On Living Loud: A Photo Essay of These Historic Times

A photo essay of these historic times by two COM Alumni — Kelsey Reichmann (Class of 2019) and Glenn Marshall (Class of 2019).

Kelsey Reichmann

"I think a lot about why I wanted to be a journalist these days. Publications are laying off a third of their staff. Reporters are being tear-gassed and shot at, losing eyes and being arrested. The barriers to entry can be high and the pay can be less than adequate. The public has adopted a sense of mistrust and disdain for journalists who risk their lives and sanity to tell the stories of others.

Eleven weeks ago I was furloughed from a job that I hoped would be a stepping stone in my career. Now, as I sit here unemployed, it feels more like a waste of time. But I also look around me as I sit in my apartment in Washington DC in the middle of a pandemic and mass protests and all I see are stories that need to be told.

The answer to my question about why I wanted to be a journalist came this week. I watched as my city was turned into a war zone. Tear gas and rubber bullets shot at peaceful protesters for a photo. Active duty military guarding monuments that are usually covered with tourists. Thousands of people from every race, religion, age, and background banding together to fight injustices that have persisted for far too long. I couldn't sit in my apartment anymore applying for jobs telling people who I wanted to be, I needed to go out and be that person.

Bearing witness is a privilege. Watching history unfold in front of your eyes is exhilarating. It outweighs the risks. I originally wanted to be a war correspondent. I wanted to be on the front lines telling the stories of oppressed people. What I'm realizing now is that those people are in my backyard.

There's a difference between passion and a job. Hopefully, I will soon be employed again and maybe it will be as a journalist and maybe it won't. Either way, it won't change how I feel about documenting the stories around me.

A year after graduation I'm not exactly where I hoped to be but I'm still who I wanted to be. I'm still fighting every day for the dream that I had when I graduated. I'm still finding ways to do what I love. That's where passion comes in. The path isn't always linear, but this is just the beginning."

Glenn Marshall

Since graduating I’ve been freelancing by taking on every opportunity given. Being able to tell a story of this historic movement through my lens has been a rewarding experience. Because this is not just American history, this is Black History.