Where the Valley Sings combines landscapes and portraits in a series of photographs that explores the lives of my relatives and other inhabitants of the mountains in Northern New Mexico. The valley my family calls home is named Cañon de Cantor—which translates to the singer's canyon. Generations before, settlers moved onto this land, and began growing crops, raising families, and singing their prayers. Their songs carried through the valley, the children grew old, and generations passed into the next. I was not raised here, but my grandfather was nearby, and he tells me stories of his childhood— exploring the mountains, fishing, and dreaming of living in this valley one day. Decades later, he and my grandmother were able to move onto this land, and now, in his mid 80's, he continues to plod away, working to preserve it. This project is a meditation on the idea of the American dream— or the vestiges of it, sequestered land, family, religion, and the broader conflict between humans and the natural world when we don't take care of it. The uncertainty of drought and wildfire are ever-present, the land is not fruitful, and land tenure through generations is fading. With this body of work, I have strived to create a deeper personal connection with the area's current ecosystems that are adapting to changes and trying to survive.