Black Lives Matter
The organizers of the OldBridge BLM protest. (Photo by Pocharapon Neammanee)
JOHNATHAN CHRISTIE
Black is beautiful. Black is excellent. But being Black in America is not easy. Once again, history is repeating itself with chants of “Black Lives Matter.” The senseless murder of George Floyd sent shockwaves throughout the country and the world. History is being made. I was watching the news yesterday and it was reported that there have been protests in all 50 states. It is beautiful seeing the unity of people of all races coming together to support black people being oppressed. It is very clear by now there is systemic racism in America. It is sad that many people choose to still be blind to it with cries of “All lives matter” and “Blue Lives Matter.” Yes, all lives do matter, but we chant “black lives matter” because they are treated like they don’t. I am extremely proud of the protest in Newark, NJ, my home. Over 5000 people showed up and the protest was peaceful. A beautiful moment someone captured was a man getting ready to break a store window and the other protestors stopping him. I am extremely proud of Newark. Love is what will bring us together.
POCHARAPON NEAMMANEE
Despite the heat, the community of Old Bridge, New Jersey, gathered in solidarity for the black lives that were taken by police brutality. I joined the protestors as they marched towards Lombardi field. I felt welcomed in the crowd, chanting and yelling in support of black lives in America. I met other independent photographers documenting these moments of unity. I attended other protests before this, and the professional photographers and journalists were always hostile towards me in fear of taking their shots or interviews. It was refreshing meeting another photographer who wanted to serve his community by taking photos to raise awareness. I see many people misusing the Black Lives Matter movement for their own personal agenda. To me, protests, rallies, and vigils such as these are not events that should give us a type of social currency or any other personal gain. They should be moments where we come together in solidarity for an issue that affects a member of our community.
One of the leaders in the protest leading the organizers in a sound off. (Photo by Pocharapon Neammanee)
White Silence is Violence LGBT 4 BLM (Photo by Pocharapon Neammanee)
YEIMY GAMEZ CASTILLO
When I march for Black lives, I know I am marching against environmental racism. I am marching for undocumented lives, for Trans and Queer lives, for women, and for all the marginalized communities under the sun. Our struggles are intersected in a web of injustice and corruption. However, with that truth, we must also recognize that systematically, Black people have been institutionally targeted substantially more than other minorities. In the intersectionality context, yes, we're all connected, but we are not all valued equally.
Institutional racism looks like universities that won't admit students who do not have a social security number but whose families have been paying taxes for years. Institutional racism looks like Minnesota’s Hennepin County calling the killing of George Floyd the result of cardiac arrest after being subjected to neck compression, fentanyl intoxication, and recent methamphetamine use when his family's separate autopsy revealed it was from asphyxiation, not drugs, not a "pre-existing condition." The only pre-existing condition was the color of George's skin and the officer's racist feelings about it.
Ultimately, it is all of our responsibilities to dismantle racism within ourselves and our communities. If we turn a blind eye to violence and injustice, then we are accepting it.
ASHLEY MENDOZA
As Black Lives Matter protests spread nationwide, photos and videos of the protesters have been getting a lot of attention. This picture was taken by @shotby.nae at a protest in Waterbury, Connecticut and shows how young black children are aware of the issues striping away their childhoods. Black people are being innocently killed by the police and losing family members. George Floyd is just the tip of the iceberg. People are angry at systemic racism and are protesting because they are tired of how police brutality has become normalized. The way in which the police have been handling recent peaceful protests, the way in which they are stripping our rights away, only furthers our cause. We are angry and will not stop until we fix the system and create a better future for black children.
Arms are in the air, carrying signs for Justice. “I might be young but I’ll still try to Understand!” (Photo by Pocharapon Neammanee)