Probal Rashid

Name: Ashley Battle-Chan

Age: 24

Occupation: Teacher

Date and Place the photo was taken: June 19, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington D.C.

Her Statement: "This protest is a true embodiment of the power in numbers, unity and faith in God. I truly believe that everything that is taking place is God perfect timing and the end result will bring forth real change greater than anyone could ever think or imagine. In the moment my natural reaction is to always show my pride and love for my blackness. But it doesn’t always eliminate the conflicting things that run through my mind seeing that I’m fighting a fight that my 100 year old aunt, too experienced."

Name: Zoe Cadore

Age: 30

Occupation: Energy Policy Advisor

Date and Place the photo was taken: June 19, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington D.C. U.S.A.

Her Statement: "For the first time in my life, I have felt safe expressing the pains I feel every day as a black woman in America. While I am disgusted, heartbroken and exhausted by the continuous, unlawful killing of innocent black men and women, the protests that have taken place in 2020 have provided a rekindled hope. The future contains love, justice and freedom. We are the future, I am the change."

Name: Oluwa-Shayie Izegwire

Age: 29

Occupation: Security Guard

Date and Place the photo was taken: June 19, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC, U.S.A.

Her Statement: "I am black girl whose skin has been heavenly kissed by the sun. The sun may love my skin but there are still some fair skin people that still don't understand how rich my skin is. How my skin color ancestors broke down wall for the fair skin to walk through but still my skin color be called dirty, ghetto. When the words Black Lives Matter leave my lips is to remind myself and others that we deserve more, because the world wouldn't be what it is without us."

Name: Brandon Simpson

Age: 32

Occupation: Entrepreneur

Date and Place the photo was taken: June 13, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington D.C. U.S.A

His Statement: "I have personally experienced direct racism and unjust treatment of police officers profiling me and detaining me for “fitting the description” a countless number of times for no apparent reason other than being black and over 6ft. I have also felt systemic oppression all of my life and it’s a reality we deal with on a daily basis as if it’s normal. I am protesting because I have had enough and now that other races are actually seeing what we go through on a daily basis."

Name: Sterling Outler

Age: 21

Occupation: Student

Date and Place the photo was taken: July 04, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC, U.S.A.

His Statement: "I am a senior at GW University, majoring in Criminal Justice and English, pursuing a Master’s in Forensic Science. I have been out protesting consistently since the end of May, and as a black trans man, I find it incredibly important to both educate others and be educated by others on topics that are not widely understood or discussed, especially between people of color and the LGBTQ+ community."

Name: Nadine Seiler

Age: 55

Occupation: Operator - Freelance/On Demand Mover/Organizer

Date and Place the photo was taken: June 19, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC, U.S.A.

Her Statement: "I am part of BLM protests because as a person of African descent, my life and that of my Black brothers, uncles, nephews, cousins, sisters, friends and coworkers matter. My skin color does not automatically demote my being to 4th class (below every other race) status. However, my participation goes beyond this immediate protest. I feel passionately about resisting the Trump administration, as I feel I speak - for the voiceless immigrants, of which I use to be one, when I first came to the U.S. in 1987."

Name: Vyshan Nisheed

Age: 25

Occupation: I.T. Support

Date and Place the photo was taken: July 04, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC, U.S.A.

His Statement: "I come out to fight for humans. People seem to forget how people how important perception is. We are human beings, not just black people. So I'm out here to let bystanders know that. Something I shouldn't have to do. Just like #ElijahMcClain I'm an introvert, so I felt his death personally. We just want to be human for once."

Name: JeanMichael Prindilus

Age: 38

Date and Place the photo was taken: August 28, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC

His statement: "My shirt describes me; I am Blacknificient, (adjective) one impressively dripping in black beauty, elaborately infused with melanin, extravagantly bathed in chocolate. I carry myself as a king proud of my culture. I came to the protest to make my ancestors proud, to make John Lewis proud that we will carry-on his legacy, his fight/work for peace and justice. John Lewis can Rest In Peace, knowing he has pass us the pluton to continue to run the race for peace and justice in America."

Name: Tiaret Mitchell
Occupation: Tattoo artist

Date and Place the photo was taken: June 19, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC, U.S.A.
Her Statement: “I’m glad to be apart of this current revolutionary state. It’s time for the table to shake, and I’m excited to be apart of the people shaking it. The comfort that America’s standard is held on is a bed of lies and nails, I’m glad that everyone is finally pulling the sheets back and see how corrupt the state is.”

Name: Lamar Mitchell
Age: 29
Occupation: Residential House Manager

Date and Place the photo was taken: July 11, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC
His Statement: “We all have a voice! Why is it because we are the opposite color we are targeted as animals or less than human. Why does it have to take so many innocent lives to have a voice?”

Name: Schcola Chambers

Age: 33

Occupation: Chief Business Development Officer of 'iRide iPackage LLC'

Date and Place the photo was taken: August 28, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC

Her Statement: "I came all the way from Miami, FL to take a stand for a movement (to fight for social justice and equality) that will outlive me. I had to be a part of the history that my grandchildren and their grandchildren will read about in the future, then continue on this legacy of social action."

Name: Shanquette Dannah

Age: 30

Occupation: Teacher

Date and Place the photo was taken: June 13, 2020, Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC

Her Statement: "As a black woman working in education and serving students from historically underserved environments, it was important for me to protest. I protest because I’m TIRED! Tired of the mistreatment, pre-judgment, injustices, tired of competing against people who’ve been given a head start, tired of lives being taken away from individuals who’ve sworn to protect us, tired of my son because horrified of the police at age 9, tired of being treated unfavourable because of the color of my skin, tired of our schools being underfunded and without adequate resources."