I am a writer and photographer, creating to express both my inner world and my understanding of the deeply complex and layered world around me. Over time, I’ve come to see that art is not about perfection. It is not about the ideal sentence or flawlessly curated photograph. For me, it is a mirror that reflects my inner being. Art has turned into noticing the cracks and choosing to see what lives within them. This shift occurred as I began accepting how deeply flawed and imperfect I am, learning to not carry these flaws and fears as burdens but instead to wear them as a badge of honor. What once was a pursuit of precision has become, instead, an embrace of imperfection — the silver linings, the rawness, the places where something real and true can be felt.

My hope is that my work resonates with people in that space: honest, unpolished, deeply human. 

This understanding began when I was 6 years old, after moving from Texas, U.S. to Hyderabad, India. There, I came face-to-face with disparity in a way that I could not ignore. I remember wondering why clean water, food, and shelter were givens for some and unreachable for others; why so many women and children were on the streets while I was surrounded by these seemingly “inalienable” privileges. Those questions and my environment shaped me. They led me to volunteer at women’s shelters and animal shelters, to show up in small ways for people who had less, and to hold on to a promise I made to myself that has carried into my adulthood: to live with empathy.

Years later, while studying at the University of Michigan, that promise deepened into purpose. Gaining an education has allowed me to better understand my mission of being of service and deepening understanding within communities, whether that be through international mediation, art, or simply having a conversation with an individual that holds a different point of view – listening to understand rather than to be combative. I learned that the act of seeing someone, really seeing them past my own conditioning and biases, is an art of its own. Working with refugees and asylum seekers at an immigration law firm, and later as a Creative Director for SHEI Magazine collaborating with stylists and other artists, I came to understand that every person carries a “why” and yearns to be seen. My role, whether with a pen or a camera, is to listen and acknowledge their being with compassion and translate it in the way I know best.

My work is, at its core, a practice in connection: of self to others, of story to story, of heart to heart.

For inquiries, collaborations, or just to connect, feel free to drop me a message below or reach me at dankitha17@gmail.com!