San Antonio photographer Cristina J. Sanchez captures many powerful stories through her portraits of Somali Bantu people living in the city. The exhibit, “Bantu Eyez: Somali Bantu of Texas” features compelling images from some of Texas’s more recent arrivals.

 

Entangled in war and political upheaval in the 1980s and 1990s, Somali Bantu were often the target of unspeakable violence. Some 200,000 fled to camps in Kenya, only to clash again with other Somali refugees in the camps. International efforts to resettle the Somali Bantu refugees resulted in some 12,000 relocating to several U.S. cities, including San Antonio. The first arrived in 2003.

 

Adapting to a new way of life, the Somali Bantu have become part of the fabric of our diverse community, while also retaining their rich cultural heritage.