Saturday July 28, 2001, Evansville, Indiana, USA

Backstage of Talent Contest

From left, Tara Sorg, 7, Kelsey Miller, 9, and Andrea Berry, 11, right, wait backstage for the rest of the contestants to perform in the junior dance solo division of the Vanderburgh County 4-H Fair Talent Contest on Saturday afternoon.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday July 28, 2003, Evansville, Indiana, USA

GLBT Prom

Tasha Vaught gives Jen Hayes a kiss on the deck at the GLBT Prom.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday February 16, 2003, San Francisco, California, USA

Anti-war Protestor

Kelly Curry of Orinda, California, may have been carrying the youngest protester during the anti-war rally in San Francisco, California on Sunday, February 16, 2003. Hundreds of thousands of protesters wore costumes, and waved banners, peace signs and flags while marching up Market Street. Protest coordinators estimated the crowd at 250,000 while police said it was at about 150,000. (The numbers were probably somewhere in between.)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday April 7, 2002, Newtonville, Indiana, USA

Freestyle Motorcycling

Sunday was a freestyle day - open to any member who wants to ride. The track, owned and operated by Chris and Cathy Still will host upcoming American Motorcycle, AMA, motocross races on April 13, and then April 27th and 28th. More listings of their upcoming races can be seen at their web site www.motorheadpark.com.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday September 29, 2001, Mount Carmel, Illinois, USA

Effects of September 11

American born Aisha Saqib acts out the events of September 11th. Her mother, Bushra Saqib watches. Bushra Saqib, a Pakistani born American, and a practicing Muslim,worries about how the events of September 11th will affect her children. She is outspoken in condemning the acts of the terrorists as un-Islamic.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday May 18, 2002, Lotus, California, USA

Whitewater rafting

After a day of raft guiding along the South Fork of the American River, Lotus, raft guides Carly Furry, left and Wendy Keller kick back at Carly's place on the property of Whitewater Voyages. Keller was admiring Carly's garden and refurbished trailor. It is common across the country for whitewater rafting guides to camp out for the season on the property of the raft company whom they work for.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday December 27, 2001, Thaon, Mon Province, Burma/Myanmar

Daily life in Burma

A woman fixes her hair after bathing in the walled off womens' section of the natural hot springs at Prince's Cave near Thaon, in the Mon Province in the southern part of Burma, also known as Myamar.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Tuesday July 15, 2003, Yangon, Yangon Division, Burma/Myanmar

Daily life in Burma

A scene after dusk on the terrace of the Shwedagon Pagoda. This pagoda is the largest and most popular pagoda in Yangon. It is frequently visited by locals and foreigners alike. The Military Junta in control of the government has recently rejailed opposition leader Aung Sun Suu Kyi, head of the National League for Democracy. In response, the U.S. government passed a bill to enforce economic sanctions on the country in protest of this, civil rights violations, and the non-democratic rule of the Military Junta.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Wednesday December 5, 2001, Evansville, Indiana, USA

Ebony Fashion Show

Ebony Fashion Show. One of the Ebony Magazine Fashion Fair 2001 models shows off an eastern inspired dress during "The Changing Trends of Fashion" traveling runway show.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday September 3, 2001, Kentucky, USA

BBQ Shack Owner

Edith Wharton, owner of Wharton's BBQ shack.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Tuesday August 5, 2003, San Francisco, California, USA

Senator Hillary Clinton signs her book 'Living History' in San Francisco

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared for a book signing at A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books book store in San Francisco. She was there promoting her book "Living History." She was expected to sign at least 900 books. Lines of Hillary fans wrapped around several blocks.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Friday September 5, 2003, San Francisco, California, USA

Dalai Lama Receives Honorary Degree from UCSF

The honorable Dalai Lama visited the University of San Francisco Jesuit College and spoke to several packed audiences after he was given a degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday November 20, 2003, Mountain View, California, USA

20th Anniversary of the Macintosh computer

Apple will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the launch of the Macintosh on January 22, 2004. A Mac Plus which is being restored at the Computer History Museum.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Friday January 30, 2004

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday January 31, 2004

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Tuesday March 19, 2002, Evansville, Indiana, USA

Kate's Two Moms

Tia, the dog joins in with Terry Rawlings, left, Beth Heil, center, and Kate Heil-Rawlings, right, during an evening "family howl" in their home. Kate Heil-Rawlings has two moms, Mama Beth and Mama Terry. Beth Heil and Terry Rawlings are a lesbian couple which have been together for 14 years. The couple chose to have a child together by Terry receiving artificial insemination from an anonymous donor. Nine months later they welcomed Kate to the world. Now, Kate is three and growing up with two mothers and no father. Together Terry and Beth run a household, hold down professional jobs, attend church on Sundays and manage to spend quality family time together with Kate. To those who question whether gay couples are equipped to raise healthy happy well-adjusted children, Terry and Beth insist that Kate has two full-time parents who provide a home filled with love and support, which is much more than many American children with both a mother and a father have.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday January 24, 2002, Evansville, Indiana, USA

Kate's Two Moms

Beth hands Kate some fruit chews, left, while Terry, right, dries her off after their family swimming class at the YMCA. Kate Heil-Rawlings has two moms, Mama Beth and Mama Terry. Beth Heil and Terry Rawlings are a lesbian couple which have been together for 14 years. The couple chose to have a child together by Terry receiving artificial insemination from an anonymous donor. Nine months later they welcomed Kate to the world. Now, Kate is three and growing up with two mothers and no father. Together Terry and Beth run a household, hold down professional jobs, attend church on Sundays and manage to spend quality family time together with Kate. To those who question whether gay couples are equipped to raise healthy happy well-adjusted children, Terry and Beth insist that Kate has two full-time parents who provide a home filled with love and support, which is much more than many American children with both a mother and a father have.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday September 23, 2001, Evansville, Indiana, USA

Kate's Two Moms

Shoes collect at the mat by the back door of Kate and her Moms' house. Kate Heil-Rawlings has two moms, Mama Beth and Mama Terry. Beth Heil and Terry Rawlings are a lesbian couple which have been together for 14 years. The couple chose to have a child together by Terry receiving artificial insemination from an anonymous donor. Nine months later they welcomed Kate to the world. Now, Kate is three and growing up with two mothers and no father. Together Terry and Beth run a household, hold down professional jobs, attend church on Sundays and manage to spend quality family time together with Kate. To those who question whether gay couples are equipped to raise healthy happy well-adjusted children, Terry and Beth insist that Kate has two full-time parents who provide a home filled with love and support, which is much more than many American children with both a mother and a father have.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday September 23, 2001, Evansville, Indiana, USA

Kate's Two Moms

Terry, left, Kate, center, and Beth, right, embrace during Sunday morning Church services. They attend their church services regularly and are active members of their church community. Kate Heil-Rawlings has two moms, Mama Beth and Mama Terry. Beth Heil and Terry Rawlings are a lesbian couple which have been together for 14 years. The couple chose to have a child together by Terry receiving artificial insemination from an anonymous donor. Nine months later they welcomed Kate to the world. Now, Kate is three and growing up with two mothers and no father. Together Terry and Beth run a household, hold down professional jobs, attend church on Sundays and manage to spend quality family time together with Kate. To those who question whether gay couples are equipped to raise healthy happy well-adjusted children, Terry and Beth insist that Kate has two full-time parents who provide a home filled with love and support, which is much more than many American children with both a mother and a father have.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Tuesday June 11, 2002, Evansville, Indiana, USA

Kate's Two Moms

Kate yawns while Terry, left, and Beth, right, read to her before bed as they try to do almost every evening. Beth works at the library and brings home children's books regularly. Kate Heil-Rawlings has two moms, Mama Beth and Mama Terry. Beth Heil and Terry Rawlings are a lesbian couple which have been together for 14 years. The couple chose to have a child together by Terry receiving artificial insemination from an anonymous donor. Nine months later they welcomed Kate to the world. Now, Kate is three and growing up with two mothers and no father. Together Terry and Beth run a household, hold down professional jobs, attend church on Sundays and manage to spend quality family time together with Kate. To those who question whether gay couples are equipped to raise healthy happy well-adjusted children, Terry and Beth insist that Kate has two full-time parents who provide a home filled with love and support, which is much more than many American children with both a mother and a father have.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday August 12, 2002

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday August 12, 2002

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday August 12, 2000, Peja, Kosovo, Yugoslovia

Mirvet Muriqi gives her son Besert a bath in the courtyard of their badly damaged home, two months after returning from exile. Now they must bathe in the car port with a hose and buckets until they rebuild one of the bathrooms. August 8, 1999.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday August 12, 2002

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday August 12, 2002

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Friday February 13, 2004, San Francisco, California, USA

Same sex marriages in San Francisco

Thousands of people lined up to receive marriage licences at San Francisco City Hall on Friday after the Mayor issued an order alowing same sex couples to marry in the city of San Francisco. Couples and families lined up and down the hallways in a rush to receive their licences before the possibility of a judge issuing an injunction but when the the time came the issue was tabled until this Tuesday. Couple Eric Ethington, left and Doug Okun, hold their 3 month old twin daughters Sophia Okun Ethington and Elizabeth Okun Ethington during their marriage ceremony. The couple are each the biological fathers of one of the daughters although they would not say which one is which. They had their daughters with a surrogate mother who is in town visiting to celebrate with them.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Tuesday February 2, 1999, Rockaway, New York, USA

Rockaway, Queens

Patricia Campbell braids her 7-year-old daughter Sherika's hair before Patricia leaves for work and Sherika gets walked to school by her brother Sheldon. Sherika, dressed in a school uniform that has become mandatory at some of the public schools around New York City is in the gifted program at P.S. 106 in Rockaway.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday February 6, 1999, Rockaway, New York, USA

Rockaway, Queens

Timmy McNair, 9, does a back flip off the boardwalk into the sand at B90th Street in Rockaway. He, his cousins and neighbors gathered to play football on the beach.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Wednesday January 21, 2004, San Francisco, California, USA

Clown

Clown Nathan puts his make-up on. He practices at home and in a studio at the San Francisco Circus School.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Jessica Brandi Lifland

Jessica Brandi Lifland is a freelance photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been with Polaris since 2003. Prior to becoming freelance, She was a staff photographer at the Evansville, Indiana Courier & Press, and the Contra Costa Newspapers in the East Bay of San Francisco. Having served as an adjunct instructor of photography at the University of Southern Indiana, Jessica also holds a masters degree in photojournalism from Ohio University School of Visual Communications, a bachelors of fine arts in photography and bachelors in art history from Cornell University. She is originally from Lawrence, New York and currently lives in San Francisco, California.

Her work has won numerous photojournalism awards, has been exhibited in numerous group shows around the country and has been exhibited in a solo show at the Williamsburg Art neXus Gallery in Brooklyn, NY in 2001. Her projects include the America 24/7 photographic book project, a photographic essay on family and community life in Kosovo in the weeks and months following the war, and picture stories on same sex families.

Personal web site of Jessica Brandi Lifland