I created this photo illustration for the Miami New Times newspaper in 1993. The feature story addressed the rise of gun violence against women by men on Valentine’s Day.
The story explained, through the use of datasets, that more women were killed by a gun Valentine’s day in Miami-Dade County than anywhere else in Florida.

Today Evelyn Augusto from “Scars that Define” talked with me on WIOX 91.3 FM about art activism and bringing awareness to end gun violence and recognizing the strength of its survivors.

I hangout with the guests of Friendship Park about two or three times a month. We sit and talk and sometimes they will ask, “Hey remember the photograph you took of me? Can I get another one? I was rolled last week.”

I give the guests a small black-and-white print after I photograph them. It’s a physical object, something from their life they can share with friends and family.

The problem is guests get robbed or “rolled” a lot, as often as once a month.

Imagine you wake up blinking the morning sun from your eyes, looking around where you lay on the ground and slowly realize in a panic everything is gone: drivers license, social security card, bus pass, school I.D., medications, cash and family photos all gone.

The sum of your progress and forward momentum, to get out and away from living outside, eclipsed by bad luck and the ugliness of greed.

Boxing your way through each day you know theft will happen again. What will you do? Do you give up and give in or do you fight on and persevere only to wake up to know, as you sit alone, hope could leave your hands once more.

John stood up and placed the worn bible he was reading on a small suitcase behind the backdrop. He slowly walked over to the library chair.

As he sat down and positioned himself, John’s lower back, neck and hands put his grueling work history on parade.

Concrete and heavy construction work busted him up pretty good. Endless years of hard labor grinding down his body against time, perseverance and the need for food, shelter and fun.

“You know the Psalms don’t seem like Psalms — they don’t even seem like poetry at all,” John says. “When you are all alone not much makes sense.”

My behind the scenes image of Rev. F.D. Reese and Kathryn Mayo from the “Selma Portrait project” was selected as one of the years best by National Geographic your shot community. I received this email yesterday from Matt Adams, associate photo editor at National Geographic.

“Hi Douglas, Congratulations for being selected as one of Your Shot’s best photos of 2018! This community boasts some of the best photography on the Internet (in our opinion) so thank you for being here and sharing with us! You can find the Best of Your Shot 2018 gallery in the link below. Keep up the great work and we’ll see you in 2019!”

I’m happy and humbled to be included in the selection.

If you’d like to see the portrait of Rev. F.D. Reese that Kathryn made after this image was taken you can see it here: Selma Portrait Project Blog