In 2003, I came from an extremely rural area to Philadelphia to attend Temple University via an urban immersion program. They educated us ignorant kids about social justice, racism, and urban ethics. Those lessons changed my perspective and made me realize the country’s inequalities caused by years of oppression, racism, and disenfranchisement. I learned about the struggles of those who were not born into privilege like myself as a white male. I saw those treated differently because of the color of their skin and learned that it’s on us all to confront racism. The experience stuck with me for the rest of my life. My world view and my faith changed. Then Philly became my home. Fast forward to May 30th, 2020, and it all became REAL through my camera lens. On that day, I attended a peaceful protest at City Hall and the Art Museum in honor of George Floyd. What started as a unified congregation of citizens descended into chaos after protests collided with police. This happened across the nation in almost every major city as the desire for justice collided with the powers of inequality. I witnessed the true pain of racism. I saw the righteous anger of protest. I saw the violence of division. I witnessed governing by intimidation. But in the end saw the hope of unity. I’ll never be the same after capturing these photos.
