We begin 2026 with a six-part series centered around themes of place, movement, and conflict. These issues demand deeper human-centered context, as displacement, political instability, and environmental pressure increasingly define daily life for millions.

In Episode 013 of Exposures Ecuadorian photojournalist and visual artist Johis Alarcón speaks with documentary photographer Greta Rico to discuss her documentary project,I Am, Still.

The episode traces the personal, political and spiritual foundations of the project of I Am, Still which emerged during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. What began as a deeply personal inquiry became a broader exploration of young Indigenous people who choose to remain with their ancestral home, blending modern education and technology with ancestral knowledge, memory and responsibility to the land.

The discussion also situates the work within wider struggles over land, displacement, environmental extraction and cultural survival across Latin America and offers essential context for I Am Still—not only as a photographic project, but as a lived philosophy rooted in place, family, and inter-generational identity.

Johis Alarcon

Johis Alarcón is a freelance photojournalist and visual storyteller based in Ecuador whose work focuses on social justice, human rights, and gender-related issues. She is a National Geographic Explorer and a member of Ayün Fotógrafas, Fluxus Foto, Visura.Co, Fotoféminas, and Women Photograph. Her work has been published by The New York Times, Bloomberg, The Guardian, Reuters, UN Women, and others, and has been exhibited internationally. Alarcón has received numerous fellowships and awards, including recognition from the Magnum Foundation, World Press Photo, and FotoEvidence. She currently works on assignments, teaching and long-term personal projects.

Greta Rico

Greta Rico is a documentary photographer and visual storyteller whose work focuses on gender-based violence, human rights, and the systemic effects of inequality in Mexico and Latin America. With a background in journalism and international cooperation, she uses long-form photographic narratives to explore how institutional failures impact the lives of women and marginalized communities.

Her work has been supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation, National Geographic Society, and Open Society Foundations, among others. Greta is a member of Women Photograph and has been selected as a fellow with the Magnum Foundation, CatchLight, and World Press Photo’s 6×6 Global Talent Program. Her photography has been exhibited in Mexico, the United States, and Europe, and published in outlets including The Washington Post, Bloomberg, and El País.

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