Melting Back Into Society
Micaila “Mickey” Britto-Patten
Maxwell Library, Room 101
Spring 2024
This project honors and celebrates women service members and the various identities they hold.
Utilizing my professional experience within the veteran community and my skills as a photographer, I worked with women veterans to document a portrait of their lives while in service compared to their current day accomplishments. I met with them, shared fellowship, and established relationships with them. I interviewed and photographed them in their homes or places of work.
Often times, people hold preconceived notions of what a veteran looks like. As a Marine Corps veteran, people see the military emblem on my vehicle or clothing and say, "Please thank your husband for his service". Yet, when I correct them, they tell me, "You don't look like a Marine".
Realizing that other women have experienced the same treatment fueled my desire to document and bring their stories to life. It is my goal through this work to challenge society's perceptions on what a woman veteran looks like, who she is, and what she does.