in California from refugee camps in Thailand. Working with FIRM, an organization that provides a wide range of services to refugee communities, and the Fresno City and County Historical Society, Joel is photographing the Hmong immigrants as they attempt to keep their traditional culture alive and adapt to life in a strange, new world eight thousand miles from their birthplace. The project also documents Hmong-American culture as practiced by families from earlier waves of immigration, as well as Hmong village life in Laos.
Funded by the California Council for the Humanities and the James Irvine foundation, the photographic work began in December 2004 and continues in Laos and California. The project will culminate with a large traveling exhibition and the entire body of digital photography, over 12,000 online images, will be part of a digital research archive.
Soul Calling: A photographer's Journey in the Hmong Diaspora will be published by Heyday Books. The 200-page, full-color book will include approximately 175 photographs and two essays by the photographer. The release date will be announced soon.
Hmong Project Slide Lecture
Joel Pickford presents an engaging and informative slide lecture about his experiences working with the Hmong to organizations and groups. Inquire about dates and availability