News
Fragments of Ferguson
sara swaty
Aug 9, 2015
     One year has passed since the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.  On August 9th, 2014, an unarmed black man was shot and killed blocks away from his grandmother's house in his own neighborhood.  While details of the incident will forever be a mystery, the facts remain: Michael Brown's body laid face down in a pool of blood on Canfield Drive, a small residential street, for 4 1/2 hours without medical attention or care, and his death was ruled as a homicide.  In March of 2015, The Justice Department released a 105 page report investigating the Ferguson Police Department detailing civil rights violations, particularly abusing the 1st and 4th amendment, with evidence of deep racial bias.  

     In the wake of a tragedy, a national movement was born. Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri and Michael Brown became internationally recognized names in mere days, on the tongues of protestors from the Midwest to East, West, and beyond.

     The shooting of Michael Brown and police brutality is, unfortunately, not a new story"but the community of individuals who spoke out against this unjust act made it into an unforgettable one. Their relentless passion, endurance, and dedication for justice and reform created ripples throughout the country. Hashtags propelled the movement, organizations were founded and fueled by the memory of Brown, and people from all walks of life marched together with their hands up.  The veil of institutionalized racism was lifted and discussed among privileged communities who previously dismissed such violent acts as isolated incidents.  International news organizations covered the events, condemning entrenched racism upheld in the United States justice system and exposing how deep systemic discrimination has rooted itself socially, culturally, and politically.

     Fragments of Ferguson recognizes the community of individuals who refused to be silent and stand down in the face of injustice.  It takes communities and people from all walks of life to make change: activists on the streets and on social media, politicians, lawyers, artists, clergy, writers, musicians, and many more.  People young and old, combining forces in the streets, courts, and online, no one can fight injustice alone. 

To see the project, go to www.sara-swaty.com/ferguson

Sara Swaty

Los Angeles people and portrait photographer specializing in music, fashion, fine art and conceptual projects. LA + STL
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