Photographer Rich-Joseph Facun documents life in Athens, Ohio, in his project '1804,' focusing on the profound influence of Ohio University on the town. His images and interviews capture the socioeconomic and cultural dynamics, including strained housing markets, a nightlife economy driven by students, and the town's identity as a "company town" shaped by the university's calendar and employment.
The project matters as a timely examination of the tensions within a progressive university enclave situated in a conservative Appalachian region. It highlights specific pressures, such as the closure of diversity offices following state legislation, federal funding cuts impacting staff and programs, and the housing crisis exacerbated by student demand, offering a nuanced portrait of how national political and policy shifts manifest in a local community.