For this series, shot for Atmos Volume 9: Kinship, a group of young Togolese innovators came together to explore the different ties and energies that bind a community, starting with their own forged family.

Taken in multiple Togolese cities, including Lomé, Kpalime and Aného, these images showcase a community united by a common goal—one that is not just socio-political in nature, but that is also deeply geographical. In one photograph, palm leaves and cardboard is used to represent a portal, opening the connection between Togo and the rest of the diaspora. In another, a young woman’s hair appears to be made from sea moss to illustrate living in harmony with your environment.

This community of creatives says their goal is to push forward, despite the limitations they’ve inherited. With common ties to a land they call home both physically and spiritually, they are bound not by blood, but by passion, common values, and dreams for their future in Togo and abroad.