Upon my return from a fellowship in Ethiopia, I was introduced to the Lindsey-Mills family. Lory and Sonya are the adoptive mothers of two children from Ethiopia. Our shared experiences, interests, curiosity, and humor made for an instant connection, which has evolved into loving friendships and meaningful collaborations.

From the very beginning of our friendship, we dreamt about traveling to Ethiopia together. Zoe and Tsehaye had always been very eager to experience and explore their country of birth, and Lory and Sonya are committed to maintaining a relationship with Ethiopia. In August 2009 our dream was realized. Lory, Zoe, Tsehaye and I traveled to Ethiopia along with another close friend Kim Ashley.

We explored Ethiopia’s rich historical and cultural sites, reconnected with Zoe and Tsehaye’s foster caretakers and collaborated on an interview project with a local youth-led film group called Sudden Flowers Productions. Through these photographs, we hope to communicate some of the rich experiences we shared on this incredible journey.

For more about this project go to: http://sharedorigins.org

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