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We know they exist, but do we really know what life is like as a devout Klu Klux Klan member?

Photojournalist Anthony Karen is giving the public a front row seat into the uncensored lives of the Klu Klux Klan as part of a series where he documents the most feared, secretive and marginalized pockets of society around the world.

According to Slate:

Gaining access to secretive pockets of society is based upon trust, something Karen doesn’t take lightly and that he sees as a foundation of photojournalism. “It’s a moment that’s constantly validated, the wordless acceptance into someone’s personal space with a camera,” Karen wrote via email.

Karen initially reached out to members through contact information on websites and began his photography journey through the KKK world in 2005.

During an interview with FotoEvidence, which published his book White Pride, Karen spoke about his level of access to one of the least-understood organizations. “I think a lot of the credibility I’ve earned also stems from my basic philosophy that you need to give some of yourself in order to receive anything back. I spend time with people, I listen to what they have to say, and I treat each person as an individual. I don’t have to believe what they believe, but whenever I’m in someone’s space, I feel I’m obliged to observe without judgment. That’s not to say I wouldn’t intervene if I felt a situation called for it, but I choose to observe moment to moment and simply take in what I see and experience without presumption or pretext,” he said.

Take a look at the rest of the project, here.

SOURCE: Slate