Mention Spéciale

This story documents the daily realities of gang culture (Sureños 13) and cartel life in Tepito, one of Mexico City’s most marginalized and dangerous neighborhoods. Through immersive photography, the images explore the lives of individuals connected to local criminal networks, capturing moments of survival, loyalty, and resilience within a context often misunderstood or sensationalized.

Rather than focusing on violence as spectacle, the work seeks to humanize those living in these environments, revealing the complexity, contradictions, and rituals that shape their world. The series highlights how daily life, faith, and community structures persist alongside danger, offering insight into a social fabric that is both fragile and resilient.

From street corners and local markets to symbolic practices and personal spaces, the photographs present a candid view of individuals navigating the overlapping pressures of crime, tradition, and identity. By documenting intimate gestures, altars, and shared moments, the work invites reflection on the human dimension of communities too often reduced to headlines, and on the broader social and cultural forces shaping life in Tepito.