"ALBRIGHT'S GIRL"

I photographed this young girl for the American Refugee Committee during the inauguration of a USAID funded playground at a preschool in Sarajevo. I was fascinated by the girl's personality. She was so dynamic, open, and perceptive--even though she had lost her family during the siege of Sarajevo and was now living with her grandmother, her only living relative.

Ironically, I returned to the playground some time later with the Secretary of State Madeline Albright during her visit to Sarajevo. The little girl presented her with a flower arrangement. Neither Madeline Albright nor the crowd of dignitaries was prepared for what happened next. The little girl hugged the Secretary of State and, through a translator, told her please not to leave, not to abandon her or her friends. That really shook up Ms. Albright. During the entire visit at the playground, the little girl refused to release her hold on the Secretary. Everywhere Ms. Albright walked, there was the little girl clinging to her dress. Later, I photographed her and Madeline Albright exchanging kisses. I named the image "Albright’s Girl" as a tribute not only to the girl’s spirit but also to a diplomat who recognized the need to meet with the Bosnian community during her stay in the country, choosing to spend time with them rather than with high level officials.

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