Now more than ever, the world is taking a stand against racism, Agora photographers included. The #StopRacism initiative was launched to give the Agora platform over those up to express themselves in this time and those who want to show support to the movement. 'I can't breathe' by Kenyan photographer @onyangodennis has been voted by the global community as the photo which best reflects the urgent need to #StopRacism.
With it being such an overwhelming time for many in racialized communities, photo app Agora postponed the launch of its #Smile2020 contest to launch the #StopRacism initiative and keep the crucial anti-racist momentum going. Because black lives matter every day, not just when it's trending.
Agora launched the #StopRacism initiative through its free-to-use mobile app on June 5th. Unlike the regular contests, the global community of photographers had only one week to participate and unite their points of view in this worldwide manifesto against racism. In total, 2,120 photos have been submitted from all corners of the world, and 48 were selected to make it to the final voting rounds. Thereafter, the Agora userbase had the power to cast their votes and pick the photo which best reflected the urgent need to #StopRacism.
What would usually be a $1000 prize for the most-voted finalist photo will be donated equally to Black Lives Matter, The Bail Project, NAACP, and @reclaimtheblock organizations.
Agora is a mobile app where photographers, whether amateur or professional, can participate in photo contests for a chance to win international recognition and cash prizes (from $1,000 to $25,000). The app’s global system enables its global audience to vote and pick the best images from each competition, making the process more inclusive and democratic than any other traditional photography contest.
"A massive thank you to everyone involved in this exceptional contest, photographers and voters alike - for using their voices to speak out against racial injustice and for supporting creators around the world. Together we support Humanity's talent regardless of race or all markers of identity and make a difference through photography. Racism has no place in our society. Power to the people worldwide," - Octavi Royo, Agora's CEO & Co-Founder.
More info: agoraimages.com
#41 Bolivia Exige Derechos Humanos
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
"The Bolivian community is the second-largest among the immigrant groups in Argentina. After the coup d'état that occurred in their country last year, they gathered to protest for their human rights to be respected."
@mariaamitrano (Argentina)
17points
#42 Peaceful Protestors Gathering In Front Of The Mission Police Department
Location: San Francisco, USA
"Civil unrest and protests have swept across the nation as a result of the recent police brutality events. I had the opportunity to attend the San Francisco solidarity protest to support and amplify the black lives matter. The emotion I wanted to capture was the sense of community and power when thousands of people get together for justice. Despite being in the middle of a pandemic and having thousands of people in attendance, the protest was surprisingly peaceful. There wasn't any violence or looting as the media portrays. Instead, many protestors were handing out free masks, snacks, and water to ensure everyone remained safe and healthy. The energy of the community was empowering."
@lopoffphoto (USA)
17points
#43 San Diego Protest
Location: San Diego, USA
@jpramzyfotos (USA)
17points
#44 Black Lives Matter Protest, Birmingham
Location: Birmingham, UK
"While marching during the protest we were coming over a hill where you could see everyone from a distance participating and fighting for what is right. To me, this photo shows the strength and courage we have in numbers and the capability for us to be able to speak out as a whole to fight for black lives and stop the injustice in our system. The protest ended with a peaceful knee face to face confrontation with the police in riot gear."
@jmarchphotography (UK)
16points
#45 BLM Protest
Location: Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK
"Over 200 people turned up to protest despite the COVID lockdown. Stroud is mainly a white town, with this photo I wanted to reflect the solidarity towards the ethnic population."
@robminter (UK)
14points
#46 Madrid Protests
Location: Madrid, Spain
@epolgaro (Spain)
13points
#47 Rotterdam Protests
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
"I felt really close to the BLM movement. Apart from supporting people in the USA with donations and educating myself through reading, I thought showing up at the protest in Rotterdam center was absolutely important. Even if we couldn’t march for social distancing reasons, 4 times the amount of the expected crowd showed up at the Erasmus bridge. It was a bit hard to interact with people when you have to keep 1,5m from each other, but the program included music and touching speeches. To me, this image represents the new 2020 way of protesting: the smartphone, especially when social distancing measures are applied, have become essential to communicate with others, and share important information. Social media, even if controversial sometimes, are the main tools to fight for our causes."
@freeilli (Italy)
12points
#48 Marching For Justice
Location: Los Angeles, USA
"Until that day I had kept my distances from everyone because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But then I realized that what we're facing is bigger than me or any other individual. The protest started small and suddenly got flooded with many beautiful people: it became a river with many different paths. I passed by a vehicle where an African-American lady was in tears with both sorrow and excitement. I was there to put my voice out against racism, sorrow, anger, and sadness. Let's create a better future for our brothers and sisters from different colors, cultures, and beliefs."
@cenker (USA)
11points
