Spending time in the desert over the last three years has allowed me to become part of a unique and very special LGBTQ+ community. I was inspired to photograph these resilient, creative people who have recharged their lives in a new place.

Palm Springs has been a gay destination for more than 50 years and continues to attract LGBTQ+ individuals from all over who are retiring and reinventing themselves with a professional second act of their lives. Unlike other locations in the US, ageism doesn’t render them invisible or undesirable in the Coachella Valley. In fact, it’s the opposite. Queer seniors have created their own culture and live large, colorful, vibrant lives in this unique community that not only supports but nurtures them.

My portraits document these proud survivors who have weathered many storms including discrimination, homophobia, sexism, and the AIDS epidemic that wiped out a generation of their peers.

Palm Springs is a place where many mature LGBTQ+ people are often still sexually active, work hard to take care of their bodies and spirits, and continue to celebrate their chosen identities in vital, dynamic ways.