Dakota Raynes, 27, is a senior at the University of Missouri, a teaching assistant for the Social Inequalities class, a McNair Scholar, a father of a seven year-old girl, a self-proclaimed hippie and a transgender. Raynes, born Lieselotte Lorene Harvel to Jehovah’s Witness parents, has been transitioning for over three years now, taking testosterone and using a compression vest to appear more masculine. Raynes has faced much opposition while transitioning, most notably when losing custody of his daughter, Lily, a year ago after the judge deemed him unworthy of parenthood, saying, “If this person doesn’t even know what sex they are, how can they raise a child?” This piece takes an inward look at the day-to-day life of a transgender, from everyday activities to judgment and oppression.

*CLICK ON THE PICTURE AT LEFT TO SEE AN AUDIO SLIDESHOW.

Miles Ellington, 21 year-old, is a tenant of a apartment next door to a shelter for homeless teenagers where he used to live.  Mile’s house is a place where many different stories are told. He lives by himself officially, but, in actuality, he has six or more roommates—Joe, Josh, Mary, B.B, and Aaron coming in and out. Most of them are homeless people. Miles offers one of his couches to people who need to stay. Miles gets along with them, except when Miles invites his lady friend.  The age range in Miles’ house spans from mostly teenagers to a few in their late forties. Miles pays $50 a month for a one-bedroom apartment with the assistance of the government. The “couch mates” do not pay rent at all, However, Joe gives Miles a ride when needed, while the others offer whatever they have available. Joe bought a 2009 Mustang after receiving money from the National Guard. Miles hopes that he could also join the army someday.  Although it seems that there are no rules, All the “couch mates” have their own responsibilities in the apartment.

Music, “Looking inside myself”, used on this project, was made by  Miles and his  “couch mates.”

To see more of Truth Leem’s work, go to: truthleem.com

Ethan Lauchstaedt, 4, wears a prosthesis as a result of his Proximal Femoral Deficiency (PFFD).  It is a condition that is very rare–it only affects 1 in 100,000 children born.  Ethan’s mom, Beth, found out that Ethan had it right after he was born.  PFFD develops very early on in the embryonic development, and causes on leg to grow much shorter and at a slower rate than the other.  In Ethan’s case, this is his right leg.  The condition requires Ethan to see three different doctors: one in Columbia, Mo. one in St. Louis, Mo. and one all the way in Baltimore, Md.  In his short lifetime, he has had six different prosthetics.

Click HERE to see a multimedia project about Ethan’s story.

*CLICK ON PICTURE ON LEFT TO LAUNCH MULTIMEDIA PROJECT

Story Summary:

Ana Maria sends half of her salary to El Salvador each month to provide for her family. After nearly three years in the U.S., Ana Maria doesn’t have savings, but now that she has paid off the debt for her travel to the U.S., she is  planning for the future–with multiple options.  After her husband died in a car accident ten years ago, Ana Maria took over his business in one of San Salvador’s two biggest markets, called San Jacinto.

Five years later, two supermarkets were built around the market. After trying to compete with their lower prices for two and a half years, Ana Maria couldn’t provide for her family any longer and decided to move to the United States for work.

Ana Maria’s travel to the U.S. not only cost herself monetarily, but it also affected her family. Her sister, Milagro, who raises her son Carlos, gave her own land as collateral for the loan that paid for Ana Maria to go to the U.S.

Ana Maria had to pay back a total of $12,000 to a coyote in El Salvador who loaned her the money. The average cost for someone to go to the U.S. illegally from El Salvador is $2,000 - $8,000*. Ana Maria paid more because when she realized she was in a scam, she had to convince multiple coyotes to take her the rest of the way.  A trip that can last as short as a few days took Ana Maria two months.

*UNDP El Salvador Human Development Report 2005

LAUNCH PROJECT

Rymer produced this mixed media presentation in the United States and El Salvador as part of her Master’s Project at the University of Missouri.

To see more of Rymer’s work, visit her Web site: amyrymer.com.

By Sally Morrow

Story Summary:

Sierra Williams and Micheal Duckworth live with their mother Samatha Stevenson and her fiancé DeWayne Foston Sr. along Route BB in St. James, Missouri. As siblings, Sierra and Micheal share daily life and look out for one another. Under one roof, brother and sister grow as individuals and grow closer together.

This story was produced in conjunction with the Missouri Photo Workshop

To see more of Sally Morrow’s work, go to her Web site: www.smorrowphotoj.com

*CLICK ON THE PICTURE AT LEFT TO SEE A SLIDESHOW.

Story Summary:

After dropping out of high school, seventeen-year-old Zach moved in with friends to a house on Ann Street in Columbia, Mo. Under one roof, the various occupants and temporary visitors were family to each other despite differences in belief or background. Zach and housemate Tin were two of the primary residents, and went out together most afternoons to collect spare change for food and beer. After dark, the house became a social hotspot and frequently hosted amateur music shows in the basement. In August, 2008, Zach, Tin, and several of their friends moved on to Denver, Co.

To see more of Parker Michels-Boyce’s work, go to his Web site: www.pmbphotography.com

Above image: ©2008 Amanda Lucier, “Dan White”

*CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE A SLIDESHOW OF THE WINNING IMAGES FROM MISSOURI PHOTOJOURNALISM STUDENTS FROM THE 63RD CPOY COMPETITION.

Congratulations to all of the winners from the University of Missouri-Columbia photojournalism department in the 63rd College Photographer of the Year contest. They were:

Runner-Up College Photographer of the Year

Amanda Lucier

General News

Bronze - Ben Fredman
Award of Excellence - Katie Barnes

Portrait

Bronze - Amanda Lucier - University of Missouri
Award of Excellence - August Kryger - University of Missouri

Illustration

Award of Excellence - Katie Barnes - University of Missouri

Domestic Picture Story

Award of Excellence - Katie Barnes - University of Missouri

International Picture Story

Bronze - Joon Hyoung Kim - University of Missouri

Portfolio

Silver - Amanda Lucier - University of Missouri

Individual Still Image/Audio Story or Essay

Silver - Katie Barnes - University of Missouri
Award of Excellence - Katie Barnes - University of Missouri

To see all of the winning images from the College Photographer of the Year contest, go to: www.cpoy.org

Sara Chant is a philosophy professor at the University of Missouri - Columbia, and shares a close relationship with her five great danes.  “It feels like having other people around,” said Chant.  She spends $240 a month on dog food and has specifically designed her home to have lots of open space and several leather couches for her dogs.

*CLICK ON THE PICTURE AT LEFT TO SEE AN AUDIO SLIDESHOW.

To see more of Katie Barnes work, go to her Web site: www.katiebarnes.com

Story Summary

In the town of Sturgeon, Missouri the youngest four children of the Furlong families are in a world of their own. Their parents are largely absent, and the children spend their time at their discretion, with the freedom that the relative safety of their town, with under a thousand residents, and their rural surroundings allow. Though much of their life is charged with frenetic energy, there are many moments marked by quiet, when they seem removed from the chaos of their lives, and they inhabit their own interior worlds.

To see more of Amanda Lucier’s work, go to her Web site: www.amandalucierphoto.com

Angela and Rob had two beautiful kids, a steady income and a house in the suburbs when they realized - they may be living the American dream, but it wasn’t their dream. Without a concrete plan and only their instincts and values as a guide, they sold the house in the subdivision and bought a neglected farm.

To see more of Anthony Castellano’s work, go to his Web site: www.anthonycastellano.com