America vs America
Kevin McKeon | New York, United States
Photographer: Kevin McKeon
Exhibit Title: America vs America
Location: New York, United States
The rise of Donald Trump has brought with it profound changes in America’s political system and what we, as Americans, can expect from our leadership and our place in the world. Mass firings at government agencies; arrests and deportation of immigrants; attacks on anything deemed “DEI”; threats to education; cuts or elimination of social services and foreign aid programs, embracing dictators while demonizing former allies… The list goes on. But the rise of Donald Trump has also given rise to a growing tide of resistance, as protest rallies and marches spread across the country, defending citizen’s Constitutional Rights and, in many cases, demanding political change in the face of America’s shift towards authoritarianism. As a result, the United States seems to be on a collision course with itself. Where it will lead is uncertain. But what is certain, is that this country is at a pivotal moment in its history.
The protests represented in this exhibit, taken in New York and Washington, D.C., span a wide range of grievances and demands, in response to the actions of our new administration.
I’ve been shooting protest marches and rallies for much of the past five years, beginning with the Black Lives Matter uprising in June, 2020. I decided early on that my approach would be equal parts participant and photojournalist. Across more than 80 rallies over 5 years, I found my story in the faces of the people that surrounded me – as I marched and chanted and listened and learned. As a result, I hope my photographs communicate to all those who have never been to a march not just what happens at these events, but what it was like to be there in the middle of it; to be part of the experience – to feel the outrage, the anger, the hope, the joy. I hope that when people view my photographs, they gain a broader, more nuanced understanding of what it means to engage. I hope they not only see the moment, but feel it. And feel compelled to a part of it, as well.
My current focus, represented here, is on the rising resistance to MAGA nationalism and the actions of the Trump administration, now less than 3 months in. I plan to follow the resistance as far as it goes, as America determines its future.
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