In this new interview Grunge News offers you the opportunity to learn more about the current situation in the United States. It's also a way to understand the point of view of different actors of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Grunge News interviewed a photographer from Minneapolis and a young protestor from Atlanta...
You've probably already seen this picture :
It's been on the web recently. We can see a young man (Deveonte Joseph) wearing his university dress and mortar. Because of the demonstrations, he is posing in the street and not at a graduation ceremony.
Grunge News brings you the exclusive interview of the photographer, Nathan Aguirre...
Interview from Grunge News to Nathan Aguirre (@imag3_is_nothing on Instagram) :
Can you introduce yourself ?
My name is Nathan Aguirre. I’m a local street photographer documenting graffiti
throughout the twin cities. I was born in Minneapolis but raised in St.Paul.
What are your reasons for protesting ?
The reason I protested is for the love of my city & community. There’s so much social
injustice within our country. At times like this we must unite & become one.
How do you protest ?
I protest by joining the community in gatherings. I’ve marched with BLM & attended prayer
vigils. I protest by using my voice as well as my photos.
Can you describe the different profiles of the protestors in Minneapolis ?
The different profiles of protesters range from peaceful demonstrators that want to show
solidarity with the community to angry out of state protesters looking to cause trouble. There
are people of all colors & backgrounds coming together to demand change & equality within our city.
What is the situation in Minneapolis ?
The current situation in Minneapolis is a positive one but the city is still grieving. Many people are coming together to clean up the streets & destruction from the past week. There are many food drives being setup & many businesses still have their windows boarded up. A lot of these boards that were spray painted with messages of hate, are now being painted with messages of love & support to the Floyd family.
What prompted you to take the photo of Deveonte Joseph on graduation from the ransacked streets of the city ?
The thing that prompted me to take this photo was the confidence shown by Deveonte on
that particular night. With all the madness that was going on he was not afraid to show what he had achieved & that this is his community.
Was there a particular message to convey in this shot ?
I wanted to show people that no matter how bad the situation is, we will continue to move
forward. We are not scared & will hold our heads up high through this all.
What do you think about the integration of the black community in the United States ? In the world ?
I think the integration of the community in the US still needs a lot of work. Every time we
take a step forward we end up taking two steps back. The killings must stop. The hate can’t
continue. It starts at the top with our President. It’s the same throughout the world. People
have been oppressed for so long & it has to change.
What do you think of the global support for police brutality against black people ?
I think the global support shows that we are all tired of living like this. We need a revolution & the system has to change.
Interview from Grunge News to Dave Marshall :
Can you introduce yourself ?
My name is Dave Marshall, and I currently live in Atlanta, GA, and I am a stay at home Dad
and entrepreneur.
What are your reasons for protesting ?
My reasons for protesting Include showing my support to my fellow Americans who have
been treated unfairly and not given the same respect and treatment that I have received
throughout my lifetime. I also protest against those who hold biasses and prejudices esed
solely by someones appearance. I protest to bring change to a country that still harbors
racism.
How do you protest ?
I protest peacefully in large groups to show my support in solidarity, for those who also share
the same progressive beliefs as myself, in effort to advance those beliefs into real change. More importantly, I try to listen to those who have been miss interpreted and denied the same freedoms, rights, and privileges as myself. I continue to educated myself and stay up to date on these events and issues so I can educate others, as well as stand up to those who impose and hinder change. I am vocal on my beliefs on social media, as well as towards my friends whom share or do not share my views.
How are the protests in Atlanta ?
The protests in Atlanta have mostly been peaceful and meaningful, however at times can get
unruly, especially when people who are not really there to protest begin to incite violence. At the same time I understand that hurt people.
Do you think that mentalities and views will change with this pretty violent movement across the country ?
Some mentalities and views will change for the better during these violent movements, to
those who choose to listen to others rather than themselves. Some mentalities will probably
become more vial for reasons I can't explain or understand.
How do you see the future of the United States in terms of equal civil rights ?
The future of the U.S. will always continue to advance itself towards civil equality as
generation after generation will teach right over wrong, and drown out the voices of hatred.
The more people that are properly educated on these inequalities and injustices that people or color face everyday, I believe will progressivély advance our nation.
Would the United States today need a leader like Martin Luther King to defend equality of civil rights ?
The United States could definitely use a powerful voice of reason such as MLK Jr. but I
think that many strong voices of reason would be even more influential. With the power of
social media, more and more advocate voices are being heard and brought to light.
-Grunge News thanks you for your collaboration-
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