2020

The year 2020 was marked by intense global protests against racial injustice, sparked by the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, which had been active since 2013, gained unprecedented momentum as millions of people across the U.S. and the world took to the streets to demand an end to police brutality and systemic racism. The protests ignited crucial conversations about racial inequality, leading to widespread calls for police reform, social justice, and racial equity across various sectors of society.

This photo was taken two days after one of the most chaotic moments of the George Floyd protests in Cincinnati. Just 48 hours earlier, we were fleeing from the police, trying to avoid being arrested for standing up for justice. The woman you see here, still raising her fist in defiance, had been violently ripped off her bike and thrown to the ground by police that day. She sustained permanent nerve damage in her spine and was forced to wear a neck brace because of the injuries she suffered during her arrest.

Despite the pain and trauma, she was back out on the streets just two days later, continuing the fight. Her resilience and determination are clear in her smile and raised fist. She represents the strength of this movement and the courage it took for so many to keep showing up, even when the risks were high. This image is a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by individuals for the cause of justice, and it shows that the spirit of the protest never faltered, even in the face of brutality.

This photo takes me right back to one of the most intense moments of the George Floyd protests in 2020. We were in Cincinnati, peacefully standing against injustice, raising our voices for change. But the reality of that day was far from peaceful. As the police began to close in, we were forced to flee like we were nothing more than animals being herded. You can see us in the photo, scrambling up a wooded path, trying to find safety.

The air was thick with tear gas, and the sound of flash bangs echoed in the distance. Helicopters circled overhead while rubber bullets whizzed by. The fear was real, but so was our resolve. This moment, captured in the image, shows the physical act of fleeing, but it doesn’t capture the full weight of the moment—the collective pain, the frustration, and the hope that kept us moving forward despite the chaos. This was not just a protest; it was a stand for justice, and this is what it looked like on the ground.