Special mass for the migrant workers

Link to my story on MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette

STURGIS, MI — A migrant worker camp near U.S. 12 outside Sturgis welcomed a special guest this week.

Bishop Paul J. Bradley of Kalamazoo celebrated Mass for the workers and local Hispanic community.

The Diocese of Kalamazoo chooses a different migrant worker camp within its nine counties every year for a Mass that is celebrated by the bishop.

This is the fifth year Bradley has celebrated the annual Mass for migrant workers.

"Their schedules are so long, it makes hard for them to do anything but work. So it is great for them to know that the church is here for them," Bradley said.

"Those migrant workers, hard workers, always inspire me with the depth of their faith," Bradley said. "They are strong in their faith and whatever circumstances they have to deal with, they are never far from God, and their faith is a part of who they are."

Fanny Tabares, the associate director of multicultural and Hispanic ministry for the Diocese, is the organizer of the Mass.

Tabares has been working with migrant workers in Southwest Michigan for nearly two decades.

She said it is very hard to those workers to be away from their families for a very long period of time. She wanted them to help them feel like family here.

"They are a part of our community," Tabares said. "We love them. They are not here alone." 

Abraham Guzman of Veracruz, Mexico, came to Michigan about two weeks ago by himself as a first year migrant worker.

Guzman said he wakes up at 4:30 a.m. each day and spends more than 11 hours working on corn fields in the surrounding areas.

He said that he was excited when he heard the Mass was being held at the camp. He was very happy that he was able to attend with his busy work schedule.

"It's heavy work I do everyday, " Guzman said. "We don't have time to go to church because of work." 

"It is a great gesture from him (Bishop Bradley) that he came to us," Guzman said. 

Santa Rosa High School Class of 2013 graduation

Finally, I am posting those pictures I took at the Santa Rosa High School graduation Class of 2013, the second smallest graduating class in the school's history.

It was an interesting year for me, I got to spend the first day of their senior year with them in school and throughout the year, I've been seeing them almost every Tuesday when I go to Santa Rosa for work. And last Friday, I got to spend their last day in high school with them.

Wish them good luck!

Drought in Colonias

About two weeks ago, I went to the village of Colonias, which is in the middle of nowhere in Guadalupe County, New Mexico, to do a drought story for the Communicator. And I met Benny, who is almost 80 years old. Because of the drought, all the water wells were dry in the village since the end of Feb, he has to drive about 15 miles to get to a laguna to collect water to feed about 120 cows, which takes him about 5 trips to finish the whole job.

 

Wrestling state championship

This is a late post, I shot the New Mexico high school wrestling state championship for the Santa Fe New Mexican two weeks ago which was one week before I left for the Sports Shooter Academy. This is my favorite picture from that weekend of covering the event. 

This coming week, I will be covering the high school basketball state championship games. I can't  wait to use all the knowledge I learned from SSA at this coming event, especially remotes.

back from so cal

I just got back from southern California for the Sports Shooter Academy workshop, had some fun making new friends and shooting surfing, mostly sunset time.

So here are some updates, I got accepted to the Colorado Springs Gazette for my summer internship. I am hoping to work very  hard when I get there and they will extend my intern till December.

The yearly fine art magazine Conceptions Southwest that I am managing just finished all the design work, now we are working on copy editing. Hopefully, we can send it to the print by the end of spring break.

And I am planning on going back to China at the beginning of next year. If I can find a job at a big daily newspaper or a wire service will be wonderful. Good luck to myself!

New Year!

I photographed this on the second day of the new year while I was driving around for an ATM (anything that moves) assignment in Santa Rosa, NM.

2013, is here, the end of the world didn't happen. I have a year left of my grad school work. And I am already panicking about how to continue my career in photojournalism. I am applying for internships all over the country again. At the same time, looking at chances if I have to go back to China.

I have a few project ideas in my mind these days, some are in Northern New Mexico, some are on the Mexican border. We will see which one do I get funding first.

Finals week

It's finals week again. My first semester in grad school tells me do not take five classes in the same semester again.
At the same time, I am working on applications for next summer's internship.
another good news: I just got an email from PDN telling me that I've won an award from the recent sports photography context. The photo and award will be published on next February's issue.  

Anyway, I will be in Las Vegas next week after finals. I hope to see some friends and work on a story while I am there.

picture: Yesterday, I went to Gabby's practice yesterday and shot this photo. She will be competing in Vegas next week. Best luck to her.

a few pictures from Eddie Adams Workshop XXV

Football New Mexico vs Fresno State

Football UNM vs FSU from Junfu Han on Vimeo.


I shot my first Lobos football game of this season yesterday.
so bad, the Lobos lost, but I looking forward to cover the rest of the season

101

Another week in Santa Rosa, working on stories along the Route 66.
Mrs. Barela celebrates her 101st birthday at home with her great grandson and grandchildren.

summer slow

My summer began after the finish of my 10-page paper on Sam Peckinpah and his movies for my Western Film class. I took three summer classes, two graduate level ones.

I 've been working with my friend Adria to start a wedding photo business, and luckily we shot our first wedding last week with Kim and Mark. A lot of new things we learned, let's hope we are gonna do better.

Eddie Adams workshop and a 'new' camera

The same day I got this camera is the day I received an email telling me that I was selected to go to Eddie Adams Photojournalism Workshop!!!

Two on my to-do-list in college checked.
start shooting portraits in a medium format camera
go to Eddie Adams Workshop


now it's time for me to work harder, save money for films and this trip
My plan A for this trip is get to NYC by greyhound, which is the cheapest way to get there.

butterfly

I caught this butterfly when shooting a baseball game today
since I haven't updated my blog in a long time, I finally got my admission letter from graduate school and a Cary Herz Photojournalism scholarship, Im looking forward to have some funding to do my personal projects in summer

St. Patty's Day

At the end of my spring break. I went to hang out with Mario for St. Patrick's Day. He told me the whole story of how he lost his leg and continued break dance.
We were drinking and talking about everything, I really appreciate this friendship.

Some updates about me, I got accepted into the art education graduate program at UNM which means I will stay in Albuquerque for another two year. But I'm also planning on going back to visit my parents next year which is exciting.

I miss Anapra

It has been 3 months since the last time I went to Juarez. My old car died after it took me back to Albuquerque.
Now, I really miss that place and all the lovely people.

The first trip I will do when I find a car is driving down here. Hopefully, I can make it before Easter.

MWC diving championship

This weekend I went to Oklahoma City for the Mountain West Swimming and Diving Championships.
Gabby won the 1m and 3m champion on Wednesday and Thursday. I'm so proud of her!

Here is a picture I made during the platform diving today.

NOVA dance

I went to photograph the NOVA dance rehearsal at the Rodey Theatre last night.
There's a question I always wonder, can dance be photographed?
Dance is a movement, a continues movement
But photography can only freeze one moment,
how can it represent the whole dance?
I still don't know the answer.
But it reminds me the movement assignment I did in my sculpture class two years ago.
Can a piece of sculpture tell a movement/motion?
I think the answer is yes, because the movement or intended movement can be shown through direction, details, texture...

How about I say dance photographs are 2 dimensional sculptures?

last sprint

I really learned a lot from watching last year's CPOY judging videos especially the sports portfolio.
And I saw one of my photos in the semi-final of the General News category. learning from lossing

photo from: New Mexico Classic Invitational, men's 5000 meter

Gabby's senior day

Gabby's senior day with UNM diving head coach Abel Sanchez

Mario, a work in progress

This is a personal project I'm recently working on about this guy Mario I met at the flea market during the UNM photo bootcamp two weeks ago, he lost his right leg 8th grade when he was playing football but with his passion in hip-hop, he teaches kids break dance with his friend Albert. What's more interesting is he lives 2 blocks away from my house.

I will keep updating this story.