office initiatives: Brotherhood
Josh, one of Ted’s sons, shares, “Due to my dad and his work, I am someone who can be vulnerable and does not conform to social norms. That is the best thing that I could have asked for and has always been a point of pride for me.” It is precisely this type of vulnerability that fosters the bonds of brotherhood that Josh and his siblings hold such dearly, thanks to Ted.
“Brotherhood” is a photo series that explores all of these bonds and intricate relationships, not only within family but also between individuals and the different aspects of their masculinity and manhood. The photos, which feature Ted and three of his four sons: Jalen, Josh, and Kach, dives into the subject by actively questioning the role that fashion plays in expressing masculinity and offering vulnerability through thoughtful open-mindedness. The series is ultimately about brothers. Through good times and bad, the struggle of brotherhood, the patience it takes to nurture healthy relationships within a family, no matter by birth or by choice, and the inextinguishable love that holds brothers together.
“While dad is not my biological father,” explains Kach, “he is the first father figure who said ‘I love you.’ This was not normal for me to hear, and at first, I did not know how to respond. It felt even more uncomfortable to say it back. He has taught me to embrace saying ‘I love you’ to him and other men in my life that I love.”
“Brotherhood” asks these men to lean into the less explored sides of themselves. Through their movement, their expression, and their fashion. The series underscores that these brothers feel safe to uncover these vulnerabilities because their father, Ted, will always be there to catch their fall. As Jalen perfectly illustrates, “It means so much to have my dad, a male figure, to show me the right way to be a man, especially while I am also learning. Learning what it is to be in the middle of the spectrum, and learning to explore the femme sides of myself.” This never-ending learning is what “Brotherhood” is.
