A woman wearing a burgundy traditional dress and headscarf stands in a grassy field beneath electrical transmission lines. Apartment buildings, trees, and an overcast sky are visible in the background.
This photography explores migration, belonging, and the complexities of adapting to a new home. Through collaborative portrait made in Toronto, the work reflects on the tension between cultural identity and the desire to belong. It considers the emotional instability of migration while celebrating diasporic communities and the spaces they create for connection.
My sister, Huda, often used to tell me: “I wish I was born here.” The first time I heard her say this, I was in disbelief. It made me reflect on what my life might look like if myself and my family had been born and raised here. The thought felt like a betrayal to my traditions, my religion, my upbringing, and core values. Through this project, we are attempting to recover the lost instability we experienced during the first years of adapting to our new home.
The project is a love letter to the diasporic communities. Toronto is often the first home to newcomers to Canada, like myself. The diverse cultures and traditions in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood can make the transition easier for newcomers to adapt to their new home. The bubble in Thorncliffe Park provides both safety and detachment from the outside world. My desire is to open a dialogue about the difficult phase that migrants, both forced and otherwise, confront when they try to achieve success based on Western cultural metrics. This painful phase is part of the adaptation process to our new home. It is a constant reminder of our social status and position in this long journey of reconstructing our lives to build a sense of belonging here.
Explore the other stories–Ammar Bowaihl is a Yemeni, Saudi-born, Toronto-based documentary and street photographer exploring the human condition, immigration, and relocation. His relationship with photography began in high school, where the camera became a way to observe and document everyday life. Drawing from his experiences growing up in the Middle East and building a life in Canada, Ammar uses photography to explore Toronto’s diverse communities and amplify stories that are often overlooked or unheard.
