Newark, NJ - In 2003, Sakia Gunn was walking home in Newark with her friends when a man pulled up, made advances, and did not like the answer he got. She said no. He stabbed her in the chest.

She did not survive.

She was only 15.

More than 20 years later, I still think about how easy it is for a girl to lose her life over something like that. Saying no. Walking away. Existing in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person nearby. 

Newark, NJ - On June 14, President Trump's birthday, the No Kings movement organized millions of people to draw attention to what many believed was the decline of US democracy and denounce the planned military parade on the Capitol. Over 2,100 demonstrations took place in all 50 states.

Newark, NJ - The way Newark moves is layered and every movement tells a story of patience, perseverance, and adaptation. Some wait at bus shelters, leaning against glass panels or resting on benches, watching cars stream past. 

Others ride through intersections on scooters or bikes, slipping between traffic and construction as if it’s second nature. Inside the bus, rows of seats frame the rhythm of daily life, people boarding, sitting, exiting, all sharing the same ride. 

Newark, NJ - U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver appeared in court on June 25, adding another chapter in her legal battle against the Department of Justice. On June 10, McIver was indicted on three counts of “forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers” as they tried to arrest Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka outside Delaney Hall on May 9. If convicted, McIver could face up to 17 years in prison.