Many protests have erupted since President Trump took office.
They’re mostly loud, with diverse faces waving flags and signs.
But two San Diego photographers knew a picture could be worth 1,000 words.
Jordan Verdin and Marcelo Olvera decided to protest in their own way — with a photo series highlighting immigrants in their communities.
Olvera said he knew social media would be flooded with content of local protests in the community.
"So me being a creator, I wanted to do it ... differently and stand out with our stories," he said.
Olvera partnered with Verdin for a different kind of protest. One that would tell a story.
"Storytelling is a form of peace building, but also protest, in terms of helping people see truth. So many times people see so many stories of our people and they're quick to believe them," Verdin said. "The way I'm approaching this project is every story is an opportunity for people to see truth, to build peace and to protest the way that we're perceived."
They’re sharing those stories on Instagram with photos of people they frequently see in the community.
Verdin goes by the handle @jordanverdin and Olvera by @2thabrain.
"I knew we had all the resources we needed here at the studio, and I figured 'we see these vendors on the corner of the street … the food on our table ... all those people,' but you never see them in a place like a studio environment. You never even hear about anything like that," Olvera said.
Their first photo profile shows three family members identified only as Juan, Maria and Elizabeth.
"The grandfather, mother and granddaughter. Three generations of agricultural workers here in North County. That was a story that was close to my heart, because ... it was my family's story too," Verdin said.
The photo sets that followed were on flower and fruit vendors.
"You see the rainbow umbrellas and ... the colorful fruits. It's always a staple in every city ... whether you're in San Diego or in Los Angeles," Olvera said.
The pair wanted to bring the people behind those colorful symbols into the studio and capture their stories.
The photo captions include a brief history of the person. The ups and downs, the struggles and the triumphs, of people like Eduardo Aguilar.
"I was undocumented when I was in middle school, but my dad had been here for a long time. He was here in 1986, when IRCA, the Immigration Reform and Control Act, was passed by President Reagan, a Republican president. That was the last time immigration reform happened. And that was what helped us, eventually, get documentation," Aguilar said.
He is now a doctor of education and teaches ethnic studies and history at various San Diego colleges.
That journey is one Verdin and Olvera wanted to highlight in their photo series.
Aguilar didn't think twice about being a part of the photo series. He said among coverage of the protests, interviews with experts, lawyers and organizations, it's also important to collect stories of people.
"Especially the stories of people that have ... the whole world against them. And they have made great things of themselves, and they have contributed greatly, as we have in this country for ... the last 173 years ... in different ways," Aguilar said.
For Aguilar, being a part of the series meant he could share his own story, but also hear the stories of other immigrants that play an important role in this country.
"There's so many people out there that can teach you so much, from a PhD professor from UCSD, all the way to a homeless person in Oceanside. There's a lot to learn from them. A nurse, a firefighter, a gardener can teach you a lot," he said.
And at a time when cuts are being made around diversity, equity and inclusion, Aguilar thinks it's those conversations the world needs more of.
"People should talk to each other, especially people that don't look like you. We need to start talking to each other, because we don't really talk to each other too much. Let's begin that conversation and really make America great again — in a good way, " he said.
Verdin and Olvera hope their photos will spark that conversation.
They don’t have a name for their project, or plans for a physical showcase yet, but they do plan to continue capturing the stories of immigrants throughout the community.
