When I saw that the rodeo was coming nearby, “Real Life Cowboys Near You,” I knew I had to go. Leveraging the knowledge from my days as a concert photographer, that a well worded email could take you far, I scored myself a press pass for the night. It was an environment unlike one I had been too since I previously lived deeper in the south. The evening started with group prayer, sponsored by the US Border Patrol, and many Trump-isms were spoken (and yelled). It was a crowd I definitely was not used to.

As I watched these cowboys get flung around by these massive angry bulls time and time again though, I found myself drawn to something more than the main attraction. It was those same people who were at ease in this environment with that had caught my attention. I found myself asking "why had they come?” What brought them out here tonight, and if not here, then where would they be? Suddenly my lens wasn’t as focused on the bulls, but everybody else. And though I had a press pass, I spent my time in the stands talking, photographing portraits, and learning about what brought everybody out here tonight. What united everyone in this audience.

By the time I left, I  didn’t feel as uncomfortable in that space.  Yes, I didn’t agree with much of what they had said that evening, but I also saw the human element above all that. The family with young kids taking them out for the evening, the lady’s out together for a night out, the army vet finding a community again. It was still so human. 

When I get depressed about the direction our country and politics are moving, I look back on these experiences with hope. Hope that the human element will prevail, the same sense of community the brought everyone out to the rodeo, might instead unite this country a bit more.