Photojournalism nominee

In January of 2020, I met up with a massive migrant caravan from Honduras fleeing violence and poor economic conditions. We traveled for 8 days from San Pedro Sula through Guatemala and into Mexico. People slept outside and went days without food. Finally the caravan crossed the Suchiate River into Mexico but was met by the recently established Guardia Nacional composed of former Federal, Military and Naval Police.

Mexican President, Andrés Manual López Obrador has historically called for safe passage for migrants, but when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs, Mexico reversed its policy and deployed soldiers to keep Central American migrants from entering Mexico.

Trump has effectively barred asylum seekers from entering the U.S. by threatening to impose tariffs and cut foreign aid to Central American countries. The human cost of Trump’s political agenda is denying people their fundamental human rights. For many asylum seekers, deportation will result in living a life of extortion, impoverishment and even death. The full effect of Trump's xenophobic policies toward immigrants and asylum seekers will no doubt be felt for generations to come.

Ada Trillo is an interdisciplinary artist who lives and works in Philadelphia. Born on the American/Mexican border, she is influenced by her cultural heritage of the Southwest and Mexico, traveling there frequently for her artistic practice. She studied in Italy and Philadelphia, and her work has been featured in solo, two-person, and group exhibitions. Trillo is represented by Racso Fine Arts and Twenty-Two Gallery.

Ada is currently working on a photo documentary exposé of low-cost sex workers in Mexico. The series includes both a collection of photos taken in the brothels of Mexico deglamorizing prostitution and showing the dehumanizing conditions of their work, as well as an artistic depiction of each woman's spirit inspired by on-site interviews conducted with each of them.

Exhibits:
How Did I Get Here- A solo photography show- Twenty- Two Gallery July13 to August 6th, 2017
Philadelphia Historic House Museum- Solo Show-May 26, 2016

Group
Caliban Revisited- The Da Vinci Art Alliance June 7th to June 25th, 2017
Works by Latin American Women-Three woman show- RACSO Gallery October 8th to November 8th, 2016
New Works by Jose Ortiz-Pegan and Ada Trillo- RACSO Gallery August 2016

Collections:
The Philadelphia Museum of Art

Awards:The photo Review contest edition