The Buddhist monks are currently undertaking a 2,300-mile pilgrimage from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., from October 2025 to February 2026, walking through ten states to spread messages of compassion, unity, and healing. Through community engagement and resilience, even after a serious accident, the journey promotes kindness, addresses intolerance, and encourages national reflection amid division.

As an aspiring photojournalist, I took it upon myself to find the Buddhist monks walking for peace, driving two and a half hours from Atlanta to Montgomery. After reaching out to the Walk for Peace team, I was granted five brief minutes with the head monk, Bhikkhuh Pannakara. When I arrived at a Methodist church, I was nearly brought to tears as a small community gathered, chanting in unison, thanking the monks for bringing peace to Montgomery.

During our short conversation, I asked what he hoped people would understand about peace that doesn't always make the news. His words stayed with me: "We are not as divided as the headlines suggest. Peace begins with how we treat one another every day."

I continued to follow and document the monks from Atlanta, GA to Columbia, SC, and intend to photograph there final destination spot in Washington DC.