Portraits for Protest: Shayna

This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palestinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.

1. Who are you?

I'm Shayna Rogoff, NJ native & NYC resident, Jewish woman, social media strategist, self-proclaimed Meme Queen.

2. Is this your first time protesting?

I've never physically attended a protest

3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to organize your own protest?

The murder of George Floyd and the videos/information on social media from protestors that followed. Never organized a protest but to those who have: the work you've done is what woke me (and so many others) up.

4. Was there a moment that changed your perspective on racial inequality in America and if so can you describe that?

In college I took a course on racial inequality in the U.S. We watched a documentary about The Central Park Five and I was in utter shock at the whole story. I remember asking the professor after class how the hell it was even legal...aren't the police meant to protect us? Don't we have laws in place for this? How could this happen to five innocent children? The professor, who is black, ended up telling me how he was pulled over by police about sixteen times...that year (after six times, he started to keep a tally.) Each time he was pulled over, he had to show multiple forms of identification. One time he was even asked for his passport. One time he was told to get out of his car for a broken tail light. One time his car was searched for rolling through a stop sign. I think that's when I started to look at the systems I thought were safe/just for everyone differently.

5. What makes BLM protest today feel different then previous movements we’ve seen or studied?

The wave of social media and digital activism in 2020 puts the movement in front of far more people than previous movements. The internet undeniably provides information to help groups organize. Signing petitions for movements worldwide, using hashtags, having better access to evidence of injustice - it has all had an impact on how often people share their voice and the confidence they have in their ability to shift the status quo.

6. What do you see as the demands of the movement?

Dismantle institutions that never intended to give everyone the right to live in safety and peace. Free up resources for solutions that are actually designed to create healthy, safe, sustainable communities.

7. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?

Education, education, education. Action, action, action. There's learning and unlearning that needs to be done. I have people close to me who don't understand white privilege and it's on me to educate myself and educate those around me. It's not going to take one conversation either - it's going to take continued conversations, books, movies, etc. I am a firm believer that your actions follow your thoughts, beliefs, and ideas. To make a shift, we need to educate people who don't yet understand systemic racism. This needs to make it's way into school's curriculum, so the next generation knows this history and understands the racial disparities happening today to shape a better future for all. Also, defunding the police and reallocating those funds toward affordable housing, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, education, and job training.

8. What do you say to people that are witnessing but maybe feel distant or not involved in the movement?

I was once you. I was quiet, I was uneducated, I was ignorant. I watched the news of the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012 and then silently continued on. And I've come to realize that the movement only feels distant if you choose to turn a blind eye to the injustice happening right in front of you. It only feels distant if you don't take the time to educate yourself. But above all, if it feels distant to you, it's likely you're very privileged. Anti-racism work is hard work with hard truths for white people. A quote from a post by Jen Winston (@jenerous on IG) really stuck me and I think it will do the same for those who feel distant: "Doing this work means accepting hard truths that should bring us to our knees with grief and anguish and urgent desire to provide what little justice we can to those our silence helps hurt. And while that change is urgent, this is not a sprint - it is a marathon. Unless we're in it for the long haul, we're not in it at all." I was pretty hard on myself when I thought about how silent I've been and how dangerous that silence is. But I'm a work in progress and I'm here now and you should be too.

9. Is there anything else you want to speak on regarding the movement?

When it comes to digital activism, do more than just post in solidarity. True solidarity comes with action (vote, donate, protest, call & email representatives, share information, read, have hard conversations in the workplace, with family, etc.) If you posted a black square a few weeks back, did you actually show up for black people? Or did you just want to look like you cared about current events & the humanity of others? Online activism is effective and necessary but only if it’s paired with offline activism. Additionally, do your research before donating to organizations and don't forget about smaller non-profits that need support (few to consider: Equity for Flatbush, Essie Justice Group, Dandelions Are Flowers Too.)

Portraits for Protest: Seth

This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palestinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.

1. Who are you?

I’m Seth! I’m an artist living in Brooklyn.  I’m of Japanese and Jewish heritage and I’m originally from Oakland, CA

2. Is this your first time protesting?

I grew up with a father who was of draft age during the Vietnam/American war.  While in college, he joined the anti-war protests as well as the civil rights movement (including MLK’s led March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom).  My first memories of protesting are from when he brought me to protests against the invasion of Afghanistan.  I can still remember wrapping my very young head around the most popular chant, demanding “no blood for oil!” Since then, I’ve  joined various protests on my own.  I think this started with protesting Sodexo, a company that has contracts with many college cafeterias but also profits from its many more contracts with private prisons.

3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to organize your own protest?

The beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement, 6 years ago, coincided with a time in my life when I was first beginning to understand the systems of oppression running our country— especially relating to race.  Maybe a year earlier, I had just begun learning about concepts such as redlining, other government enforced barriers blocking our Black community's accumulation of wealth, and what whiteness really even is. 

Then we saw the lynchings of two children:  Trayvon Martin killed by a neighborhood “watchman” and, subsequently, the murder of Micheal Brown by police officers. Here in NYC, we had Eric Garner begging police officers to let him breath before they suffocated him to death.  We took direct action on college campuses and on the streets of NYC.  This year, we had a disturbingly similar set of lynchings:  Ahmaud Arbery by his neighbors followed by the police shooting of Breonna Taylor and then George Floyd’s begging of police to let him breath before they murdered him.  Black organizers took to the street and I felt I needed to be there.  I believe it was two days after the protests started in Minneapolis, friends told me there was going to be a meeting at Barclays Center in solidarity and I decided to show up. 

4. Was there a moment that changed your perspective on racial inequality in America and if so can you describe that?

Growing up queer and biracial in Oakland, it was the Black and brown women who embraced me in middle and high school.  That was a hard time for many people, myself included, and I owe those women so much more than they will ever understand. 

When I left home to go to school in upstate New York, there was a huge culture shock between my diverse childhood home and what I found to be a racist and divided campus.  This pushed me to confront race in a way I really hadn't had to before. When I returned home, I began to see that even my own community was full of systematic oppression.

5. What makes BLM protest today feel different then previous movements we’ve seen or studied?

There’s a lot of discussion of the obvious-- today: we have a violently volatile president and we’re in the throes of a pandemic. Even so,  the size and reach of the movement this time makes me hopeful.  The worldwide participation, all triggered by a Minneapolis protest, feels different this time.  As well as how widespread the understanding that we need to move away from and abolish police. I never thought this many people would be on the same page so quickly.

6. What do you see as the demands of the movement?

Currently, the aim of the movement seems to be the defunding of police departments and the reallocation of these funds. This is the first step of many. We must move away from the police state we reside in now.  But of course the sustained 6 years of BLM will continue to work to end racism and oppression and establish a baseline of safety and a right to freedom for Black Americans.

7. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?

It’s hard to know with a decentralized movement like this but once again Black American’s are demanding a permanent shift.  I have my own hopes but I’ll trust and follow in the Black voices and organizers when considering what is next for BLM.  I know we’ll get there and then still have more to do.

8. What do you say to people that are witnessing but maybe feel distant or not involved in the movement?

When I showed up to that protest at the Barclays Center, I didn’t know what I was arriving to.  But that’s okay. Sometimes you just need to be a witness at first. Of course, you should do the reading, be prepared to make mistakes and check yourself.  They’re doing the work to protect themselves but your back up could make a huge difference.  Sometimes that’s literally taking up space on the streets (and hey, this the one time they’re asking you to take up space wypipo!). 

Being anti-racist doesn’t end. It requires constant work, refinement, and engagement. Listen to the words of Black organizers on the streets or start at home. But know you already play a part whether you’re trying to or not. You can decide what part that is.

9. Is there anything else you want to speak on regarding the movement?

Mass protest is a powerful tool and we must demand justice and sweeping change no matter who is in political office(s)!  Black Lives Matter.  Black Trans lives Matter.  Power to the boycotts, power to the strikes, power to the riots, power to the protest and power to the people!

Portraits for Protest: Kara

This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palestinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.

1. Who are you?

Kara Gaskin

2. Is this your first time protesting?

No, the first protest I can remember attending was on my father’s shoulders as a child in Washington Square Park. As the child of immigrant parents, I’ve learned from their stories and the adversities they faced in this country. Using your voice and speaking up is crucial to the cause - use the agency you have in any given space and defend what you know is right. In my adult life, I have actively protested with the Black Lives Matter movement as they gained representation in the NYC area post the unjust killing of Eric Gardner.

3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to organize your own protest?

As a black woman, I have always stood for Black Liberation. It can sometimes be easier to do nothing when you think a situation does not directly impact you but we have to get to a place where an injustice against one is an injustice against all. Just in our very existence as black people, we have we been impacted by racism and prejudice. I can’t stress enough the importance of uniting within the community to fight for economic freedom, police reform and the dismantling of white supremacy. It’s the only way we will see equality during this lifetime or create a better future for the next generation.

4. Was there a moment that changed your perspective on racial inequality in America and if so can you describe that?

The defining moment for me when I really understood that my blackness could be weaponized was in college. I attended a predominantly white institution where people of color nor diversity were celebrated, embraced, or treated with equity. I fought racial micro-aggressions, accusations based on my race, was excluded from social groups, and learned quickly that my pro-blackness can be seen as a threat or “anti-white”. As I’ve grown my career in corporate culture, I find myself have to often minimize my voice so as to not be seen as the office threat.

5. What makes BLM protest today feel different then previous movements we’ve seen or studied?

What makes today’s BLM protests so unique and impactful is the power of social media. We have access to the movement no matter where we are and I think this is the first that the movement has made tangible progress in creating social awareness, gained a global following and shaped the need for legislation and reform. BLM has extended so far past police brutality and exposed the need for diversity and inclusion the workplace and among social groups. We are at a place where we are finally having the uncomfortable conversations necessary for change.

6. What do you see as the demands of the movement?

Justice, Police Reform and Economic Equality. To me, these demands directly address the injustices that have most impacted the black community. We no longer want to live in a society where we are feared, brutalized, discriminated against or ostracized for our blackness - one where we ourselves have to live in fear of the actions of those who fear us. Black people want to be seen for our talents and contributions and have equal opportunity at all stages.

7. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?

I would like to see the movement continue to have an impact on legislation and community policing. I also think space needs to be made for our leaders to speak at forums for social equality. The public has this misconception of what BLM is fighting for because the media does a poor job at highlighting the essence of the organization. Protesting with the group has been peaceful but disruptive to the status quo, as it should be! Our voices are finally being heard and we need to seize this moment to make our demands known. And continue fighting for them.

8. What do you say to people that are witnessing but maybe feel distant or not involved in the movement?

When you are aware of the atrocities done against black and indigenous people in this country, it’s hard to understand how anyone could not be called to the movement. The lack of care or involvement to me is willful ignorance. I say to people within my own community, unity and protecting our own is the only we can prepare ourselves for liberation. While allyship is beneficial to the movement, solidarity is crucial to the movement. White supremacy has created a “crabs in a barrel” mentality where we are all trying to create better life but we have to remember that our ancestors fought and died for this, and we are still not done.

Portraits for Protest: Dylan

This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palestinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.

1. Who are you?

Dylan Saba. I work as an eviction defense attorney representing low income New Yorkers in housing court. I grew up in Oakland, CA but I’ve lived all over. I’m Palestinian on my father’s side and Ashkenazi on my mother’s side. But really mostly who I am is a combination of my friends and various other inspirations. Maybe there’s a little ball of intuition buried under all the layers of reference driving the ship. I’m not really sure. Good question.

2. Is this your first time protesting?

No. The first protest I remember going to was an action against the Afghanistan war sometime in late 2001 when I was 8 years old. My mom took me. I remember some minor ridicule from the East Coast family, us crazy hippies out West, I remember the phrase “Barbara Lee speaks for me” (our Congressional representative and the lone vote against the war), and I remember marching in the streets of San Francisco. Love my mom for that. I’ve been protesting pretty consistently since then. The Iraq War in 2003 and 2004; US support for Israeli bombings of Gaza in 2009, 2012, and 2014; Occupy Wall Street in 2011, the first Black Lives Matter movement in 2014; and various other smaller actions. 

3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to organize your own protest?

I didn’t organize any of the protests but I participated pretty consistently from the first rally at Barclay’s. I view my participation as answering a call for solidarity. The call came from Black people, organized and unorganized, who have had enough of the violent repression, systemic deprivation, and racism that form an essential character of this country. “If we don’t get it, shut it down”. It’s my duty to answer calls like this. We live in a Fucked World, and the main, most thorny problems are not discrete from one another. Racism is any enemy of justice. It’s our duty to fight it. 

4. Was there a moment that changed your perspective on racial inequality in America and if so can you describe that?

Not one moment, no. I was radicalized, so to speak, through the case of Palestine. I think it’s probably common that an understanding of the world begins with an inquiry into oneself. But just as Palestine is a particular historical situation, it’s also quite a potent metaphor. Understanding what happened in Palestine and what is happening in Palestine brought me to a conceptual understanding of race, of indignity, of colonialism, of settler-colonialism, of mass incarceration, and not least of all of the sociopolitical structures that perpetuate and justify the violence inherent in these processes. 

Applying those concepts to the particular historical situation of slavery and its legacy in the United States and the Americas was natural and part of the general political awakening that I underwent around the time I entered college. I organized and I read. I read more. Those student activists fighting for racial equality showed solidarity with the Palestinian liberation movement. We reciprocated. There was a shared understanding that the system we were up against, racial capitalism, American imperialism, and colonialism, were operating in tandem. 

In 2014, at the height of the first BLM movement and after a summer of Israeli bombing of Gaza, Students for Justice in Palestine (the student group I was organizing with) hosted a national conference: Beyond Solidarity: Resisting Racism and Colonialism from the U.S. to Palestine. That was really cool. 

5. What makes BLM protest today feel different than previous movements we’ve seen or studied?

What has struck me most about this movement is its size and duration. We’re seeing marches not only across the country, but across the globe. And this has gone on for over a month. In total it may be the single largest mass mobilization in American history. It’s a bit too early to determine the movement’s outcome, but the sheer size is stunning and at the very least indicative of a cultural shift on the issue of race. 

6. What do you see as the demands of the movement?

That depends on what constitutes “the movement.” In the broadest sense, I see the movement as demanding justice and an end to racism and racist violence. In the narrow sense, the dominant forces within the movement are demanding that police departments across the nation are defunded. The unifying demand is a demand for power. It might not even make sense to think of it as a demand. Perhaps the movement isn’t demanding anything and is instead a movement to take power. What’s clear is where the power is now – it’s in the hands of the state, those with property, and a small group of extremely wealthy, extremely white individuals who control the economy and benefit from racial division and exploitation of the masses. 

7. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?

I don’t know. I’m not sure it’s for me to say, really. What I would like to see is people joining organizations. Organizations are what sustain political action over a long term. And I think we all recognize that this is a long fight. 

8. What do you say to people that are witnessing but maybe feel distant or not involved in the movement?

That ain’t it, chief. 

9. Is there anything else you want to speak on regarding the movement?

All power to the people. 

Portraits for Protest: Andrew

This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palestinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.

1. Who are you?

My name is Andrew Núñez. I’m 27. I’m a queer latino that currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. I work as a social media strategist.

2. Is this your first time protesting?

No, I’ve been to quite a few protests in the past 10 years in support of BLM and other causes. My first time protesting was in support of dining staff and worker’s rights on my college campus. 

3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to organize your own protest?

Trayvon Martin’s murder was jarring and one of the most impactful moments in my young adult life. It deeply reshaped my values and forced me to grapple with Black life in the United States. Some of my first memories of protests was in response to the government’s inaction in response to George Zimmerman. I mention Trayvon specifically because the movement built around his murder quickly blended and was consumed into Black Lives Matter post-Ferguson. By the time Ferguson began making national attention, the people who had been engaging with Martin’s murder were already seasoned and ready to engage with the systemic problem of police killing of Black people. 

4. Was there a moment that changed your perspective on racial inequality in America and if so can you describe that?

Changing one’s perspective on race in America is a long process of unlearning. When I left my home on Long Island, one of the most segregated suburbs in the country, I was supplanted in a thriving community that was a locus to contemplating how race (compounded with class, gender, sexuality, disability) organizes American society into an enduring caste system. For me, my journey to anti-racism came from my friendships, primarily women of color, which pushed me into different academic courses or lectures on campus that challenged my understandings of the American racial landscape. 

5. What makes BLM protest today feel different than previous movements we’ve seen or studied?

Polling has shown that BLM has become one of the most effective movements in history. Over 3/4 of Americans now think that racism and discrimination is a big problem in the United States moving the dial over 26% in just two years. That is wild! 

Just like so many other Black liberation movements, Black Lives Matter, a movement over police brutality against black people, has rippled into unforeseen areas of American life: workplace inequity, the name of football teams, national monuments, university school names. I don’t know another movement that has seen so much change in such a quick amount of time.

But, I would also note here that while all these accomplishments have been tangential to the main goals of BLM, there hasn’t been much nationwide or even statewide movements. Beyond a few localized victories the demands of the protestors have not been met. 

6. What do you see as the demands of the movement?

Defund the police. Stop police killings of black people. End mass incarceration. End racially targeting in policing. End police brutality and targeting. Allow for data to be collected on police interactions for longitudinal studies.

7. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?

I often find the policing conversation siloed from a larger discussion of the broader criminal punishment system and incarceration in America. The reality is that there are many George Floyd’s that survive their interactions with the police and find themselves in jail for years or even decades for their offenses. I think of Kalief Browder who spent 3 years on Riker’s Island without ever being charged with a crime. His story is just a part of BLM as George Floyd, Michael Brown, or Breonna Taylor. 

8. What do you say to people that are witnessing but maybe feel distant or not involved in the movement?

Not everyone’s role in a social movement needs to be marching but if you feel you are distant or discomfort from the experiences Black people are vocalizing, that stems from a gap in your knowledge. I feel like everyone is slamming people with a library of readings which may not work for you! Try different approaches: podcasts, movies, documentaries, even scripted television shows. There are plenty of resources available to you that can help you further empathize with Black people’s experiences in the United States. What we don’t want is for you to become shell shocked and withdraw from the national conversation.

9. Is there anything else you want to speak on regarding the movement?

Just Black lives matter. Black trans lives matter. Black queer lives matter.  Black disabled lives matter. Black incarcerated lives matter.

Portraits for Protest: Yahshiyah

This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palestinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.

1. Who are you?

I am Yahshiyah Vines. A 20 year old black man. A black man with passion, intelligence and integrity. A black man who is making it his mission to change our future one day at a time, wether that be through protesting or a simple conversation. All my life I’ve faced trials and tribulations to reach this point of maturity and awareness. All of my family’s history has led up to me being the one to stand up, not only for black people, but for righteousness and peace. So when you hear the name Yahshiyah Vines don’t just think of me. Think of change.

2. Is this your first time protesting?

This is my first time protesting and organizing protests. I have always been vocal about social issues that i see around the world but this time things felt different and it hit home so i took it upon myself to organize and lead people for inspiration. My first organized protest had 25,000 people in attendance and it was beautiful. To be able to inspire and speak to that many people is a blessing and i am grateful to see people feel as strongly about the struggles of black men and women in America as me

3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to
organize your own protest?

The main reason for me taking action has to do with the death of my older cousin Delrawn Small. He was shot by an off duty police officer in July of 2016 and he has yet to receive justice. I wanted to inspire the youth and my people to take action as well so I’m honestly just leading by example. We don’t want anymore names to be a hashtag. We don’t want any more mothers fathers sisters and brothers to die at the hands of hatred. If a 20 year old black man can risk his life to bring about change then anyone can. That’s the reason for me taking action. I had to do what was right in my heart

4. Was there a moment that changed your perspective on racial inequality in America and if so can you describe that?

My mind was definitely changed after protesting. I realize that racial inequality mainly resides in the system of America.  Millions of people protested white, black, asian, from all races and all ages. This opened my eyes and I realized that people have love in their heart and not hatred. No matter how many news stories, no matter how many Karen’s we see, no matter how many negative things we see in the media the people truly love each other and stand for justice.

5. What makes BLM protest today feel different than previous movements we’ve seen or studied?

I think this movement is different because the whole world was watching when George Floyd was murdered. The whole world heard him cry out for his mother. Some people didn’t feel a Way but most people did. It was different because it raised awareness for so many people who are ignorant and blind to the injustices and the racism that Black people face in America. It was also different because the whole world was participating no matter how they felt about it. Even the kids knew about the protesting. The death of George Floyd and the protesting has brought together millions of people thousands of people that probably would’ve never spoken to each other without this happening. Through protesting in New York we change laws and we were able to pass bills that we thought would’ve never been past and that was the power of unity in the power of the people. This movement really made a lot of people realize how powerful they are and then the power lies in their hands and their words and their actions and that’s the beauty of it and that’s what really makes it different.

6. What do you see as the demands of the movement?

The demands of the movement is truly to to change how people think and how people see the system. The demands of the moment or to change laws and pass laws passed certain bills that will help Black people for how long we’ve been set back. Not only are people waking up to the police brutality but people are also waking up to the prison system, the harassment in our communities, and the inhumane treatment of Black people in America. People are demanding change and they will not stop until they see it. We don’t only wanna change the system we want to change the world we want to change how the kids think and how the kids look at each other because racism is not inherited it is taught.

7. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?

I think it’s next to the moment and what’s best for the moment is that people start educating themselves on law and people start educating themselves on social issues. Instead of depending on the people who are corrupt in the people have failed us time and time again I think in the future we will see more people that look like us in the White House and the Senate becoming congressman and congresswomen. What’s next for the moment is for the people to actually use their power and unite instead of being separated and divided because united we stand divided we fall.

8. What do you say to people that are witnessing but maybe feel distant or not involved in the movement?

To the people that are witnessing this moment in history and aren’t involved,I just asked him to speak to somebody who is intelligent on what’s going on and what’s actually happening and it will probably change your mind and your perspective on the whole movement. If you take a day out of your time to protest with the people and talk and see how raw other emotions are and how emotional it is they would probably feel the need to be more involved

9. Is there anything else you want to speak on regarding the movement?

Last thing I wanna say is that even though we are the ones protesting our kids are going to be the ones affected by what’s going on right now. They will have to carry the torch and continue to fighting so it’s up to us to educate them and guide them in the right direction. The kids are easily miss guided so if we guide them the correct way in the righteous way they will be very powerful and very united in anything they put their mind to they can do it so like I said it is up to us to educate them so they can change the world. 

Portraits for Protest: Micah

This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palestinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.

1. Who are you?

Micah!

2. Is this your first time protesting?

I've been protesting for some time, now.

3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to
organize your own protest?

I think many of us including myself were moved to take action in the Black Lives Matter movement when Eric Garnered was murdered for selling loose cigarettes by a cop who was never held accountable for it. What led me to organize my own this time was feeling the same thing start to happen the way it did then where the movement was losing steam, when we still had all of these cops who had murdered black women walking free. The service industry workers in our neighborhood have been organizing for some time and it was a quick decision together to plan a march for Breonna Taylor the following day, which ended up having a big turnout of people who felt the same way we did about not letting up until we saw true change.

4. Was there a moment that changed your perspective on racial inequality in America and if so
can you describe that?

Racial inequality has always been something I've.. known, but I think between Eric Garner's murder and beginning to organize around Bernie Sander's original 2016 campaign, I started to actually research the true nature of it, not just how we are being treated in person, but the things that have been structured throughout our history and our foundations, the entire system of capitalism being built around and made to thrive from racial inequality, and I realized all the work that needed to be done and that had been done by people before us to make sure we could even protest, fight back and make change and knew I had to do whatever I could to join in the fight.

5. What makes BLM protest today feel different than previous movements we’ve seen or
studied?

I think the demands centered around abolishing the police is definitely a new and amazing step forward in actually breaking down the systems that are designed against us. We are starting to figure out that we will never truly get the things we need to live free if we continue to have structures designed to keep us sick, lacking access to quality education, tired and hungry, homeless. We are realizing that police have always been there to protect property and keep black people in prison, or dead, because the police originated to chase escaped slaves and still see us as such. We are also realizing that together, we are mighty and capable of winning our demands.

6. What do you see as the demands of the movement?

For now, defunding, dismantling and abolishing the police and fighting racism not only in the streets and the police force, but in our homes, in our jobs, everywhere. Demanding justice for those who were lost to this racist system, justice for those who are in cages just for being black and trying to survive, justice for black children fed into the prison pipeline right from their schoolyard for profit. Justice for black trans women who are murdered and tortured and kicked out of their families and homes just for existing. There's many more.

7. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?

I'd like to see people get more involved in the organizations leading grassroots movements in their neighborhoods, and to see these fights spread to the other things we need and face in our communities. Housing, Education, Equality, these are all things we can win back for ourselves if we fight together!

8. What do you say to people that are witnessing but maybe feel distant or not involved in the
movement?

I think that everyone has a place in the revolution, and if they reach out and ask questions and start working on researching ways to help all of these causes, they’ll find something that works for them as a contirbution. If you cant make it to marches but you have a phone or computer, or a pen and paper, you can call text and write for so many difference issues we need to fight. You can do art, music, open your home to phonebanking, organize a tenants union in your apartment building with your neighbors, start a community garden and hold community meetings on issues you can organize around, anything! There is something anyone can do to change that distance into a contibution.

9. Is there anything else you want to speak on regarding the movement?

If you're reading this, find an organization and help keep this movement going by demanding real change! Our votes are not enough! We can win but only with a true grassroots movement led by US, the PEOPLE!

Portraits for Protest: Darius

This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palenstinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.

1. Who are you?

I am Darius Jones, a student & Model from Bergen County, NJ.

2. Is this your first time protesting?

This is not my first time protesting, my grandmother is a part of the NAACP in Burlington and I’ve marched in Philadelphia before with her as a kid.

3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to organize your own protest?

What led me to take direct action for the movement is definitely the George Floyd incident as well as every other police brutality incident in the past Trayvon Martin etc. but more than that, I had a friend that was killed by someone driving under tree influence and he was a well known white guy around the town but he was not held accountable to the fullest extent of the law for taking an innocent life at the age of 16 so that was a massive scar that has been left, having to see his family go through so much pain and even having to move from their house because the memories hurt too much. This incident changed my perspective on racial inequality and truly showed me what white privilege really is. It got very little if any press at all. This is around 2013-14.

4. What makes BLM protest today feel different than previous movements we’ve seen or studied?

The BLM protests are different for me for two reasons, first because I’m actually getting to relive what I see in the films about the civil rights movement minus the fire hoses everything is pretty much similar and two because there is an overwhelming amount of support from other communities which is beautiful to see!

5. What do you see as the demands of the movement?

The demands for the movement are to dismantle the system created to oppress those that don’t meet a certain ideal and to start a new system that treats everyone equally. But honestly I believe we shouldn’t demand anything but of ourselves because we can’t ask the oppressors to stop oppressing we just have to create a revolution and overthrow. Stop relying on the government to change the laws when the power is really with the people. The left & the right wing are two separate wings of the same bird! Create a black independent party

6. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?

What I think is next is that there will be minor changes in policies but I honestly would love to see the movement become more economically focused as far as creating more groups that teach Dr. Claude Anderson’s Blueprint to Ending racism and that is first to Start with Economics, then Politics, then courts and police, then media, then education. This is how we gain and keep our power because it’s important to gain power but if we don’t KEEP it the whole movement is pointless

Portraits for Protest: Dev

This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palestinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.

1. Who are you?

My name is Dev and I am a black and non-binary artist, model, dancer, beauty influencer and actor currently located in New York City.

2. Is this your first time protesting?

As a femme presenting black trans person, every time I leave the the house and stand in my truth is a form of protest. My existence in itself is protest. My joy and perseverance is protest.

3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to organize your own protest?

A number of actions led to the point. For me it was the frequent murders of black people by police officers with no repercussions. It's the almost daily murders of black trans women and femmes that receive virtually no media attention. It's the erasure and disregard for my people. Now is the time to speak up and demand a change.

4. Was there a moment that changed your perspective on racial inequality in America and if so can you describe that?

One of the defining moments for me was the murder of Trayvon Martin because I was the same age as him and it could have easily been me. That moment changed my life forever and clearly showed where I stand as a black person in America. We are constantly reminded that our lives don't matter and that clearly showed it for me.

5. What makes BLM protest today feel different than previous movements we’ve seen or studied?

There is a collective energy that I've never experienced before. There's also public support that I have not seen in the past. Oftentimes, there are a select few black people who are speaking out and fighting, but this time there are people of all backgrounds supporting and holding others accountable. I've also loved seeing how the movement takes a life on it's own in other industries. The beauty world for example is being held accountable for its racist past and being forced to step up in ways that are unheard of.

6. What do you see as the demands of the movement?

There are many demands but the first one is to defund and abolish the police system as we know it. We need to pour the billions of dollars given to the police into healthcare, education, and the communities who are most marginalized.

7. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?

I don't know what's next for the movement, but I would love to see a greater focus on the black women both cisgender and of trans experience who are often excluded from the conversation.

8. What do you say to people that are witnessing but maybe feel distant or not involved in the movement?

Figure out ways to step up. Protesting is not the only way to be a part of the movement. Educate yourself, amplify the voices who are doing the work, donate to grassroots organizations especially led by black trans folk. Do your research and hold those around you accountable.