How Many Daughters, How Many Sons

In St. Louis, Missouri, and every major city in America, there is a community of parents that every member wishes did not exist; parents who have lost a child to gun violence. Inspired by a memorial by Missouri Moms Demand Action and a lyric from The Killers' “Land of the Free”, this series steps inside that community and introduces a handful of parents who have faced the unthinkable.

Combining photos and interviews, Bailey Elizabeth Rogers tells the stories of the children they have lost, and the grief and life they have been left behind with.

These personal stories are meant to bring humanity to this epidemic, to create awareness and inspire action towards change. By highlighting the individuality of each story and looking at each victim as someone's child, people will feel this crisis on an emotional level, not just see the statistics. With gun violence now officially a public health crisis, it is imperative that we use these stories as a catalyst for change and prevent even more parents from joining this community.

Bailey Elizabeth Rogers

Bailey Elizabeth Rogers is a native New Yorker, music nerd, and photographer who views and captures the world in a series of singular moments: Moments that raise questions; Moments that tell stories; Moments that celebrate the beauty in the broken, and are the anthems and soul of the human experience. With a heart that beats for the music that fuels her, Bailey's work is inspired and informed by the ever-present melodies that surround her - the visual music & lyrics of the stage and streets. Rooted in a basement darkroom and shaped by 20+ years behind the lens, her signature style blends elements of documentary, street, macro, architecture, music, and portrait photography. Her artistic mission is the celebration of the simple beauty in life's ordinary and so often overlooked subjects and moments.

Bailey’s documentary and street photography have been featured on CNN, The Washington Post, Nickelodeon, Access Hollywood, Yahoo! Life, Midwest Living Magazine, and various St. Louis area media outlets. As a music photographer, her work has been featured on album and single covers, seen in numerous publications, and used by countless bands. Some standouts include Mat Kearney, Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness, American Authors, Stephen Kellogg, Green River Ordinance, The Hunts, Paste Magazine, and The Aquarian. In addition, she has exhibited her work in solo and group gallery shows online and across Missouri and Illinois. Clients have included Cherokee Street & Cinco de Mayo St. Louis, Arch Park Foundation, Midwest Arts Xpo, Sofar Sounds, Porchfest STL, Y98/Entercom, and numerous St. Louis non-profits.

Born and raised on the East Coast, Bailey currently lives in Missouri and considers herself a "flower child with a rock and roll soul, and a New York City heart."