Considering the widespread implications of this issue, Washington-based photographer Leah Judson elected to challenge the prevailing cultural attitude.

“This first season is dedicated to youth under 21. The discussion is centered around the idea of having a passion, but being spoken down to, just because you’re a young person,” she explains. “I often find that youngsters’ experiences are focused on the notion of adulthood being granted to them at a certain age. In my own life, I’ve been really frustrated with that concept, as I’m sure plenty of others have.

“They’re constantly being shunned, placed in the corner. A lot of that is a misperception about experience. So many are pushed away and ignored, even when they have incredible ideas and abilities. Too often, it’s because they don’t fit the repertoire of ‘grown’. I wanted to create a series that disproved that. I didn’t want to just focus on their abilities – I also wanted to hone in on these individuals, exploring the defining characteristics of each.”

“Sometimes, people in my industry expect an extreme shift from their audience. I’m trying to be realistic. I’m more about moving someone for a moment, an instance. That’s enough for me to walk away from this and feel like it was a success on some level.”

Originally from Panama, Judson’s creative outreach is impressive in scope, embracing an assortment of countries, continents, and specialisms. A BFA in art therapy gave way to an MFA in new media journalism, and from here, she set up BEHOLD.HER: a Washington-based initiative aimed at bridging social barriers for women. She’s interviewed 400 participants to date.

“I’ve had the pleasure of living all over, experiencing different cultures at a young age. Before We Could Drink marries my two loves – people and art. I aspire to create work that has depth. I want it to make people curious; I want to elevate overlooked voices and narratives. As a Latina and extensive traveler, I found I was often rejected to the background.”

“Even if you don’t have the skill set yet, you still have time. Some adults can get sour about their own regrets – neglecting to pursue what they really wanted to do as youngsters, for whatever reason,” she explains. “I see it as cyclical. Their older generations may have convinced them to believe in certain ideals, detracting them. This was also about creating an anthem for those who feel like it’s too late, or that they missed out when they were a similar age.”

As Leah got to grips with each person, elements of the everyday gradually began to seep into the work. Resultant episodes became reflections of ordinary kids engaged in extraordinary endeavors.

“These kids are phenomenally familiar – they’re not TikTok superstars. They’re common people. We may perceive what they do as weird or astonishing, but what really struck me is just how totally normal it was to them.”