Bonus Episode: Jess Dipierro Obert

One of the most beautiful lessons we can learn in this life is how having clarity on what matters to us can set forth a path for us to walk through. I feel lucky that I’ve met people who’ve echoed that with their actions, and today’s guest does that in spades. Jess DiPierro Obert is an investigative photojournalist, filmmaker, producer, and visual artist whose work has focused on people who’ve had their human rights violated, particularly in the areas of physical violence, sexual assault, and mental health struggles.

It might sound gauche to say it this way, but a major aspect that stands out to me about Jess’s work is the dignity she’s always able to capture. Many of her subjects have been people who’ve gone through difficulties in life, but from Jess’s lens, it’s always clear that a person is more than their worst day (or series of worst days). No, they’re a human being first and foremost, and this bonus episode is about exploring Jess’s ethos towards her work, along with the extensive work she’s done in my family’s home county of Haiti.

Be sure to follow Jess on Instagram to stay updated on her work. You can also view a selection of her works here.