Belonging

Photography & Text by Hanna Begič

Belonging

Photography & Text by Hanna Begič

Since moving to Phoenix, I’ve met four friends - through the mosque, thrift stores, and other corners of the city. We bonded over small joys and struggles, but what connected us deeply is sharing one part of our identity: being Muslim. 

As a Bosnian Muslim who grew up in Austria, I often felt the weight of invisibility. In Phoenix, I discovered a different kind of visibility than what I had known, not under the media's gaze or through public gatherings, but through this friendship of shared meals, laughter, and the quiet comfort of knowing someone else understands. The beauty of a community that grows beyond the mosque.

This series is a reflection of that: the warmth and solidarity we've built with one another, even when our paths and backgrounds are so different. It is about creating 'home' in the diaspora, and thriving together - finding belonging in unexpected places. 

This photo series is part of the Power Issue, published in November 2025. You can purchase the Power Issue here. 

Since moving to Phoenix, I’ve met four friends - through the mosque, thrift stores, and other corners of the city. We bonded over small joys and struggles, but what connected us deeply is sharing one part of our identity: being Muslim. 

As a Bosnian Muslim who grew up in Austria, I often felt the weight of invisibility. In Phoenix, I discovered a different kind of visibility than what I had known, not under the media's gaze or through public gatherings, but through this friendship of shared meals, laughter, and the quiet comfort of knowing someone else understands. The beauty of a community that grows beyond the mosque. 

This series is a reflection of that: the warmth and solidarity we've built with one another, even when our paths and backgrounds are so different. It is about creating 'home' in the diaspora, and thriving together - finding belonging in unexpected places.