Connie Frisbee Houde

My goal as a photojournalist is to depict the spirit and sacredness of people and their surroundings. The cultural heritage and way of life of many different people are often threatened by global events, war and industrialization. I focus on the nobleness of these people as they strive to keep their autonomy, culture and community alive. While each group maintains its own cultural identity many attributes, expressions and concerns of living are universal, creating a sense of brotherhood, a global village. In 1995 I accompanied my husband as he returned to Vietnam for the first time since serving there in The Air Force in 1968/69. It was an emotional journey to heal the wounds of war. We returned in 2000 with a number of Vietnam Vets as they returned to the areas where they had spent their war years. The power of returning was the discovery that Vietnam had moved on in beauty and grace and they were released from the images of a war torn nation that had been frozen in their minds.

As I have continued my world travels I have come to see the resilience and exquisiteness of humanity realizing that we have much to share with each other as we bridge the differences from culture to culture. If we are lucky we discover that there are many similarities that can become a means of commonality as we build a global village.

Please visit my web site www.globalvillagephotographer.com and see images from the countries I have visited: Afghanistan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Cambodia, China, Egypt, England, France Germany, Jordan, Mexico, Peru, Vietnam.