Up North
Karl-Hens Pompilus is a 27-year-old Haitian photographer. At 10 years old, he moved to New York City beyond a life defined by survival. With his camera as a tool, Karl-Hens approaches photography as a means of confrontation and reflection.
Here I am on this frozen river.
In this singular moment I feel present: The guilt is gone, I can think clearly, things are easy here. I’m no longer tangled in the chaos. I embrace this bitter cold, the quietness, as if the river has vanished. Everything feels like it’s disappeared except me and this river.
I find resilience through new challenges that I’ve faced, after deporting myself to Montreal due to the fear the Trump administration instilled in me. I was exhausted from living with the uncertainty that no matter what I achieved or built, it could end at any moment. There is no longer a safety net for immigrants living in America today. Maybe there never was.
Moments of stillness keep me mentally present. They bring me the sanity and hope that I felt growing up. So I started praying again— or guidance, safety, and sheer will.
This story was first published in Issue 03: The Signature Issue in Spring 2026.