Hollywood, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America
Date:
June 14, 2020
Caption:
Photographer Tommy Oliver is an award-winning producer and cinematographer in television and film. Best known for his 2020 documentary 40 Years a Prisoner on HBO, his docuseries Black Love (2017–2020) on OWN, and his feature film The Perfect Guy (2015), Oliver challenges audiences to question their assumptions about race, gender, and family. The film Kinyarwanda (2011), which Oliver co-produced, weaves together narratives of resilience during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. It won the Sundance Film Festival’s award for World Cinema Drama and was recognized as one of the top 10 films of 2011. This photograph is part of a broader portfolio of images taken during Black Lives Matter rallies in Los Angeles between May 31 and June 14, 2020.
Description:
A digital, color image of an unidentified female protester participating in the All Black Lives Matter march in Hollywood, California. The image was taken by Tommy Oliver during the protests that followed the death of George Floyd. The protester is shown in full length, facing the viewer, with a serious expression on her face. She is holding her protest sign at chest level. She is wearing a white tank top, a white skirt, and white Crocs. She has a cell phone with a pineapple patterned case tucked into the proper right shoulder strap of her tank top. Her protest sign is white and has a large illustration of a woman shown in bust pose. The woman has a gag of the United States flag drawn over her mouth and appears to have her hands behind her back. She is wearing an orange garment with black text on the front that reads [WE / CAN’T / BREATHE]. Her eyes are closed and there are tears running down her face. Her curly black hair covers the width of the sign and written over her hair, in white text, are names. Written on the left is: [Tamir / Rice], [Samuel / Dubois[sic]], [Brandon / Glen[sic]], [Alton / Sterling], [Alteria / Woods], [Dontre / Hamilton], [Eric / Garner], [Bettie / Jones], and [Freddie / Gray]. Written on the right is: [Ahmaud / Arbery], [Ezell / Ford], [Tanisha / Anderson], [Travon[sic] / Martin], [Philando / Castile], [Walter / Scott], and [Sandra / Bland]. The names [George Floyd / Breonna Taylor] are written in larger white text at the center, just above the woman’s forehead. The protester holding the sign is standing in the middle of a city street, with a crowd of protesters behind her. Many of the protesters are wearing face masks and some carry protest signs. One female protester on the far left, is holding up a protest sign with only the back visible. A protester on the far right, is holding up a bright green sign, with partially partially visible black text on it and a smiley face drawn below. In the background is a sand tone building with a large dark window.
