The death of George Floyd was in many ways the final straw that ignited the collective anger and frustrations felt from being Black in America. It resonated with me as someone who has lived through part of the Civil Rights movement, restaurants that my family and I were not allowed to dine in because of our race and all that has, in some instances, sadly followed. I felt strongly that I needed to be there to photograph the protestors and their signs, the art, the palpable emotions and the outpouring of support from others for Black lives.

My set of photos aims to show Columbus’ response in the aftermath of this terrible death. I want to share the peaceful, emotional and strong side of the protests, where people came together in support of Black lives and not the unfortunate chaotic instances of violence. My images feature such moments from the protests.

Whether by creating art or marching with handmade signs, these individuals who were of different ages, races and professions communicated their love, anger, fears and cries for justice in support of the Black community and that is a part of history that must not be forgotten.