The Collective Quarterly Magazine

The Collective Quarterly Magazine is a print and digital publication that focuses on art, culture, travel, and adventure. The magazine features in-depth stories, striking photography, and original illustrations that highlight unique people and places around the world. The Collective Quarterly seeks to uncover the hidden and often-unseen beauty in ordinary and extraordinary people, places, and experiences. The magazine has gained a reputation for excellence in both content and design, and has been featured in prominent publications and media outlets around the world.

In 2017, I was selected to attend an intensive photojournalism conference with The Collective Quarterly, hosted in Darien, United States. We had 10 days to capture a story within the community (fairly daunting for a 19 year old Australian!) My images and article was chosen to be published in the magazine.

See the story below.

 

A 73-year old retired welder, Sarge is a well-respected man in the Dairen community, known for his compassion and generosity. Despite his age, Sarge continues to do part-time welding work out of his shed, purely so that black & white men of the community can have a safe place to unite together under one roof.

Richard is a local resident in Darien, Georgia. "I've been in this town for 30 years. Right here. Always somewhere in the house," he said. Having worked in Brunswick building components for aircraft carriers with the Department of Defence, Richard retired his 30 year job and decided to work out of home. "I did that for 30 years. I enjoyed the work; real skilled work. A lot of welding. I left there, retired really, and I started doing the Lord’s [work] and here I am." Richard served in the Vietnam War as a Sargent; and is now known by the community as Sarge.

Having worked in Brunswick building components for aircraft carriers with the Department of Defence, Sarge retired his 30 year job and decided to work out of home, doing part time welding work. Whilst he continues to enjoy welding, his main love is seeing the men of the community unite together under his roof.

“I did that for 30 years. I enjoyed the work; real skilled work. A lot of welding. I left there, retired really, and I started doing the Lord’s [work] and here I am.”

Sarge and neighbour, Richard, are seen exchanging home-grown corn.

“It’s just what we do here. I’ll go into Richard’s yard and take what I need, and he will come into my yard and take what he needs. We just help each other around here. It’s the way it is. We family,” his neighbour said.

“There’s a little tension still in this town, oh yeah. The older people are still holding on to the past. You know, there are still memories. But they really don’t bother me.

I’ve got a lot of white friends. As a matter of fact, they come by almost every day. We just sit and chat and have a lot of fun.

“As soon as I finish work, I come over here. We just hang out. I love it. Whether it’s been a good day or hard day, I just come on over to Richard’s. I’m here all the time.
I wouldn’t be anywhere else. “

- Richard, Sarge’s neighbour

“I have a white friend, and we were in Vietnam together. In the war together. We got out in ‘69. And you know, there wouldn’t be a day pass where he don’t call me. He lives about 45 minutes away from here, but if I tell him to come right now, he’d be on his way. And we’ve been doing that since ’69.

I was his Sargent.”

“If I could give one piece of advice...One word. Just one word. Love.

I don’t have any animosity towards nobody. I help a person out. This is my way. You just help them out. I really think I am doing something to restore trust. Everybody comes and sees me one day. .”