Rally in the Bronx - A Black & White Perspective

As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation from the Office of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) to photograph the Rally in the Bronx. The rally took place at St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx on a blisteringly hot Saturday, and was organized to support the re-election campaign of Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who was facing an uphill battle against George Latimer, an establishment candidate funded to the brim with AIPAC money.

As with all political events organized by the office of Rep. AOC, I knew there would be dozens of photojournalists present. I wanted to offer a unique perspective on the rally, something different from your typical photojournalism shots. My goal was to capture raw emotions, free from potential distractions in the scene. Therefore, I chose to bring my Leica M11 Monochrom, which captures digital photographs exclusively in black and white.

There was no shade at the rally, so we photographers had to run back and forth between a small hill with trees and the area where we were waiting to be let into the press pit directly in front of the stage. We were all exhausted, yet exhilarated by the energy at the rally. I only hope that my photos will do justice to the enthusiasm and passion unleashed that day.