Charmi Pena

I’m not one of those photographers that was born with a camera in my hand – but the camera and I were destined to find each other someday. I come from a family where the acceptable career choices were: doctor, lawyer, investment banker… you get the idea. While medicine appealed to me for a long time, I double majored in economics and IT at Rutgers University because it seemed like the *right* thing to do.

Then, I met the love of my life and my whole world changed. He gifted me a camera as I struggled to find the right career path for me – a gift ended up changing the course of my life.

As a proud, steadfast feminist and woman of color, I stay engaged in advocacy and activism whenever time allows it. When I’m not smothering my husband Patrick, or our two little boys, Viru and Jai, I can be found gardening, with my 40+ house plants, playing video games, or watching basketball (I tragically suffer as a Knicks fan, don’t rub it in).

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