Nueva Luz vol. 21:1 | Page 24

ErikaMorillo Born and raised in Dominican Republic, Erika Morillo has been working as a freelance professional in New York City for over a decade. She studied clinical psychology and sociology, which influenced her to photograph as a way to understand her family dynamics and the social environment she inhabits. Morillo has extensive experience as a documentary photographer, mainly with projects/assignments that focus on social issues, public health and Latino culture. Her personal projects deal with the issues of family, inner city life and the finding of identity. Her work has been published and exhibited in the United States, Dominican Republic, Chile and Canada. She currently lives in New York City with her son Amaru.   Umbral In Spanish, Umbral means gateway, a portal, the first step towards something. As I witness my son’s childhood, I often see him in that in-between space, drifting in and out of reality and the places I have imagined for him. Becoming a single mother at a young age proved frightening to me, and not for the obvious reasons. I felt a huge responsibility to create a nurturing childhood for him, different from the dysfunctional one I had lived. With these images I wanted to intervene, to some how create a magical space that could lessen his generational baggage. With this project I aim to explore both my fantasies of what childhood should be and the freedom my son needs to live his own reality.   Danny R. Peralta . ‘Bout That Life 020315, ‘Bout That Life: The G Mesa Story series . 2015 Erika Morillo . Dandelion Dreams, Umbral Series . 2013 e r ika mo r illo .c o m N 2 4 u e N v u a e L v u a z L 2 u 4 z Nueva Luz 25