One of the hardest hit areas was Denham Springs. Nicholas drove down streets lined with ruined furnishings and personal items of people’s homes. Neighbors comfort- ed and helped each other. At the end of a long block of wreckage was an American flag flying from the back of a pick up truck. Nicholas met a kid named Sammy Jr. Despite losing his drum kit in the flood, there he was drumming away on the concrete. An older gentleman told him, “thirty years of memories, down the drain.” He had been to work early that morning and made it clear that he had to, “keep moving forward.” Residents spent days helping each other prepare to rebuild. Some homes remained untouched with water marks leaving a haunting reminder that the street was underwater just a few
days ago. Despite all the devastation, Nicholas says he witnessed resilience and pride, but what was most inspiring was Sammy Jr.— hopeful and brave.
Nicholas Small is a twenty year old photographer based out of Los Angeles, California. He started making images at the age of twelve after discovering his father’s Nikon film camera. As a kid, Nicholas worked in darkrooms at local schools and honed his skills on film. He is currently exploring Ghettos in America and occasionally covers breaking news.
