Every autumn, millions of monarch butterflies migrate 3,000 miles from the Northeast to the forests of southwestern Mexico. They have never been there, never seen the path, but they know that’s where they belong. I Will See You Tomorrow is a community photography project documenting what women in the northeast of the United States are doing to restore habitat for native milkweed resulting in the protection of the monarch butterfly and over 450 other insect pollinators.
I have documented Native Americans, scientist, local advocates and volunteers, with one thing in common, most of them are women sharing the joy of restoring milkweed habitat and protecting the monarch population. As I got to know these women, I witnessed how aiding the butterfly and restoring habitat became a living metaphor for their own journey in self healing from domestic abuse, displacement, pregnancy loss and other traumas.
In July 2022, climate change and habitat loss placed the monarch on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to an 80% population decline since 1980. Milkweed, the host plant for the butterfly, is a tough and hardy plant, but is also struggling to adapt to climate change, habitat destruction and weed killers. In 2022, milkweed was severely affected by the drought in Maine, and citizen scientists claim to have helped half the amount of monarchs in comparison to 2021.
As the numbers of butterflies have dropped, the number of women helping restore habitat has increased every year. As the butterfly migrates from one country to another, the efforts on both sides of the border are facilitating a resurgence in habitat restoration, monarch populations and most importantly a steadfast connection between humans and the natural world.
WORK IN PROGRESS