Héctor Vaca Cruz is a Latino Documentary Photographer based in Charlotte, NC. He was born in New York, raised in South Carolina, and brings a unique perspective to his work shaped by his Ecuadorian and Puerto Rican heritage. His journey into activism started through skateboarding and the punk rock scene. In college, to make his and other voices heard, he self-published the zine Stress Factor Reduction Program.
Currently, Héctor works as the Immigrant Justice Director for Action NC. His work empowers immigrants to lead the movement for justice and equity. Additionally, he is the Community Engagement Director at the Latin-Led OBRA Collective Gallery and is among those who founded the Visual and Performing Arts Center.
Through photography, Héctor explores themes of privilege, racism, colorism, classism, and identity. His visual imagery sparks dialogue with the goal of better understanding these issues and finding solutions. More importantly, his images provide a voice for those stifled by systems of privilege and prejudice.
“I wanted to document what was happening in my community, I also wanted to see how people were living.”
