North America - Same Footprints

Falling in Love with New Orleans

A smiling woman leans against a pale wall between plum-colored wooden doors. Dressed in a black outfit with an oversized blazer, she stands in warm sunlight while tree shadows dapple the surface beside her.

It’s possible that I am guilty of romanticizing most cities I visit, but I am constantly captivated by New Orleans.

Yosemite in Spring: A Photo Diary

A black woman with a short blond afro sits on a wooden log thats created a natural bridge across a ravine

As the last traces of winter snow thawed around Yosemite, we spent a few days celebrating my friend Mariah, who loves the outdoors and planned a “cabin in the woods” getaway for her birthday.

Puerto Vallarta, Revisited

A woman in an orange two-piece swimsuit walking up staircase. Flanked by palm trees

In the distance, a pod of whales dips in and out of the ocean, drawing excited yelps from my mouth. I pull out my phone just in time to catch the last of their swim before they disappear beneath the surface. I feel light in this moment, buoyed by the laughter of my friends, the sounds of Afrobeats and R&B mingling with the waves, and the cool sea air whipping past my face.

A Love Letter from Guadalajara

If I were to write a series of letters from the places I’ve been, Mexico would feature prominently; especially my visit in February.

Desert Dawn: A Visit to Joshua Tree National Park

I shut off my phone alarm at 5:15 am on a Sunday morning and drag my sleep-laden body out of bed. It’s one of those mornings when it feels like I only shut my eyes for an hour, so I get ready on autopilot—wanting to be asleep but excited enough to let the promise of adventureContinue reading “Desert Dawn: A Visit to Joshua Tree National Park”

December in New York: A Photo Story

Packing jackets and thinking of how to layer clothing does not excite me; but what does excite me is visiting New York. So, even when the opportunity to visit came with the promise of icy weather, I couldn’t bring myself to say no.

Reflections from Mt. Shasta

I have not always appreciated the outdoors. As a child, outside seemed daunting. It was the place of cuts, scrapes, and bug bites–or sometimes all three. No thank you.

Along the Pacific Coast Highway II

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, we glide past rolling green hills in Marin County, trading San Francisco’s skyline for miles of open road, sea breeze, and sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.

An Afternoon in San Francisco I

We walk out of the underground lot and into a perfect afternoon–sunlight makes everything appear more vivid, saturated with color: the grassy field is greener, the sky’s blue more striking.

Traveling Mexico III: Tulum Beach

It’s our last full day in Tulum, and we start the morning relaxed–wrapped in cotton-soft robes, enjoying warm mugs of coffee and bite-sized pastries on the front porch.