Bigger Than Roe

Last June U.S. Supreme Court overturned near-half-century constitutional right to have an abortion. Since then, Florida has become a battleground state for abortion and women’s rights activists. Since Roe was overturned seven months ago, 13 states have completely banned abortion while many others, including Florida, have implemented or proposed further restrictions.

On early Saturday afternoon of 1/21/2023, under overcast skies, a crowd of few hundred people gathered downtown at Orlando City Hall as part of a national weekend of action for abortion rights. Just one day shy of the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion. Speakers addressed the crowd and march ensued. Whose streets? Our streets!” and “Abortion rights are human rights” reverberated down the streets of downtown.

Protest is one of the freedoms guaranteed to citizens: the right to peaceful assembly and the right to expression. This is a part IV of a project titled ‘Summer of Rage’ that is meant to capture the voices of demonstrators and shine the light on the movement. My primary focus is humanity. As a photographer, I strive to make images that are raw, compelling and have resonance. Documenting these historical times as a woman is extremely important. Showing the humanity of protesters with photographs is the best way I know how to help. Like everything that I photograph, it’s personal. It’s heavy and impossible not to feel. I feet it and identify with the pain, anger, unrest… I give the subjects and the work, as a whole, the dignity I know it deserves.