Yellowknife Father's Day portrait sessions capture moments of tenderness in turbulent time
Inspired by the Black Lives Matter rally in Yellowknife a few weeks ago, Samantha Mtatiro looked for a way to give back to her community. She decided to offer free Father's Day portrait sessions at Rotary Park for Black and Indigenous fathers with their children.
"For many Black and Indigenous males, they're not always portrayed in the best way in media and in imagery," Mtatiro said.
Her portraits capture fathers and children in moments of affection and tenderness.
"Fatherhood is such a delicate role for men," she said. "I just wanted to show their love and their interaction with each other."
Mtatiro, her husband and her two children, Jeremiah and Jordan, all participated in the Yellowknife Black Lives Matter rally on June 9. She knew her project might attract negativity.
"Being a white person and talking about race — it can be a delicate thing," she said. "My husband and I talked back and forth about this."
She and her husband Mathew, who has roots in Tanzania, agreed that some people might be offended, but the bigger picture was worth it.
Her boys are young: one is seven, the other almost nine.
"We've been very open with them," Mtatiro said. "Teaching them their history about being Black and also Canada's history and the systematic racism [and] the impact that it has on people's lives today."
Her kids still had questions: Why are you doing this? Why for free?
"We're giving back, we're serving," she told them. "This is something I can do."
Kids mostly learn through action, Mtatiro said. Her children were with her at the rally and at the photo shoot.
"We want them to see this. We want them to be part of this," she said. "Hopefully it'll help shape their thoughts, their minds, the people they become."
Mtatiro said reaction to her project has mostly been positive, but some did ask: Why not offer portraits for white dads?
"[That] is not what the Black Lives movement is about," she said. "It's about amplifying people who are marginalized."
Mtatiro said the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement has been both a challenge and a source of hope.
"In the beginning, it was pretty overwhelming … it was impacting our family and our life a lot," she said.
"[But] seeing progress … the whole world coming together on this issue. Major brands and organizations standing up against racism — I feel like this is going to be a revolution — it's really exciting."
Her next project is already underway. She wants to amplify Black voices in the community.
"I had a group of 12 Black women come together and we took some photos and I took some quotes," Mtatiro said.
Follow her work on Facebook (Samantha Adrienne Photography) or on Instagram.
