US photographer captures images of immigrants from all nations

Photographer Mark Chester stands for a portrait next to images during his exhibition in Boston. (AP)

BOSTON: A photographer has made it his mission to photograph two people from every nation who have settled in the US state of Massachusetts.
Mark Chester is well on his way to achieving his goal.

Since 2011, he has photographed people from 185 of the world’s 196 countries — all of them immigrants who live in Massachusetts and have become naturalized US citizens.

He affectionately calls the state “a mini United Nations.” Chester’s collection of more than 350 photographs has been exhibited around Massachusetts.
He is now in the process of putting them into a book he plans to distribute free to schools and libraries around the state.

He said his project has taken on new meaning since US President-elect Donald Trump has said he would build a wall along the US-Mexico border and temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country.

Chester’s photos offer a glimpse into the lives of immigrants who have embraced their new country but retained some of the culture of their homelands.

“It seems like it is more important to bring attention to this now,” he said, adding that “people from other countries are living here, they are Americans. The purpose of this is to educate, to enlighten, to make people aware of people from different countries.”