Benny

Benny is an ongoing documentary photography project exploring the transformation of Rockaway Beach, Queens—a surf town just over an hour from Manhattan—following the lasting impact of Hurricane Sandy. The title refers to a surf-slang term used by surfers to describe non-native surfers, “someone that is not local to a beach”. I’ve surfed my entire life, having learned at the age of three on the Bay Area coast, but arriving in Rockaway, I quickly realized that this community is more than just a surf break—it's a deeply interwoven cultural and generational landscape is and has been under threat.

Since 2022, I’ve been making still images of the residents, architecture, and coastline of Rockaway. Over time, I’ve come to witness the neighborhood’s visible shifts—physically and culturally—as it rebuilds and reshapes in the aftermath of the storm. One series centers on the craft of surfboard shaping—highlighting an enduring, handmade tradition that symbolizes both identity and resistance within the Rockaway community. This work is a collection of collages and typographies showing the landscape and architecture of Rockaway.

Benny is my way of examining how coastal communities respond to climate trauma and cultural shifts, while still holding on to the soul of the place they call home.