Mis Quince

These photographs are part of an ongoing documentary project which sets out to create a portrait of a Cuban teen as she matures
from adolescence into adulthood. The following essay was made in 2010 as Daislemis prepared for her Quinceañera, a tradition deeply rooted in Mayan and Aztecan culture.

Born and raised in the Oriente, Daislemis is the youngest of five children in a close-knit loving family. She is typical in many ways, yet 
extraordinary in others. Well-educated, athletic and outgoing, she enjoys dancing, volleyball and hanging out with friends. When asked 
if there is anything she has ever dreamed about doing or becoming, she describes her love of theatre and aspirations of becoming a 
model and actress, while citing Leonardo DiCaprio, Harry Potter, Celine Dion and Jennifer Lopez as her favorite actors. Her two favorite 
friends are her mom and dad, whom she gratefully acknowledges for their unwavering belief in her ability.

Preparations for Daislemis’ fifteenth birthday began seven to eight years in advance, with family and friends carefully squirreling their 
government-issued rations in order to produce homemade refreshments for 300 of her closest friends. Every night for two weeks, she, 
her escort and court had dance lessons with a choreographer. She had a professional photo shoot and was fitted into a new wardrobe, 
provided in part by relatives living abroad. Preparations culminated in a party the size of a large wedding, followed by a day at the river, 
where guests frolicked in the water, roasted a pig and relaxed on a hammock.

As a woman and as a photographer, I marvel at the resourcefulness of the Cuban consciousness and its prideful celebratory spirit. 
Likewise, I am fascinated by this point in time when Daislemis is toggling between childhood and adulthood. I watch with intrigue, 
relishing her innocence, while simultaneously mourning and celebrating its imminent loss.