A photo exhibit called “The Struggle is Real” will go on the display Thursday evening at Ember in downtown Salt Lake City. It showcases the faces and stories of refugees.
Photographer Joshua Mojica started taking these portraits last summer at refugee camps throughout Greece and Serbia.
“With my portraits in particular I was hoping to just capture this humanizing, everyday person who’s just like you and I," says Mojica.
A flight attendant and artist based in Seattle, Mojica spends most of his time off from his day job overseas at these camps.
The money raised from the admissions to the gallery will go to providing clean water and clothing for refugees. But Mojica hopes his photos do more than that.
“I think my takeaway would be that they would have this genuine pull to push themselves to do more, to get involved," Mojica says.
And if they do feel that pull to get involved, representatives from the International Rescue Committee will be at the exhibit to sign up volunteers to serve refugees in the Salt Lake community.
Mojica says it’s important to remember that resettlement to the states doesn’t necessarily mean an end to their struggles.
