Faces of Belonging is a collaborative art project that promotes belonging amongst individuals who live, work, and study in DeKalb, Illinois. Our community is inhabited by a rich network of diverse individuals, each contributing their own unique perspectives and varied life experiences to DeKalb. Our project honors the faces and voices of community members who work to create a sense of belonging.
Our photographic portraits capture individuals that work to create a sense of belonging for others in our community. These portraits show each person in a place in DeKalb that creates a sense of belonging for them. Excerpts from our interviews share insight about each person’s life-story, the meaning of belonging, and how to create a sense of belonging for everyone in DeKalb. Whether that is through social justice work, promoting equity, mentoring, or ensuring the safety of our community, each of these individuals make DeKalb a more welcoming place to be.
These faces remind us...all of us Belong.
Photographs by Amy Fleming and Jacob Rivera
“Belonging is a feeling…
…like you have a home.”
“Where you can be your most authentic self.
…a space and community where people listen to each other.”
“Just acceptance…
no matter who you are, what background you come from, race, religion, or ethnicity,”
“Belonging means that I'm not an outsider.
That I can walk in anywhere and not be cast aside.”
“It’s about the people and connections…
having people care.”
