Photographer Jonathan Bachman captured a compelling photo that will forever exist in our memories of this time period in history. Additionally, the photos shows the resilience and power inside of black women. The picture of 28-year-old Ieshia Evans is now a viral sensation. She just so happened who to protest on this day instead of going to work. Her photo was one of the many moving pics that weekend but possibly the most powerful.
CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King sat down to talk with Evans about the magnitude of the picture.
After watching the video of both Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, Evans said she felt that something had to be done. Going home to her 6-year-old son who believed that only bad people go to jail, she was at a lost for words in trying to explain why her fight for justice was illegal in the eyes of the law.
“Sometimes jobs are given to you that you don’t apply for,” Evans said about being an activist. Her protest and silence are what could possibly be the trajectory of how she fights for black lives moving forward, after all she does have another life outside of her own to protect.
While walking in the street after being told not to, no words were spoken between her and the officers.
“Sometimes silence speaks volumes,” Evans told King. She wanted her silence to say that she was human, a woman, a mom, and a nurse. A nurse that could possibly be in charge of helping to save the life of one of the officers. Evans tells Gayle she wanted the officers to know “I’m here. We all matter. We don’t have to beg to matter. We do matter.”
Gayle asked the question on the minds of everyone moved by the photo. “When you see the photo what do you see? Does she look scared?” To that question Evans replied, “No, because I wasn’t. There was no fear in my body, which is kind of, when you see these officers and you see their gear, and I see his gun; they look impenetrable compared to me with no armor in a sundress. But there was no fear.”
Ieshia Evans has proven that she sits on the board for #blackgirlmagic and is helping to lead a revolution for young women that are facing adversity. She proves you can look anything in the eye, stand tall, and do it without having any fear.
Watch the full interview below:
