Wild Flowers in My Hair – Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2023

"I met this young girl from the Suri tribe while traveling through Ethiopia. She stared proudly into my lens, a towering crown of bright orange wildflowers piled high on her head. Her stillness carried both defiance and grace, a striking contrast to the bold petals above her. In the Omo Valley, traditions of beauty and self-adornment persist alongside drought, conflict, and rapid change. This portrait is less about hardship and more about resilience, a celebration of a girl asserting her presence and creativity." — Cristina Mittermeier