These images are part of an ongoing project about nomads who travel to the deserts of the southwest for extended winters. It’s an examination of what home means in 21st century America, featuring people who have either been left behind in today’s economy and/or are finding new opportunities.

Nomads are part of a big and very stratified subculture made of people of all ages who have very different backgrounds. Some travel for necessity, others for passion. Some do it only seasonally, others are permanent wanderers. Many travelers I crossed paths with told me that the thing that they love most about their life is the relationships that they create with other people and the communities that are born at every stop.

I started to work on this series in 2020, when I moved to Yucca Valley, a desert town two hours east of LA, just outside Joshua Tree National Park. From November until the end of April this area is one of the most popular spots among nomads. After three years I keep roaming around Southern California and Western Arizona to meet new people and old friends I stayed in touch with. I keep exploring the meanings of home and roots through the stories that travelers share with me and the concept of travel as a sustainable choice for a permanent way of living.