My first trip to DC was bizarre. It was nothing like I had seen on tv shows and movies. There was no bustling of people in business dress. There were no secret meetings or shady exchanges happening on park benches. There we no high-speed car chases… Ok fine… I watch too much political drama. The point is, it was completely empty. There was an eerie sense of calm but a lingering feeling of despair.
The daily commuters were nowhere to be found, yet the homeless remained outside, begging for help and seeking relief from the scorching sun and 90-degree heat. Cold historic buildings stood tall and mother nature flexed her beauty. The White House was locked behind a giant #BabyGate plastered with protest signs where a few days prior, peaceful protestors were tear-gassed for an incredibly tacky photo-op in front of St. John’s Church.
There was a lone protestor atop the Lincoln Memorial who felt it was his duty to exercise his freedoms in the same spot Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have A Dream” speech. His sign read, “When Does Our American Dream Begin?” Those words hit close to home. The intersection across Lafayette Square from the White House, now known as Black Lives Matter Plaza had a gentle flow of traffic. It felt more like a super chill neighborhood block party where everyone was helping to care for the community. Free items were being distributed, sermons were being preached, protest signs were being hung… Democracy was still at work.
Since almost everything was still closed from the pandemic, I spent my time exploring outdoors, taking pics and reapplying sunscreen. Below are cellphone captures from my excursion and additional photos from my Nikon will be uploaded soon. Enjoy!
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
–Abraham Lincoln
