Chicago-based photographer and filmmaker Carlos Javier Ortiz is using his camera as a tool for social change, inviting viewers to become active participants in the fight for justice and equality. Born in Puerto Rico, Ortiz has dedicated his career to documenting life in urban communities through a deeply humanistic lens, focusing on personal narratives that illuminate broader social issues.

Ortiz's solo exhibition "Inherit America" opens this month at Riverside Arts Center, featuring a compelling collection of photographs that chronicle political activism and community life. Curated by Laura Husar Garcia, the exhibition showcases images that highlight everyday people's struggles for justice and equity, moving beyond sensationalized coverage to reveal the deeper systems at work.

"What makes Ortiz's work so necessary is its resistance to spectacle," Garcia explains in her curatorial statement. "He does not chase moments of crisis. He stays. He returns. He photographs the waiting, the recovery, the daily life that continues regardless of headlines. That is where his strength lies—in showing us not just the event, but the system around it."

The exhibition demonstrates Ortiz's unique approach to documentary photography, which functions as both art and advocacy. Rather than simply capturing dramatic moments, he builds lasting relationships with the individuals and communities he documents. His images reveal the intensity of nighttime demonstrations, the inherent beauty found in community cooperation, and the quiet moments of reflection that follow major historical events.

Ortiz deliberately focuses his lens on historically marginalized communities and people of color, documenting spaces and situations often overlooked by mainstream media. His photographs expose the harsh realities of urban food deserts, showing abandoned grocery stores in neighborhoods where residents have easy access to fast food but struggle to find fresh produce and healthy meal options.

The exhibition also captures pivotal moments in recent American history, including protests in St. Louis following the death of Michael Brown at the hands of police officer Darren Wilson. One particularly powerful image documents the tension-filled moment just 24 hours before Wilson's acquittal by a grand jury—a decision that would later spark widespread rioting across the city.

"In an era when representation is so easily manipulated, 'Inherit America' models a different kind of authorship—one that is reciprocal, ethical, and rooted in place," Garcia notes. The exhibition challenges viewers to move beyond passive observation and engage more deeply with the complex realities of contemporary America.

The curator emphasizes that the exhibition asks viewers "not just to look, but to stay in the tension. To wrestle with what it means to belong to a country still defining itself." This approach transforms the traditional gallery experience into something more participatory and challenging.

"This exhibition is not simply about the America we see," Garcia concludes. "It's about the America we participate in shaping." Through his powerful visual storytelling, Ortiz demonstrates how photography can serve as a catalyst for social awareness and community engagement.

"Inherit America" runs from September 14 through October 18 at Riverside Arts Center, located approximately 25 minutes east of Chicago's downtown Loop. The exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to engage with Ortiz's ongoing commitment to documenting social justice movements and urban life through both still photography and film work.