In June 2020 I took this photo juxtaposing graduating seniors of UGA near Black Lives Matters protestors. It quickly gained tens of thousands of shares on social media and became a sensation in Athens, GA. It led to me publishing a newspaper article about it. Furthermore, acclaimed photojournalism blog Reading the Pictures discussed my photo as a “signature George Floyd Protest image” (video link here).
The sorority Delta Zeta, whose members are shown in the picture, made an official response to this image after public outcry. They proceeded to create a new chair of diversity for the Athens chapter, along with several other reforms such as attending future BLM protests. The organization Pledge Against Racism formed in response to my photo, which was featured on Good Morning America.
This experience proved to me that power that photography has to change the world, and inspires me to always keep looking for stories to tell.
