My life changed in 2013 when I stumbled upon the word “sonder” and its definition: the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.

Heyo! Rach here. (she/her) I'm a chronic “long-story-short” teller, former middle school teacher, writer, avid therapy-goer, hiker, slow mornings and comfy clothes lover, la croix drinker, deep conversation seeker, mental health advocate, and overall easy going gal. 

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When reading this word, I realized that sonder for me was not a “realization”- it was just the way I lived my life every day. It was my worldview.

Understanding that every person has their own beautiful, messy, complicated backstory is why I traveled, why I read books, why I wanted to become a teacher. I wanted to learn as many backstories as possible. Every interaction with a friend, fellow traveler, stranger, or student was an opportunity to learn more about who they were based on their actions, body language, what they wore, what they said and didn’t say.

The more people I met, the more I realized how beautiful and complicated we are as humans.

During the five years I spent as a public school teacher, my students taught me more about the word “sonder.” My students needed a space where they could express themselves wholly– the messy, emotional, broken, and goofy.

Stories must be preserved.
Because in the end, that’s all that we are.

My experiences learning from other people showed me: I was destined to photograph the world in all its details: beauty, emotional, messy, and complexity. 

Teaching taught me to pause to see the whole person, the whole story, to meet people where they were, even if you didn't know any piece of their backstory. 

A little more about me...