We were lucky to catch up with Marguritte James recently and have shared our conversation below.

Marguritte, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Currently, I am working on the most important project of my career. It’s called Saving and Framing Wake County. Most people don’t know, but I have been homeless for a little over a year. It’s not something I advertise because, one, my situation is better than most in my position, and two, there were certain rooms I would not have been able to enter had I been honest about my living situation.

While I have not yet achieved my dream of becoming a homeowner and renowned photographer, I have learned that the situation I am in is not uncommon. I have always wanted to do something big with my art, and I have decided to invite people into my experiences to support a bigger cause. Realistically, if I had known my resources and community could support me, I wouldn’t have had to rely solely on myself.

That is why I am doing Saving and Framing Wake County. There are so many resources North Carolina has to offer that I didn’t know about—resources that could have changed my entire future. I need everyone to know their options. It only takes one bad day to turn your life around, and my peers need to know how to have a plan and who to talk to when that bad day comes because we all have them.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

We all know Plan A: the passion project, the dream job. My problem was that I was climbing the ladder of Plan B (Corporate America), only to realize it was a terrible plan and that Plan A is what I should have been pursuing all along. My Plan A was always to become a photographer who feels like a best friend. This world is filled with so much comparison; let it be my job to remind you that being just you is the best situation you could be in.

My journey to self-love was a long one. In school, I was always the tallest, biggest, and darkest person in the room. I thought I had been dealt a bad hand. In reality, I just didn’t see my beauty because it wasn’t reflected in the peers I was consistently surrounded by.

It wasn’t until college that I finally saw my own beauty. Imagine going 20 years of your life and then, one random day, realizing, “Wait, I’m actually beautiful!” Then, I lost 70 pounds and realized, “Wait, I was gorgeous when I was bigger, too!” It opened my eyes to the reality that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

This is how Captured With Love, LLC. was born. I want to be the world’s best hype woman photographer. Because I know what it’s like to feel abnormally different. But babes, different is what made Naomi Campbell. Different is what made Ashley Graham. You can give me any feature about yourself that you dislike, and I will show you why you should love that feature even more. That is what makes me proud of my work—getting the opportunity to remind you how beautiful you are.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I lost my apartment, I found my resilience. Growing up, I never lived at an address for longer than 4 years. Before I turned 18, my mother and I had been evicted over 8 times. While my mother made each move feel like a fresh start, I grew up telling myself I would NEVER be caught in the same situation. On the first day of my college orientation, we were evicted. All my things went from trash bags into my theatre teacher’s mini van as she drove me to move into my dorm. I was on my own beginning that day, and I was honestly excited. That excitement quickly diminished when I realized I was holding on to all the bad money habits I witnessed in my upbringing and, as a result, ended up in the exact situation I swore I would never allow myself to be in.
As I packed up all of my things for the millionth time with complete disappointment in myself, all I could think was, “This isn’t over.” I was disappointed, but I also decided that day that when I bounce back from this, it would be with a vengeance. I’m going to be a homeowner, and not just a regular homeowner. I will one day have a home and land that my children, grandchildren, and thereafter will come to. A place where my lineage will never have to worry if they will have a place to go. A place for the family reunions!
That was the day my resilience showed up and showed out. Every day after that, I work towards my personal and professional goals with more knowledge and insight, knowing this is now bigger than just me.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My energy is what drives me. This is not to boast, but my energy is rare. I know that I am bubbly and consistently positive. Despite life’s obstacles, you will always find me with a smile on my face. My goal is to spread that. I want to show everyone that it’s possible to go through a lot and have a smile on your face through it all. Not after; not when life gives you a “break’, through the hard part, you can see the good. That is what makes you resilient.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://capturedwlove.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambitiousmarg/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marguritte-james-42a60125b

Image Credits

Chris Facey
Ray Okatar
Marguritte James