Teens 4 Equality: the next generation is ready to lead

@teens.4.equality

L-R Kennedy, Emma Rose, Jade, Nya, Mikayla, Not photographed Zee. Photographed for the Beautiful Strength project Sunday June 7th, 2020 at WELD studios in Nashville, TN.

As a female photographer and founder of Beautiful Strength (IG @beautifulstrength_org), a project that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit through the power of conversation and photography, I am always on the lookout for extraordinary people doing extraordinary things.

While temporarily away from Nashville working on Atticus, the mobile studio for the Beautiful Strength project I watched in pain and sorrow as my social media feeds were filled with the stories of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. I listened to several of my Black friends and others in the Black community cry out in pain. I began to watch humans move together and form protests and marches and call out inhumanities and fight for what is right. I knew I needed to be part of the right side of history.

This is when I came across a post for a Black Lives Matter march happening on Thursday June 4th in Nashville. That was it. I was going. I packed up my car and headed back to Nashville. I knew that just being a keyboard warrior and posting how important Black Lives Matter is was not the same as standing next to my Black friends and showing up for them.

The day before the march, Black Lives Matter Nashville posted that they were not the ones who were putting on that specific march, but that it was being lead by local teenage girls, @teens.4.equality, who had met through Twitter. I was blown away. TEENAGERS are organizing and recognizing that changes need to be made.

Jade speaks to the large crowd before the march. Photo credit: Annette McNamara Photography

June 4th will forever be a day marked in the minds of many Nashvillians. 6 teenage girls stood in front of a crowd of over 10,000 people and lead them on a peaceful protest march through Downtown. These girls stood up and gave remarkable speeches with such pose and conviction that you would have never thought the words being spoken were coming out of 14 and 15 year olds. Children who cannot even vote yet, but had something important to say; and they were going to be heard.

Photo credit: Annette McNamara Photography

As a march participant, it was hard to fathom just how big the turnout was. We knew we were part of something big and something that was so important in order to create change. In my mind, the moment I realized I was part of something that was going to make an impact on years of Black oppression was when we turned the corner onto Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and crossed the bridge leading into downtown. You could look forward and see thousands of united marchers and then glance back down the ramp and see thousands more following. All the while stopped cars were honking and shouting and throwing their fists in the air. I’m pretty sure there were very few dry eyes rounding that turn. I know mine were not.

Photo credit Annette McNamara Photography

Teens 4 Equality were very clear that they wanted this to be a peaceful protest. No rioting, no violence, no confrontations. As we advanced onto Broadway, we began to see the boarded up businesses and the police brigades. I have seen police in riot gear on TV, newspaper articles from throughout history, and from (one sided) history books but I had never experienced them in person. I wasn't scared, but I was definitely aware of their presence. As I stood in front of Bridgestone arena, the crowd stopped and began to lie down or kneel. The crowd went silent in honor of George Floyd’s last breath. It was a moment I will never forget. As we finished the march, I left with a sense of hope. A sense that maybe THIS time there will be efforts made to make things right. Maybe this time the movement will go beyond a one week hashtag and into policy change and individual heart change.

I was also in complete awe that teenage girls made something so beautiful and powerful happen. I had to reach out to them. They are the very essence of Beautiful Strength. I, a 40 year old woman, was an instant fan of these brave young women. I can’t exactly remember what I was doing at 15, but I was not leading a crowd of thousands toward the right side of equality. Before I even left the parking lot I messaged their IG account to invite them to be part of a Beautiful Strength photoshoot. I was more than elated when they responded!

Nya strikes a pose. BTS photo by Kat Robinson photography. Photographed at WELD in Nashville, TN

On Sunday June 7th WELD studios was kind enough to open their doors and host our photoshoot. I, along with 3 assistants (Julee Brand, Katie Robinson, and Kimberly Nail) set up and anxiously awaited the teens arrival. We were all excited to see these young women in person and congratulate them on a fantastic job done. We were excited to be face to face with the future of change.

Emma Rose steps in front of the camera. She’s on a serious mission, but that doesn’t mean that this teen still doesn’t like to smile and have fun. BTS photograph by Kat Robinson Photography. Photographed at WELD in Nashville, TN.

5:30 rolls up and in come 5 of the 6 teens (Zee was unfortunately sick) from Teens 4 Equality. It was immediate organized chaos but so much fun. After their speeches and leading the march, I somewhat assumed these girls were going to be super serious and all business. That was partially correct. But in reality these are still teen girls.

Showing the girls how powerful their images are. BTS photograph by Kat Robinson Photography. Photographed at WELD in Nashville, TN.

The girls took turns pumping each other up and having their turn in front of the camera. Kennedy was first because she is the youngest. She’s a spitfire and future presidential candidate. Emma Rose, the social media leader in the group was next. She’s very talkative and can give the most serious look of an adult and then smile, reminding you she’s still a teenager at heart. Mikayla is quiet but when she softly speaks her words are thoughtful and dynamic. Jade is fierce but humble. Shy on camera and soft spoken but bold and born leader. Nya came in with spunk and a no holds bar attitude that radiated confidence.

Kennedy writing words of empowerment and strength. BTS photograph by Kimberly Nail. Photographed at WELD in Nashville, TN.

One of the unique things about a Beautiful Strength photoshoot is that each individual writes whatever they want in their own handwriting on their portrait. We encourage words of empowerment and encouragement. Each of the girls wrote powerful words of change and future thinking and female empowerment.

Comfortably squeezed into the WELD podcast studio.

After wrapping the photoshoot we headed into the studio. I will admit, I was a little bit intimidated to interview these girls. I have always been an advocate for equality and want to fight for the underdog and the less privileged. I know that the color of my skin offers me an advantage, but until this past year, I really hadn’t dove in to systemic racism is or policy change.

These girls were an incredible interview. They were intelligent, knew dates and specific references, stood ground on their beliefs and were not afraid to voice their opinions. They know what their mission is and they are not afraid to go after it.

This day and age, people are so accustomed to what’s new in the news and what the latest hot topic is and then they move on to the next thing. We are a one day, week at most, hashtag nation and then something else grabs our mainstream attention. I really think Teens 4 Equality will be a large contributor to maintaining focus on the Black Lives Matter movement as well as supporting LBGTQIA+ and minority communities. They have the energy and they have the determination.

I look forward to seeing where these young women go and what positive changes they will make. The world will be a better place because of Teens 4 Equality.

Girl Power! BTS photo curtesy of iPhone timer.