The Black Lives Matter movement is a critical moment in history. It’s time for those who’ve remained silent to speak up. It’s equally important that white people spend more time listening. My personal goals are not to remain quiet and to have important conversations. Through photography I can take action; more importantly, I can highlight these conversations. I was thrilled beginning this project with Jordan.
“As a gay black man who’s also a ballet dancer, the Black Lives Matter movement holds a very special place in my heart. I’m a black man, yes. I’m also a brother, a son, a boyfriend, an uncle, a dancer. My skin colour is just a small part of who I am, so is my sexuality, and I hope people are going to start seeing beyond that.” —Jordan
Jordan was adopted to a loving family who strongly encouraged his gravitation to dance at the age of 7. Up until recently he was applying to dance companies all over the world. He was recently accepted to join Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.
Directly due of the BLM movement, I recognize that as a white person I’ve been guilty for taking people like Jordan for granted. Given the details above, what do you see? This is a successful, hardworking man with love and support in his life. It’s been too easy for the majority of white people to overlook his experiences getting there; how they cannot have compared to those born into privilege. Society has been built to treat black people differently.
