Celebrating 80 Years of the New York Estonian House

There was something especially meaningful about photographing the New York Estonian House’s 80th anniversary celebration.
I spent part of my childhood in these rooms, attending Estonian school, singing and learning folk dancing. At the time, Estonia was still under Soviet occupation, and we did not know if we would ever see it independent again.
I also remember the photographers who would occasionally come through to photograph our classes, performances and holiday assemblies. At the time, they were just pictures being taken. Years later, those photographs have become treasures. They bring back people, places and moments I might otherwise have forgotten.
So returning to the Estonian House now, with Estonia free and its President there to help mark the House’s 80th anniversary, felt especially meaningful.
And being there as one of the photographers added another layer to it. There is something humbling about realizing that the photographs we make today may one day become someone else’s memories.
That, more than anything, is what I love about documentary photography. Sometimes you are not just photographing an event. You are helping preserve a small piece of a community’s story.