I AM A CHILD
In June, 2018, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced plans to prosecute all asylum seekers crossing the US-Mexico border, it became official US policy to routinely separate children from their parents. Thousands of children have been ripped from their families, 658 kids in the first 13 days of the program alone. Almost 3,000 children to date have been forcibly separated from their parents.
When the Attorney General Sessions says, “If you are smuggling a child then we will prosecute you and that child will be separated from you as required by law,” it is clear that the American public must be reminded that this policy, which is being enacted in their name, is hurting children. Regardless of a child’s immigration status they are still just a child. Regardless of where they are coming from they still maintain their basic human rights that must be respected.
As a response to this horrific policy, Paola Mendoza and her team organized over forty children between the ages of 3-10 to participate in the recreation of the iconic I AM A MAN photograph. In homage to the famous photograph by Ernest Withers from the 1968 Sanitation Workers Strike in Memphis, Tennessee.
We hope to remind Americans that ALL children are human beings and are all of our responsibility.
