Category

Documentary

Location

Cienfuegos, Cuba

Gear

Leica M11-P + 35mm Summicron

Description

14-year-old Nailan is one of many children from local schools that train after school at 62-year-old José Álamo Utría's boxing gym in Cienfuegos, Cuba. I met him while photographing Álamo’s gym for my project exploring the impact of Cuba’s ongoing socio-economic crisis. The gym is located on the southern port city’s Malecón (sea facing boulevard), where a punch bag hangs from a tree and a training ring occupies a tiny beach below the promenade. While desperate living conditions and extreme poverty in many of the island’s urban centres have led to delinquency and violence, community projects such as Álamo's community boxing gym keeps young athletes like 8-year-old Nailan out of trouble and gives them a shot at following in their heroes’ footsteps.

Photographer

James Clifford Kent

Social Media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamescliffordkent

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