I began my career in the golden days of journalism when the craft still was about information as opposed to entertainment, and when the men and women who practiced the craft believed that information can make a difference.
 
That belief has often taken me to places inhabited by the poor, the illiterate and the oppressed, places where journalists are so desperately needed. In all of these places, I have found people with the grace, the dignity and the generosity of spirit to allow me to tell their stories, to practice my craft.
 
I still believe in the power of journalism but that power alone is not enough to make a difference. The work that you see here exists largely because the people depicted allowed me to work among them. I am deeply grateful for that privilege, and this work is a tribute to them.
 
Bill Gentile
Washington, D.C.