Born in 1976, Marvi Lacar is a native of the Philippines and moved to the US at the age of 15. She received a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences from a liberal arts college in Michigan. Instead of continuing on to medical school, she opted to work in non-profit organizations focusing on migrant and women’s health issues. Her experiences led her to pursue a Master’s in Journalism at the University of Texas in Austin.

Lacar has been a nominee for Joop Swart Masterclass and recognized by Communication Arts, PDN and American Photography, Days Japan and Santa Fe Center for Photography Project Competition. Her clients include The New York Times, Time, Newsweek, Reader’s Digest, Paris Match, Fader and Marie Claire.

She is continuing her work on a story documenting female genital mutilation and early marriage in Kenya as part of a longer-term project on Women in Poverty. She is also working on a project about depression in America.