La Paz, Mexico

In the Spring of 2016, Aditi spent a month in Mexico documenting two themes: local revitalization through sustainable initiatives, and teenage pregnancy.

The first set of images highlight Urbanería, a community-led project to sustainably revitalize public space through collective funding and participatory processes that involve the community. Here, La Paz local and Urbanería founder Lucia Corral interacts with 3 local boys who helped put together a playground– once a dirt lot. Through collecting discarded wood and organizing the community to help paint her DIY playground space, she has bred a sense of local ownership over the new local hangout.

The second set of images transition to portraits of Maite and her daughter. Maite had her daughter at 15, and was 19 at the time of these photos. Although it was against her parents immediate wishes, Maite said that having a child was a conscious decision. Although young motherhood is a cultural norm, the issue was rooted in the fact that many young girls experience a lack of self esteem to pursue their own aspirations, and/or feel assigned to a role of female domesticity.