Reclaiming Her Space: Birthing Through a Pandemic follows Sophia Tupuola, 32, a new mother and first-generation Samoan American who has been homeless since 2017. In June, photojournalist Sarahbeth Maney began documenting Tupuola's pregnancy through images and interviews for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Tupuola’s experience highlights the housing crisis while revealing the impacts of structural racism, systematic violence, and long-standing generational barriers. Throughout her pregnancy, Tupuola fights against the status quo to create a better life for her newborn child. "I just want my child to have the opportunity to exist without dying prematurely," said Tupuola. "I just want them to be alive."
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