For her senior thesis project at the Fashion Institute of Technology, a New York-based photographer Angelina d'Auguste, decided to spotlight people living with the genetic condition. According to the National Organization For Albinism and Hypopigmentation, approximately one in 18,000 are affected by albinism, meaning their hair, skin, and/or eyes lack melanin, the pigment that creates color.
Because of their ethereal appearance, people with albinism have been mistreated for centuries. They've been perceived as mythical beings in countries like Tanzania, and witch doctors have murdered them for their body parts, believing them to have magical properties. There have also been cases of albino women being raped in Zimbabwe, because of a false theory that sex with them can cure a man of HIV.
Though d'Auguste's project focuses on Americans with albinism, it is a powerful — and beautiful — reminder of people who are often unseen or maligned by society. Check out more stunning images.
