Photojournalist Who Documented Immigrants Featured in Conversation About Grit
October 11, 2021
MOSCOW, Idaho — Oct. 11, 2021 — Saul Flores walked 5,328 miles through 10 countries to document the journey of immigrants to the United States.
Flores, a nationally recognized photojournalist, speaker and philanthropist known for his social impact projects, will tell the story of his journey and his family at 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 14, in the University Ballroom as part of a community conversation in conjunction with the Common Read “Grit” by Angela Duckworth.
His latest project to document the lives of thousands of Latin American immigrants will raise money for an elementary school in his mother’s hometown, Atencingo, Mexico. The story of his journey, accompanied by a series of photographs, captures the essence of the people, communities and cultures he encountered along the way.
Flores learned the power of grit at an early age. Flores grew up in an immigrant household. His mother came to the United States to escape poverty in Mexico, and his father came to escape a war in El Salvador. He remembers how, as a child, his mother juggled multiple jobs, his grandmother traded aluminum cans for coins and his father delivered newspapers and pizzas.
One of his earliest memories is of his mother scrubbing floors, feeling the burn of bleach on his skin and thinking about opportunity.
“Immigrants don’t come into this country for opportunity,” he said in a TED talk. “Immigrants come to this country for a chance at opportunity.”
From experiencing personal hardship to navigating a path to a college education — he is the first in his family to attend college — grit became key in Flores’ journey to achieving his goals.
His work has been featured on National Public Radio, MSNBC and TEDX. Additionally, Flores has been featured as a keynote speaker at dozens of universities, inspiring audiences through his visual presentations. He helps people realize the capacity of their immense human potential given times of extreme adversity.
Media Contacts:
Dean Panttaja, Ph.D.
Professor of Theatre Design, Technology and Management
University of Idaho
208-885-9025
panttaja@uidaho.edu
Ralph Bartholdt
Communications Manager
University of Idaho Communications and Marketing
208-885-1239
rbartholdt@uidaho.edu
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho, home of the Vandals, is Idaho’s land-grant, national research university. From its residential campus in Moscow, U of I serves the state of Idaho through educational centers in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Idaho Falls, nine research and Extension centers, plus Extension offices in 42 counties. Home to nearly 11,000 students statewide, U of I is a leader in student-centered learning and excels at interdisciplinary research, service to businesses and communities, and in advancing diversity, citizenship and global outreach. U of I competes in the Big Sky and Western Athletic conferences. Learn more at uidaho.edu.