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What does it mean to truly see a place? To capture its essence through a lens while maintaining the human connection behind the camera? In this heartfelt conversation with Jose Quesada, we explore the remarkable journey of Humboldt County's most dedicated visual documentarian.

Born to Guatemalan parents (the first "gringo" in his family, as he likes to say), Jose's path led him from Catholic school in Southern California to hitchhiking across America at 19, eventually landing in Humboldt County where he spent his first night on a bench at College of the Redwoods. Little did he know this would begin a lifelong love affair with the region he would later capture so beautifully through his camera.

The conversation takes us back to the late 1970s and early 80s when federal funding created vibrant youth recreation programs throughout the county. Jose and I reminisce about our days working with young people at Camp Kim 2 in Willow Creek, where we witnessed firsthand how these programs built community and changed lives. Jose's career evolved from early childhood education to workforce development to a 30-year stint with the county before health challenges pushed him toward his true calling.

For nearly six years, Jose's photographs have graced an entire page in the Times Standard every Saturday, documenting everything from protests to celebrations, from stunning landscapes to intimate human moments. His work has appeared in publications like the New York Times, but his heart remains deeply connected to showing Humboldt County to itself. As he puts it: "I want to be known as the guy that documented Humboldt County. He saw it. He helped us see it."

Through riveting stories about having SWAT team guns pointed at him and capturing Highway 101 protests from atop his ladder, Jose reveals the creative spirit that drives his photography – finding perspectives others miss, seeing beyond the obvious, and maintaining an open, curious mind. His journey reminds us that sometimes the most powerful stories are told not through words, but through the compassionate eye of someone who truly sees the community they love.

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Humboldt County CA USA is the home of some of the most iconoclastic, genuine, and interesting folks in the world.

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