honorable mention
Holden Perpelitz canada
title
The End of Inequality During a Pandemic.
On May 25, 2020, 8 minutes and 46 seconds of video footage swept its way across the internet faster than the COVID-19 pandemic causing outrage and exposing, yet again, the systemic racism that is still prevalent in the most developed countries on planet earth. The video, which depicted a police officer kneeling on a detained George Floyds neck caused violent and non violent protests to break out around the United States of America. More footage of officers beating, shooting, and abusing protesters came out of the protests, only fuelling the voices of the public to defund, and disband police. Systemic racism wasnt just an American problem for American people, countries around the world began standing up for black lives, and against its system put in place, which had failed to keep its people safe. In Canada protests for black lives became huge in numbers, but the protests in response to the death of George Floyd fuelled a whole other issue, the mistreatment of aboriginal and First Nations people.
At the time when social distancing and quarantining were highly advised by governments to eradicate the spread of the COVID-19 disease, people came together, regardless of the potential implications during a pandemic, and stood side by side for not just black lives, but for all lives. This unity of human beings shows us that we will stand together in the most dangerous of times for justice and peace. unfortunately, it also shows us that we still have a ways to go as a society.
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entry description
The protests came in a rather strange dichotomy. Mass gatherings during an unprecedented pandemic. Face masks were no longer worn to conceal your identity in the event of political backlash, but as a way to keep one another safe while standing together in solidarity.On May 25, 2020, 8 minutes and 46 seconds of video footage swept its way across the internet faster than the COVID-19 pandemic causing outrage and exposing, yet again, the systemic racism that is still prevalent in the most developed countries on planet earth. The video, which depicted a police officer kneeling on a detained George Floyds neck caused violent and non violent protests to break out around the United States of America. More footage of officers beating, shooting, and abusing protesters came out of the protests, only fuelling the voices of the public to defund, and disband police. Systemic racism wasnt just an American problem for American people, countries around the world began standing up for black lives, and against its system put in place, which had failed to keep its people safe. In Canada protests for black lives became huge in numbers, but the protests in response to the death of George Floyd fuelled a whole other issue, the mistreatment of aboriginal and First Nations people.
At the time when social distancing and quarantining were highly advised by governments to eradicate the spread of the COVID-19 disease, people came together, regardless of the potential implications during a pandemic, and stood side by side for not just black lives, but for all lives. This unity of human beings shows us that we will stand together in the most dangerous of times for justice and peace. unfortunately, it also shows us that we still have a ways to go as a society.
about the photographer
My name is Holden Perpelitz and i’m a 25 year old photographer from Alberta, Canada. I've been taking photographs since 2017 and stumbled into the art by pure accident. In three short years I’ve been able to travel immensely with a camera by my side, and self publish my first travel photography book entitled Hemispheres.back to gallery