Deborah Hoag
My main body of work relates to social injustice. With the election of the president, I have found my skills of photographing people and documenting the social justice rallies and marches very rewarding. By up loading these pictures to Facebook and rally organizers’ websites, I am contributing to fighting injustice.
My project specifically focuses on the women’s movement and the civil rights in the Bay Area. Both of these movements have been tied together in the past, however, today they are tied together even more, along with several other groups; LGBT, immigration, people of color and seniors. People are taking an oath at these rallies and marches to protect our civil liberties and first amendment rights. I believe we are at a time in our history that will make or break our democracy.
My engagement of the subject has been fired up within me. I believe that for a society to be successful, all people need to have equal access to health care, jobs, and education. As a society we are only as successful as how we treat our lowest person.
What I bring to the table is I am white, retired, and educated. I can sit back and do nothing, because the impact is minor to me. But, my friends are being attacked. My friends are my experience. I came from very poor diverse culture in East San Jose with Mexicans, Blacks, Chinese, Japanese, and Whites as friends. In 1972, I had two sons at a very young age, and I was a single mom, right when women were breaking into nontraditional jobs. I was hired 1979 to be Line person for AT&T, then electrician.
During this time I went on to earn my B.A. and master in management and project management. I also read books on civil rights, war, economics, and history. My readings, life experiences and education have had a big impact on my outlook on analyzing life. For example, during the Vietnam War, the American progressive lost their claim on American patriotism to the Republican party. So, I used American symbols to create pictures that show progressives claiming back their patriotism that they never lost.
My cost is my time. The benefit to me way being able to redirect my anger into a positive energy. This experience has unity me with other people which created a drive to fight, and not be a victim. People are very angry right now, which has created a great time to take pictures. I believe that I created the beginnings of an excellent documentation on the past and present fight for human rights history. I am now involved with twenty-three other photographers documenting the bay area social injustice marches and rallies.
Read MoreMy project specifically focuses on the women’s movement and the civil rights in the Bay Area. Both of these movements have been tied together in the past, however, today they are tied together even more, along with several other groups; LGBT, immigration, people of color and seniors. People are taking an oath at these rallies and marches to protect our civil liberties and first amendment rights. I believe we are at a time in our history that will make or break our democracy.
My engagement of the subject has been fired up within me. I believe that for a society to be successful, all people need to have equal access to health care, jobs, and education. As a society we are only as successful as how we treat our lowest person.
What I bring to the table is I am white, retired, and educated. I can sit back and do nothing, because the impact is minor to me. But, my friends are being attacked. My friends are my experience. I came from very poor diverse culture in East San Jose with Mexicans, Blacks, Chinese, Japanese, and Whites as friends. In 1972, I had two sons at a very young age, and I was a single mom, right when women were breaking into nontraditional jobs. I was hired 1979 to be Line person for AT&T, then electrician.
During this time I went on to earn my B.A. and master in management and project management. I also read books on civil rights, war, economics, and history. My readings, life experiences and education have had a big impact on my outlook on analyzing life. For example, during the Vietnam War, the American progressive lost their claim on American patriotism to the Republican party. So, I used American symbols to create pictures that show progressives claiming back their patriotism that they never lost.
My cost is my time. The benefit to me way being able to redirect my anger into a positive energy. This experience has unity me with other people which created a drive to fight, and not be a victim. People are very angry right now, which has created a great time to take pictures. I believe that I created the beginnings of an excellent documentation on the past and present fight for human rights history. I am now involved with twenty-three other photographers documenting the bay area social injustice marches and rallies.
