We are tired (May 2020) by Bella Russo

For her World Photo Day selection, first-year yearbook staffer Meredith Grotevant chose this image of a solitary protester holds a sign with a simple message seemingly directed at the Texas Capitol and the government that convenes there. Russo captured the image on May 31, 2020, a day when hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Austin during the second day of demonstrations against police brutality in the aftermath of the deaths of George Floyd and Mike Ramos.

“This is the kind of photo that so many future generations will come back to and reflect on,” Grotevant said. “The three words shown in this picture, ‘We are tired,’ say so much about the centuries-long battle against racial inequality. The composition of this photo allows us to see the long-standing establishment represented by the capitol building faced head-on by the demand for change. Not only does this photo represent the exhausting fight against racism but also the power of our community to come together and fight for justice.”