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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us May 5, 2005 From Jamaica to Ashland, camera in hand By Andrew Scot Bolsinger Ashland Daily Tidings Sitting in a crowd of about 25 people, he raised his hand and repeated an oath that made the entire long challenging transition to America a reality. Around him in the Medford Court House were plush leather chairs, the towering bench of the judge and a sparkling clean court room. O Hector’s photos capture the spirit of his subjects, including his son, Devon, above. Photos by Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings Shortly thereafter, court officials took the green card of Orville Hector and returned a certificate of citizenship to "O Hector." “I just felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders,” Hector said. “You raise your right hand and it’s very concrete that you are a citizen.” Hector made his name change legal just weeks before in anticipation of this event. It signified to him the completion of a marathon of sorts. A native of Jamaica, Hector moved to New Jersey when he was “about 8 or 10,” he said. “It was a huge culture shock. I mean I wasn’t used to any buildings taller than three stories.” The adolescent years were tough as he lived in a largely white neighborhood that was slowly changing to more urban black. “People would move out in the middle of the night,” he said. Hector remembers his accent made him feel ostracized from black and white alike, causing fights and problems as he adjusted to his new American home. As he grew older, Hector adapted, his true personality coming through more in public. When he later married his wife Danya, a Rogue Valley resident going to college on the East Coast, he moved with her to Ashland and felt a growing since of belonging. Danya’s family quickly became his family. The couple has a four-year-old son, Devon, and live close to Danya’s family — now Hector’s too. “The support of my family,” Hector said, “and the supporting cast of my wife’s family, made everything possible.” Hector opened a photography studio in Ashland, specializing in portraits. He loved the ability to draw people out through his work. For Hector, capturing someone’s true spirit is more important than capturing the perfect photo. “I don’t view myself as an artist,” he said, “though photography is often art. I create images based on who people are.” In recent days, life seemed to crystallize for Hector, becoming clear with purpose and direction. In addition to his studio photography business, Hector is the Daily Tidings photographer, allowing him to further hone his craft in a different venue. But most important to Hector, is the sense that he is on the road to fulfilling his goals — goals that led him to change his name legally to O. “I decided to change my name,” he said, “because I felt it symbolized a new beginning. The name Orville represents the tough times in Jersey. The name “O” — as people started calling me here — represents who I am now.” Coupled with his new citizenship and new name, O is one artist who is most determined to make contributions on the canvas of life. “I do know that I will make a difference — that I can and I will make a difference. That is pretty fulfilling.” O Hector’s first photography show — “O the show” —is this Friday at The Main Source, on the Plaza in Ashland starting at 5:30 p.m. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Free Musick Downloads Slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks Heloc Calenders 2005 Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Memory Foam Mattress tcg student loan consolidation Home Equity Loans teleconferencing W2 Forms cortisol weight loss Diamonds Paris Hilton Mesothelioma Free Home-Loan Referrals Tatoos Website Design & Marketing Student Loans African Safari Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems Helzberg Diamonds Currancy Exchange Online Casinos Community Student Loans Tatoo Poker Games Homeschooling Auto Insurance Mortgage Calculator Mailing Lists Payday Loans Click Here .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams