I’ve been a serious amateur photographer for decades. Much more recently, since joining ECSSV in 2012, my sensitivity to social justice issues has greatly increased, and I’ve found satisfaction in participating with ECSSV in a number of social actions. But more recently still, I’ve found a way to combine my photography interests with those of social action.
In late 2016 I met Jack Owicki at the UU Church of Palo Alto. He had recently founded Pro-Bono Photo (https://www.probonophoto.org/) as a clearinghouse to match organizations that support social justice and the environment, and are in need of free photo/video services, to volunteer photographers and videographers who wish to donate their time and expertise to such causes. At that point PBP had covered only a few small events. Pro-Bono Photo’s first large action, and my first with PBP, was the Women’s March on Jan 21, 2017. Since that time the ranks of PBP photographers has grown to about 30 affiliates, spread all over the Bay area, and with the corresponding ability to respond to geographically spread-out events. We’ve reached a point where more organizations have learned about us and are requesting our services (though we still sometimes simply “show up” at an event). It is unfortunate that the current political landscape has necessitated all the marches, rallies, and other actions that have happened since the Inauguration. But it is satisfying to be part of a group whose activities, by their documentary nature, hopefully serves to increase the impact and effectiveness over time of each of these actions.
My activities, thus far, with Pro-Bono Photo are shown in the links below:
- My 2017 Pro-Bono Photo activities (11 events I covered or helped cover) are summarized in a slideshow I prepared and presented at the ECSSV Winter Festival in Dec 2017. I posted that slideshow on my personal photo-site at https://chriscassell.smugmug.com/March-Rally-Resist/2017-Protest-Highlights-Slideshow/
(Feel free to go up to the home level and browse my other photos on the site, including landscapes, space-themed images, and “humanist” photography.) - My 2018 Pro-Bono Photo activities are still in progress and I don’t yet have a highlights slideshow. So instead, I’ve given links below to each of the actions I’ve covered so far this year. I invite you to “cherry-pick” the ones of most interest to you. Where more than one PBP affiliate covered an event, the photographer can be identified in the filename, revealed by hovering-over or clicking-on the image.
- 01/20/2018: San Jose Women’s March (covered with other PBP affiliates) https://www.probonophoto.org/2018/Jan20WMBA-HearOurVote
- 02/18/2018: Day of Remembrance in San Jose Japantown (observing anniversary of the executive order sending Japanese-Americans to internment camps during WW2) https://www.probonophoto.org/2018/Feb18DoR2018/
- 03/24/2018: March for Our Lives, San Jose (protesting gun violence) https://www.probonophoto.org/2018/Mar24SJMfOL/
- Also, the Raging Grannies of the Peninsula used many of my photos from this link in two online articles about the protest at: https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/03/26/18807898.php https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/03/26/18807868.php
- 04/14/2018: March for Science, Oakland (covered with other PBP affiliates) https://www.probonophoto.org/2018/Apr14MfS/
- 05/19/2018: STEM Day at Merritt College, Oakland, hosted by Onyx Scholars, a non-profit helping disadvantaged youth of color get into college https://www.probonophoto.org/2018/May19OnyxSTEM/
- 06/15/2018: World Refugee Day, San Jose City Hall rotunda (covered with Jack Owicki, PBP founder) https://www.probonophoto.org/2018/Jun15WRDSJ/
- 06/30/2018: Families Belong Together march & rally, Mountain View https://www.probonophoto.org/2018/Jun30MVFBT/
- Also, the Raging Grannies of the Peninsula used many of my photos from this link in an online article about the protest at: https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/07/01/18816233.php
The year 2018 is only half over but, given how things are going (unfortunately), I expect there will be many more actions like these in the next few months, leading to the mid-term elections in November. I hope to see you at an upcoming march or rally.
-Chris Cassell