When I first posted about this idea, I was quickly challenged. Who was I? What are my credentials? What's my angle? Some people thought the question was rude but I actually welcomed it. Obviously these things matter to readers and viewers - but they deeply matter to me too.
As far as credentials go, I have been a photographer for 10 years right here in Salmon Arm. Over the past several years I have focused primarily on documentary work and sports, as I find they present the stories that resonate the deepest with me.
I am not a journalist and I am not a writer. I'm not media (although I have my fair share of media passes I hold dear) and I'm not being compensated. Neither a Liberal or a Conservative, I hold many progressive views, but I also grew up with a father, and now a husband, working in the logging industry and economics matter. We lost our house and all of our savings after the recession in 2008, and moved into my husbands parents basement while in our 30's. Of course we made mistakes along the way, and we combined luc, hard work and sacrifice to overcome them. We struggled with infertility for 10 years but now we have two amazing boys (aged 3 and 5) and two thriving businesses. I've lived a life, and I've seen a lot. So while my qualifications may not be academic or work experience related, I may also be right person to tackle this documentary project. I'm a storyteller who is extremely fascinated by our upcoming election and how it is going to play out. I'm a Canadian who cares about the world my children will grow up in. I have aging parents who need my help, as well as a toddler at home. And I care. As a citizen I can understand a platform, but I feel that understanding the candidate who stands upon that platform is equally valuable, because our stories can shape our beliefs, passions, work ethic and attitude. And those all matter to me, and likely to you too.
One of the hardest parts on this project will absolutely be checking my bias. I am human and I obviously have my own set of beliefs. But please know this entire project has nothing to do with promoting any single candidate over another.
At the Climate Action Strike held in Salmon Arm on Sept 20th I had the pleasure of meeting Harwinder, Marc, and Kyle for the first time. I have met Cindy several times in the past and I have never met Mel. Sometimes in this life we run in the same circles as those who are running for office. If you were to dig through my social media life, I'm sure you would find several photos I have taken of Cindy at community events. While some may view that as concerning, I believe it actually shows that I am in touch with this wonderful town I call home. And lucky for all of us, Cindy is as well. That's one of the beautiful things about small town living is that those who are supposed to be working for us also live with us.
I have now spent 27 hours documenting lives and that only repesents 2 candidates. Long days, all the coffee, and more candor and passion than most of us would ever here at a job interview. The one thing I ask of anyone following along is to get informed. Go to the forums - ideally more than one. I've attended 2, and have 3 more on the calendar. Read the platforms. Take those quizzes. When you are in the same room, watch body language. And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make an effort to talk to your candidate directly. Pop into an office, ask a question, and communicate with the person who will be fighting for you. In this world where federal politics can feel scary and corrupt, we need more than ever to communicate and build relationships with those in power. Trust me, if I can do it, so can you.
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