Hey everyone — Welcome back to Sombra Y Cultura. I’m your host Chris, and today we’re taking a journey into the life and work of a photographer-filmmaker whose vision captured Nicaragua in all its raw, beautiful complexity: Rossana Lacayo. Whether you’re new to the show or have been with me for a while — thank you for tuning in. Let’s dive in.

Rossana Lacayo was born in Managua, Nicaragua, on September 3, 1956. She grew up during a period of major cultural change in the country, and that energy would later seep into her creative storytelling.

Her early life included an education that stretched beyond Nicaragua — she studied at Madeira School in Virginia, USA, graduating in 1975, then continued at Duke University where she earned a degree in Economics in 1979. While her degree wasn’t in photography initially, Lacayo has said that she was drawn to the camera from a young age.

Though trained in economics, Lacayo’s passion for photography gradually took center stage.According to sources, she began working professionally in photography and film around the early 1980s, especially with the newly formed Nicaraguan Institute of Cinematography.

One notable strand of her photography is her documentation of the community living in “La Chureca”, the large open dump in Managua. Her series of photographs of children and families who lived and worked there brought attention to stories that many preferred to ignore.

In my opinion (from viewing her work), what stands out is her willingness to enter spaces of marginalization — not to sensationalize, but to observe, document, and give dignity. This blurring of documentary, photojournalism and socially engaged art is one of her major contributions.

While Lacayo has both photographic and filmography credentials, one of her key photographic bodies of work is the documentation of La Chureca (click here to view). The exhibition “El Cambio” held in Washington D.C., featured four of her photographs of La Chureca, selected by the World Bank.

Her film work is also very significant: for example the documentary Estos sí pasarán (1984) which was selected for consideration at the Academy Awards. Though the film work is outside pure photography, her photographic still-work and film work are interlinked.

Rossana Lacayo’s contributions traverse both photography and film, making her a multi-disciplinary storyteller. Here are ways in which I believe her work is important:

• She gives visibility to marginalized communities in Nicaragua — for instance those living in La Chureca — thereby expanding the archive of Nicaraguan society beyond official narratives.
• She bridges photography and film, showing how images can serve memory as well as documentation.
• Her persistence as a woman photographer/filmmaker during a tumultuous period in Nicaragua’s history marks her as a pioneer in her field.
• In my reading of her work, I’m impressed by how she handles light, environment and subject matter: her images have texture, emotion and context — they don’t just freeze a     moment, they anchor it in place and story.

Because of these, I believe Rossana Lacayo deserves broader recognition in the global photography world — not just as a national figure, but as one whose work speaks to universal themes of resilience, identity, and the power of image.

My Final Thoughts

If I were to sum up Rossana Lacayo’s legacy in one line: she chose to see the world with compassion, frame it with conviction, and share it with honesty. Her photographs remind us that where some see ruin, resilience still lives; where some see waste, life persists.

She didn’t just capture what people looked like — she captured how they lived, how they fought, how they survived. And for me, that makes her work timeless. Because when you look at her images, you don’t just look — you feel.

So here’s what I believe: Rossana Lacayo should be on the radar of anyone who cares about photography as a force for memory, for justice, for culture. Her work isn’t just about Nicaragua — it’s about humanity.

Before I go, I want to say thank you for spending time here with Sombra Y Cultura. If you’ve been enjoying this show and want to help keep it growing — there’s an option for listener support (click here to donate). Totally optional, and no pressure — just a small way to help these stories reach more people.

If today’s episode resonated with you, please take a moment to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, share this with a friend who loves photography or culture, or give it a like. Those small actions help more ears find these voices.

I’m your host Chris, and this was Sombra Y Cultura. Until next time — stay curious, keep creating, and never stop capturing your world.