Scene assignment: Entering the hood

On a sweltering July afternoon nearby Dudley Square in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, I was instinctively out of my element upon entering an area packed with graffiti murals, dilapidating buildings and squad cars. My presence was something of a wonderment to the throngs of African Americans surrounding me. My fair complexion made me stand out like a florescent billboard in the middle of Times Square in an area locals dub by “The Hood.” I was on assignment in the neighborhood to find-out more about a local non-profit organization. As I took-out my camera, many became more skeptical of my presence, as if I was cop trying to report people for their daily interactions. Then a kind man pulled me aside and suggested I put away my camera for my own safety. This made me question if pursuing my project further was worthwhile.