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Dannys Marrero: Images of protest and progress

Above: “Inverted Flag: A protester carries an inverted flag during a Black Lives Matter protest in East Liberty on Sept. 12. The Flag Code states: ‘The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.’ After the police killings of Black people last year, the Black Lives Matter movement was emphasized not only just by the community, but media and political entities as they tried to drive progress.”

Dannys Marrero is a Puerto Rico native, Army Reservist and political science student at Point Park University who now calls Pittsburgh home. For this photo essay, he selected images of civil unrest in Pittsburgh as residents protested killings by police and demanded equity and justice. He shared his thoughts on why these pictures are emblematic of the struggle and beauty of life during the pandemic and civil unrest.
 

I’VE BEEN A MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST for a few months, mainly focusing on protests and establishment accountability coverage. I’ve been a resident of the city of Pittsburgh for a bit over five years now. I am a lover of all things politics by day and a sparkling drag queen by night.  

Left: Jimmy Reise, one of the leaders of the group Black, Young & Educated (BYE), delivers remarks to the crowd of protesters during the last ‘Civil Saturday’ event on Sept.12. Right: “Not a Riot: A white protester attends the ‘Justice For Romir Talley’ demonstration on Aug. 23 carrying a ‘not a riot’ sign.
Above left: “Man with Microphone: Jimmy Reise, one of the leaders of the group Black, Young & Educated (BYE), delivers remarks to the crowd of protesters during the last ‘Civil Saturday’ event on Sept. 12. Reise was one of the most prominent figures leading the protests for four months in the city. He is a symbol of progress coming from the younger generation with the ambitions to make up for the failed policies of past generations not just toward Black Americans, but also all people of color in the country who continue to be mistreated and marginalized.”

Above right:  “Not a Riot: A white protester attends the ‘Justice For Romir Talley’ demonstration on Aug. 23 carrying a ‘not a riot’ sign. Police have often treated the Black Lives Matter movement protests as unlawful gatherings and categorized them as riots, not just here in Pittsburgh but also across the country.”

Original story appeared in the Forum Quarterly Spring 2021.

File under Arts and Culture   Policy/Advocacy   Civic Engagement