2016 was a year full of adventures for me. I was able to experience some amazing things throughout the year. Personally, one of my favorite things in 2016 was having the opportunity to showcase my cousin, Ismarie’s talent. It brings tears to my eyes to know that she’s doing what she loves and she asked me to be a part of it. We grew up in Haiti together and now she is doing what she is passionate about and I get to capture her amazing work through something I’m also passionate about.

Rabbit Hearted Girls has given me the opportunity to be both behind the camera and in front of it, which is amazing because now when I am taking a picture I always think “if it was me in front of the camera how would I want to look?”

In 2016 Rabbit Hearted Girls had the opportunity to work with some amazing women in Haiti and watch girls we grew up with start their own businesses, like Renise & Oguris in Sa Voix. We were inspired by the girls of The Center for the Arts Port Au Prince, who were making incredible photographs in the book "Rising Up."

We were also able to interview the beautiful Ericka who is becoming a make-up artist. One of my favorite things that Ericka said about Haitians, is that even though most Haitians don’t have all the material things in this word that Americans have, it doesn’t stop us from being happy, sometimes having less is the only way you can find your true happiness.

It is important to me to make other women feel beautiful, because in this world, us women have to go through so much even as young girls. There is such an oppressive outlook on women and it makes us feel so much pressure and also makes us feel like we’re not enough. The feeling of not being enough results in us not feeling beautiful, but we are all beautiful in our own ways and in every shade. I want women to know that no matter where they come from, what language they speak, who they are, They are all BEAUTIFUL! ”

— Ericka

Ericka is a badass. I loved when she said that black was her favorite color, she goes on to explain how some people find the color depressing but black for her was a confident color. No other shade can conquer black, She saw that the color black was so much deeper. She is pround of her shade of back, her thickness and beauty. Ericka is a woman after my my heart and as hatitan woman I want to say 'thank you beautiful, for standing tall'

I was also able to capture an amazing friendship in 2016. Working with Vonna & Danielle I got to see how much their friendship means to them. I remember a time when Vonna was having back surgery and Danielle never left her side.

So 2016 was a pretty amazing year for me. Rabbit Hearted Girls has taught me so much about sisterhood and the beauty of friendships because I have loved and lost in 2016 but the Rabbit Hearted Girls are my sisters. We encourage each other to be the best we can and to love ourselves completely so here’s to 2016 and hello 2017.

- Jules Diamond

Rabbit Hearted Girls in 2016