Fascinated by the shelter, Desrus wanted to learn more about it and the roughly 26 women who lived there. To do that, she began with an organic and somewhat slow approach by simply showing up and developing relationships with the women. You need trust, and for this you need to spend time with them. Desrus relied on humor and curiosity to help build relationships with the women. If she had to travel for work, she always made sure to return to the shelter to convince them she was sincere about sharing their stories.
She only took photographs of the women who gave her permission and provided them with prints, which often inspired other women to participate. They often asked her why she was interested in taking their portraits. Desrus used that as an opening to earn their trust through lighthearted banter. Canela takes a visiting dog on a walk in She is now well-known and respected in the neighborhoods that surround Casa Xochiquetzal.
At 72, she suffers from Down syndrome and a number of other illnesses. Of all the women at Casa Xochiquetzal, Canela is the only one who did not have children. Most women who live at Casa Xochiquetzal have relatives, but for a number of them, contact is sporadic or nonexistent. Carmen Munoz, herself a retired sex worker, spent 20 years trying to persuade the government and NGOs to open the shelter. More than women from age have received help from living in the shelter since it opened.
Desrus said one of the biggest issues for the women has been learning how to live with one another. See more photos on Slate. Main Menu U. News U. Politics Congress Extremism. HuffPost Personal. NEW: Games. From Our Partners My 5-To International U. Follow Us. Terms Privacy Policy. Part of HuffPost Entertainment.
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