My Photo scholarship 2011 entry
Worldwide | Tuesday, November 8, 2011 | 5 photos
"SHOW ME WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE -
THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE."
With close to five hundred Occupy protests worldwide, the Occupy Wall Street movement is stronger than ever and growing every day. From college campuses in small-town America, to European mega-centers, to Cape Town, South Africa, the representatives of the 99% are proving that they really do have something to say about the way our world works.
After visiting New York City's Liberty Plaza to see it for myself, I headed to my hometown - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - where another congregation of protestors set up camp and began their journey just weeks after Occupy Wall Street began.
My series of photographs, taken in New York City and Pittsburgh, portrays some of the ways in which protesters are sending their messages. Whether through artwork, speeches, masks, marches, or posters, Occupy protesters have managed to capture the attention of mainstream and independent media throughout the world. Whether you support, can't stand, or don't understand the point of this movement, these photographs represent the message of the 99%: that the Occupy Wall Street movement is a serious force that will not die anytime soon.
As a photographer, filmmaker and writer, I'm passionate about using my work to tell the stories of others, especially if this means showing the world a side of humanity it doesn't often see. Combining travel with my work, and using this to tell a story, is exactly what I'm striving for in my life. And being able to work with Jason Edwards is literally the opportunity of a lifetime for a recent college graduate whose dream is to essentially do what Jason does. On top of all this, South Africa is one of the most fascinating places I know of, culturally and geographically.
Winning this scholarship would be the most educational and interesting experience in my life so far, and a brilliant way to launch myself into the a world I want so badly to make a difference in.
In addition to recording this movement for myself, I am now shooting Pittsburgh footage for a documentary about the protests, "99% - The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film." Keep yourself updated @99_film, http://www.99percentfilm.com/
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