WINNERS

“Cancer” Or “Rust” Belt

  • Photographer
    Gulsen Goksel, United States
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention

Every day, I pass a refinery on my commute. Companies once focused on science now pursue profit, ignoring ethics and leaving toxic legacies. I photograph myself by the flare stack, echoing my vision of how the eye sees. Our thin atmosphere makes us vulnerable. Refineries fuel economies but also pose health risks and injustices. Likely, I tucked dollars in my mouth and gave a pose. Closing them hurts local economies, as in the Rust Belt's decline. Refineries emit toxins, raising cancer and asthma risks, especially for marginalized communities. I pose holding teeth, symbolizing the health costs