Voices of Race, a portrait series by Kathleen Dreier, is dedicated to amplifying the voices of our BIPOC communities and being a call of action for all people particularly white communities to be social change agents.  Each participant is encouraged to share whatever they like regarding diversity, inclusion, racism, culture, privilege, etc. No one is censored. My intention and wish is that the viewer reflect upon the words of the person in the portrait and is inspired to engage in their own courageous conversations with their friends and family. It is time we each take the time to reflect on our individual and collective histories, heal from the damage done, and create the foundation for equity and compassion for every human being.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Note: Over the course of 2020 and 2021, my three photo series (Covid-19 and Tucson Front Line Workers, Tucson Black Voices and What White People Think) evolved into the current series Voices of Race. In time, I will have a dedicated Voices of Race page on my web site. In the meantime, I am sharing some of the posts here in my blog. You can view more on my Voices of Race Facebook page.

With Andrés Alexander Portela III

“As African Americans, we are caught in this world which celebrates the culture but not the people. I want to dare to dream. I want to watch my nieces and nephews grow old and be come astronaut and paleontologists. I want the sun to rise and set and not have to worry about trauma. Trauma that has been shared from generation to generation, passed like songs we keep collecting and resurrecting day in and day out.  I want to laugh loud in public without being looked at as the loud and boisterous black guy. I want to walk downtown without purses being held tighter when I walked by. I want the privilege to just dream. To dream like white kids dream to walk on Mars, I want to feel that in my neighborhood. I want the belonging I feel with people who look like me, I want to feel that with everyone. I just want my dreams to stop being my dreams.”