Since 2016, photographer and art activist Laurie Smith has been photographing something close to her heart—her West Texas roots drawing her to the U.S.–Mexico borderlands to document the changing events at the border wall. As an art activist, Laurie aims to make people care—to evoke compassion and challenge complacency around the migrant crisis. By highlighting the moral and social divisions of today, she encourages dialogue about legal, fact-based solutions. Laurie approaches her subjects honestly, with only her Leica and a monopod slung over her shoulder as she documents the unfolding story.

Living in Colorado, Laurie is often on the road heading to the borderlands, specifically the El Paso Sector of the Wall, to chronicle the immigration story and promote positive change. Since most people can’t visit the wall in person, her photographs are critical for illustrating the realities on both sides. Her work has been exhibited in installations across the U.S. and featured in publications that focus on social issues.

For more than 30 years, Laurie has photographed food and culture for cookbooks and both regional and national publications, traveling on assignment to markets, kitchens, and restaurants across the U.S. and around the world.