This project is called Portraits for Protest. I wanted to take powerful and beautiful portraits of specific protesters from all walks of life in order to add real faces to the BLM movement. This includes Black men and women, Black Trans, Asian, Latino and Palestinian people. I’m hoping that by doing this, I can get people who are observing the sea of protesters to feel connected and empowered to participate. Along with the photos, I conducted short written interviews that speak to the individual asks of the movement and why people are involved.
1. Who are you?
I'm Shayna Rogoff, NJ native & NYC resident, Jewish woman, social media strategist, self-proclaimed Meme Queen.
2. Is this your first time protesting?
I've never physically attended a protest
3. What led you to take direct action for the Black Lives Matter movement? Or What led you to organize your own protest?
The murder of George Floyd and the videos/information on social media from protestors that followed. Never organized a protest but to those who have: the work you've done is what woke me (and so many others) up.
4. Was there a moment that changed your perspective on racial inequality in America and if so can you describe that?
In college I took a course on racial inequality in the U.S. We watched a documentary about The Central Park Five and I was in utter shock at the whole story. I remember asking the professor after class how the hell it was even legal...aren't the police meant to protect us? Don't we have laws in place for this? How could this happen to five innocent children? The professor, who is black, ended up telling me how he was pulled over by police about sixteen times...that year (after six times, he started to keep a tally.) Each time he was pulled over, he had to show multiple forms of identification. One time he was even asked for his passport. One time he was told to get out of his car for a broken tail light. One time his car was searched for rolling through a stop sign. I think that's when I started to look at the systems I thought were safe/just for everyone differently.
5. What makes BLM protest today feel different then previous movements we’ve seen or studied?
The wave of social media and digital activism in 2020 puts the movement in front of far more people than previous movements. The internet undeniably provides information to help groups organize. Signing petitions for movements worldwide, using hashtags, having better access to evidence of injustice - it has all had an impact on how often people share their voice and the confidence they have in their ability to shift the status quo.
6. What do you see as the demands of the movement?
Dismantle institutions that never intended to give everyone the right to live in safety and peace. Free up resources for solutions that are actually designed to create healthy, safe, sustainable communities.
7. What do you think is next for the movement and how would you like to see it evolve?
Education, education, education. Action, action, action. There's learning and unlearning that needs to be done. I have people close to me who don't understand white privilege and it's on me to educate myself and educate those around me. It's not going to take one conversation either - it's going to take continued conversations, books, movies, etc. I am a firm believer that your actions follow your thoughts, beliefs, and ideas. To make a shift, we need to educate people who don't yet understand systemic racism. This needs to make it's way into school's curriculum, so the next generation knows this history and understands the racial disparities happening today to shape a better future for all. Also, defunding the police and reallocating those funds toward affordable housing, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, education, and job training.
8. What do you say to people that are witnessing but maybe feel distant or not involved in the movement?
I was once you. I was quiet, I was uneducated, I was ignorant. I watched the news of the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012 and then silently continued on. And I've come to realize that the movement only feels distant if you choose to turn a blind eye to the injustice happening right in front of you. It only feels distant if you don't take the time to educate yourself. But above all, if it feels distant to you, it's likely you're very privileged. Anti-racism work is hard work with hard truths for white people. A quote from a post by Jen Winston (@jenerous on IG) really stuck me and I think it will do the same for those who feel distant: "Doing this work means accepting hard truths that should bring us to our knees with grief and anguish and urgent desire to provide what little justice we can to those our silence helps hurt. And while that change is urgent, this is not a sprint - it is a marathon. Unless we're in it for the long haul, we're not in it at all." I was pretty hard on myself when I thought about how silent I've been and how dangerous that silence is. But I'm a work in progress and I'm here now and you should be too.
9. Is there anything else you want to speak on regarding the movement?
When it comes to digital activism, do more than just post in solidarity. True solidarity comes with action (vote, donate, protest, call & email representatives, share information, read, have hard conversations in the workplace, with family, etc.) If you posted a black square a few weeks back, did you actually show up for black people? Or did you just want to look like you cared about current events & the humanity of others? Online activism is effective and necessary but only if it’s paired with offline activism. Additionally, do your research before donating to organizations and don't forget about smaller non-profits that need support (few to consider: Equity for Flatbush, Essie Justice Group, Dandelions Are Flowers Too.)
