Profe is a documentary series that depicts how Cuba’s legacy of excellence in boxing endures in a resource-scarce facility in Santiago.

Throughout Cuba, boxing is not only a sport but a space where belonging and intergenerational care converge. At the center is the profe–the coach–who provides technical knowledge, mentorship, and hope, even after injury or circumstances have cut short his own competitive career.

This series grew from my introduction to two such figures: former national champion Juan Carlos Avila Mora and former Pan American champion Héctor Barrientos Stable. Their training facilities reflect the material limitations created in part by the long-standing U.S. embargo but the determination and camaraderie within them eclipse the scarcity.

In these images, I sought to capture brief, revealing moments between coach and athlete—the grit and intensity of practicing under the coach’s watchful eye. Comprising color and black and white images, the resulting series is a celebration of shared identity, pride, and persistence.

Coaches Mora and Barrientos possess deep expertise and have much to offer beyond Cuba’s borders. My ultimate goal with this work is to help create pathways for collaboration—material support, training residencies, and other programs—that will allow these men to apply their craft with athletes in the United States, and elsewhere.

Preview a selection of the images below. The Profe book will be published in 2026. Sign up to be notified when it’s available.