Mariachi Nueva Generación played Mexican classics like “Amor Eterno” at the second annual memorial for the seven farmworkers killed in a mass shooting at two local mushroom farms in 2023, photographed on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps memberPosted inPhoto Essay
Bravery in the face of uncertainty: Our year in photos
El Tímpano photojournalist Hiram Alejandro Durán shares his favorite photos of 2025, images that illustrate the courage of Bay Area Latino and Mayan immigrants.
El Tímpano journalists documented Bay Area Latino and Maya Mam immigrant communities navigating grief, fear, and uncertainty throughout 2024, often in moments when showing up required courage. This year’s photos reflect a similar kind of bravery, not born of confidence but of necessity. For many in our community, that bravery exists alongside the constant possibility of detention, deportation, and family separation. It is something that continues to strike me every time someone agrees to be photographed.
In January, El Tímpano attended the second annual memorial for the seven farmworkers killed in a mass shooting in Half Moon Bay. For myself and reporter Jasmine Aguilera—both from El Paso, Texas, a border city shaped by mass violence and the constant presence of immigration enforcement—the gathering carried added weight. The memorial followed a familiar rhythm, but the gravity of the threat of immigration raids lingered in the air and in the back of our minds. While Jasmine and I stayed alert on the periphery, those present stood firmly in place, singing, listening, and honoring the dead with certainty and resolve. Observing their bravery in the face of uncertainty left an indelible mark that’s stayed with me.
That same courage surfaced throughout the year as people opened their lives to be featured in our reporting despite the threat of federal immigration enforcement. Elida Pérez, originally from Guatemala, chose to share her name and face for photographs while she recounted abuse, life as an undocumented immigrant, and the isolation of the pandemic, all while knowing full well that this kind of visibility could expose her to enforcement. Jorge shared his story while protecting parts of his identity, aware that even partial disclosure could put housing, work, and family stability at risk. We have taken steps to mitigate that risk through a strong source protection policy, but I am still struck by the bravery of the people we interview and their consent to be photographed.
As we look back on this year in images, we are proud of the work, and deeply grateful to the community members whose courage made it possible.
Hernan Hernandez Jr (center), ALAS music therapy program director, coaxed a student to join him in a duet during their encore performance. About 70 community members gathered in Half Moon Bay to honor the victims and listen to speakers address ongoing challenges facing local farmworkers. The memorial, organized by Ayudando Latinos a Soñar, included music and remarks focused on healing and support nearly two years after the shooting. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Miguel Alvarado, a father of two, is the president of the English Learner Advisory Committees at his daughters’ schools, photographed on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. He moved his family from Mexico City to Bay Point in unincorporated Contra Costa County, and advocates for English learners as schools across the county face shortages of bilingual teachers. Alvarado says the lack of qualified educators has made it harder for students still learning English to receive consistent support. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Left: A letter Jorge wrote in preparation for his interview with El Tímpano to practice his written Spanish and resembling a homework assignment. Since arriving in the East Bay four years ago, Jorge, whose native language is Mam, has been learning Spanish and English to communicate with his peers and coworkers, and to navigate larger communities. Right: Jorge, 20, stands for a portrait at a park in East Oakland on a cold Thursday afternoon, Jan. 16, 2025. Jorge came to the United States from Guatemala as an unaccompanied minor and balances school with construction and roofing work as rising housing costs add pressure to his daily life. He has paid off roughly $9,000 in debt from his journey by taking on extra jobs. Despite the challenges, Jorge plans to graduate in May and hopes to continue his education in biology or architecture. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Maddy Boston, coach and program manager at Soccer Without Borders Bay Area, wraps her arms around a player who forgot to bring a jacket to practice on Thursday, March 20, 2025. The Soccer Without Borders Bay Area team runs free soccer programming to help immigrant and refugee youth build community and stay connected as other safe spaces for youth have shrunk. Players said the sport has helped them make friends and feel more at home in the Bay Area after arriving from countries like Guatemala. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps memberOne of the team’s goalkeepers lies flat on the ground after their 3‑1 victory on Saturday, March 22, 2025. After the final whistle, both teams exchanged compliments with their rivals in a post‑game positivity circle that celebrated play and sportsmanship. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Valentina Cardenas sits in the rear of an apartment building near UC Berkeley’s campus on Monday, May 5, 2025. She came to the United States as an infant and grew up undocumented, often feeling “ni de aquí ni de allá” as she navigated school, friends, and campus life. Cardenas says her experiences have taught her to be cautious but also to trust herself and her instincts in daily life. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Elida Pérez, 20, poses for a portrait at a park in East Oakland on Monday, May 26, 2025. As a teenager, she was cut off from school and work in Florida when COVID‑19 hit, which led her to move to California. Since arriving, Pérez has rebuilt her life while raising two young children, juggling school and jobs, and relying on her community for support. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Miguel Ortiz and Lorena Mendoza in Fruitvale, Oakland overlaid with Maya script writing system. The two students worked with their history teacher to research and compile Mam History: Oakland Notes on the History of the Mayan‑Mam Language, a book documenting the stories and language of Oakland’s Mam community on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. Ortiz and Mendoza said the project helped them connect with elders and preserve a history rarely taught in schools. Ortiz says his favorite section is on how Mayan languages branched off over centuries, while Mendoza highlights a brief interview with her father, Mario, included in the book. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Maria Jose Gonzalez and Derbing Alvarado Sr. sit together in their living room with the lights off, holding the weight of losing their 15‑year‑old son, who was fatally shot on his way to soccer practice in East Oakland. Gonzalez and Alvarado Sr., who came to the United States from Nicaragua two decades ago, now navigate daily life without their firstborn, keeping his photos and candles in a quiet memorial in the corner of their home as they try to cope with the absence that fills the space between them on Friday, May 30, 2025. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Maria Jose Gonzalez, the mother of Derbing Alvarado, stands silently at the center of a protest outside the Juvenile Justice Center in San Leandro on May 22, 2025, holding a sign calling for the teen accused in her son’s killing to be tried as an adult. After 15-year-old Derbing was shot and killed on his way to soccer practice in East Oakland, his family has struggled with grief and limited access to support services. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
On Aug. 11, 2025, Derbing Alvarado Sr. visits his son’s grave, a quiet ritual he carries out nearly every day to speak with Derbing and hold onto his memory. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Javier Arango rolls down a school hallway on April 30, 2025, arms wide open as he reflects on the fear and hope he felt walking these same halls when he was his mentees’ age. Arango was shot in a 2006 drive‑by shooting as a 17‑year‑old student, a bullet striking his spine and leaving him paralyzed and wheelchair‑bound. Now a school‑based intervention specialist with Youth Alive, he draws on that experience to connect with teens affected by gun violence and to help them navigate trauma and daily challenges. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Felicitas, 51, in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood on Oct. 8, 2025. After losing her Medi‑Cal coverage for earning slightly above the limit, Felicitas faces medical debt as California prepares to freeze new enrollments for undocumented adults. She noticed bleeding in her left eye earlier this year but, uninsured, had to rely on emergency care and later received a bill for more than $5,200. Felicitas says she now struggles with whether to reduce her work hours to regain eligibility for basic county health programs while worrying about how she’ll afford care for her pacemaker and other chronic conditions. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Mayor Barbara Lee addresses the crowd at an Oakland City Hall press conference on Oct. 23, 2025, the day after news broke that federal immigration agents were being deployed to the Bay Area. She was joined by federal, state, and local officials in addition to other faith leaders, advocates, and local law enforcement in her effort to reassure immigrant communities about safety and citywide preparedness. Local immigrant‑serving organizations immediately activated rapid‑response hotlines and “know your rights” trainings, coordinating with legal and mutual‑aid networks to prepare for potential enforcement actions. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
Maria Fernanda (center) and Victoria Vivaldo (left) lead residents of unincorporated Alameda County in a Tai Chi and deep‑breathing exercise during a fogata gathering on Nov. 14, 2025, guiding participants to “reach for the stars” and “change the world” as part of grounding and mindfulness activities. Fernanda, lead organizer for the Community Wellness Committee at My Eden Voice, helps set up the bimonthly fogata meetings, find locations, bring materials, translate for attendees and support hosts so neighbors can talk about mental health in a non‑clinical space. Credit: Hiram Alejandro Durán for El Tímpano/CatchLight Local/Report for America corps member
