Flower of Honor commemorates essential workers who have kept their communities thriving amid the COVID-19 crisis. Borrowing its name from the United States government’s highest and most prestigious military award, the Medal of Honor. This photographic series consists of images taken during impromptu ceremonies involving gifting golden artificial foliage, a symbol of hopefulness and acknowledgment to honor all individuals while they are living.
Throughout the pandemic, one in six frontline workers is Black, resulting in a higher death rate among African American and Latino individuals, many of whom are employed as essential workers. In the face of danger, these individuals persist. They are the grocery clerks, sanitation persons, neighborhood bodega workers, mail couriers, auto mechanics, electrical linemen, bus drivers, and other workers whose livelihoods and families depend on the paychecks they receive, and whose services are the lifeblood of our society.
Captured with the aim to shed light on the impact of inequity, and examine the experiences of each individual, such as volunteer emergency medical technician first lieutenant Browne, “I have seen too many deaths. I lost my sister and uncle due to COVID. We had calls with patients who were in cardiac arrest and they did not make it. This pandemic has taken a toll on my life. As a healthcare provider, it’s tough to see people losing their loved ones, but we have to remain strong.”
Their courage provides some sense of normalcy in our lives throughout these trying times.