I don't know about you, but when I read and watch the news, I sometimes feel inundated with "evidence" that we're all separated by various labels and categories, divided by politics or skin color or economic status or sexual preferences.

In reality, I rarely meet strangers and find, without fail, that if I spend even a mere minute talking to someone that we'll find common ground ... no matter how different we may seem on the surface.

And, that's why I love this story from Crossroads Charlotte. It's about one woman and her camera, putting our commonalities on display. Here's a snippet:

Since June, local artist Anna Gallant Carter has had a photography exhibit on display at Levine Museum of the New South. Called Under the Same Roof of Stars/Bajo el mismo techo de estrellas, it chronicles her trips to El Salvador with Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte, and how those trips have changed lives and perspectives. Carter has visited the country 10 times with Habitat for Humanity.

“The exhibit helps people to recognize hope and dignity in others and that’s vital.” She added. “It’s something that we all have in common. We have so much in common. We have a lot more in common than we have differences.”

Read the entire article, by Carolyn Steeves, here.

If you've never been to the Levine Museum of the New South, you need to fix that; it's a local treasure. This video will give you a feel for what it's all about:

Rhiannon "Rhi" Bowman is an independent journalist who contributes snarky commentary on Creative Loafing's CLog blog four days a week in addition to writing for several other local media organizations. To learn more, click the links or follow Rhi on Twitter.