Ferguson Photos By Jessie S.with Interview, both rejected by Slingshot

{Something was fishy with this rejection from the get go, why would the interview be accepted and not any consensus process regarding the photography? Jessie S. visited the slingshot collective twice to no avail, or enthusism, which is a terrible shame considering the incredible photography work here. The following is the interview.}


Interview of Ferguson Photographer Jessie Sandoval by Darin


-Did I ever ask to interview you regarding your photography? I still would like to do that.
-So what motivated you to go to Ferguson?

Are we interviewing now?

-ya
-You have time now?

-In had a hunch the revolution was not gonna go off in the cities... Too many distractions here, in Oakland and SF. Same with NYC, even Detroit. (They shut off the water there, and still nothing) Too many activist and committee culture in the cities. No. It's gonna happen in the small towns. That's where it's gonna go off. Folks are pulling the rip chord there. This was confirmed for me in Ferguson. That's why I had to go. I've never done that before. Just take off on a hunch.
-Meant to say, I had a hunch... [i really hate touch screen key boards]

Can you describe the metaphysics or the instinctual feeling, the draw of Ferguson...?

Really, you wanna hear about the deep stuff? Cuz, sometimes I get the feeling that anarchist and lefties get squeamish when brown folks start talking about spiritual voodoo boodoo stuff. For me, the metaphysical and spiritual; it's the same... And, and yes. I felt this in my gut, on the spiritual level. I spoke to some of my brown comrades about how I felt Ferguson calling in my blood. The call of blood. Spilled blood. Thats what I felt.

-In science fiction reality Klingons often speak of feeling the fire of their ancestry in their blood before going into battle. Also our pal Running Wolf back in the day ran across the United States, networking against the color lines [his emphasis, the various grassroots civil rights agencies along his route,] and he ran in support of Abdul Jamal.
"through the color lines..."
-For him that was a metaphysical thing deeply related to his ancestry and his nationality. Athletic people who have used controlled substances have often related that good exercise is better than drugs. It seems like your epiphanology in Ferguson is similar.
-Did any of your comrades feel similarly? Did we speak appropriately enough of the metaphysics of your photography experience there? Like Andre Breton, you are in the decisive moment in your photographs, obviously, what is that like for you exactly? Is there a special process?

Wow. Yes, I spoke with my two comrades (who went with me to Ferguson) and they also experienced this, so we really tripped out about it. It was really beautiful to share this with them. (But I don't wish to involve them here, or put words in their mouths because they're very private and conscious about security culture.) When I was out there taking photos, then and now. It almost feels like I'm in a little chamber of quiet meditation, or trance. I know it sounds crazy becuz usually I'm photographing very loud, very fast moving masses of people, and physically dynamic individuals, who are in the midst of very emotionally charged spectacles of resistance. Like photographing volcanos. But, for some reason, I feel like a small little moth, fluttering around them, snapping photos. It's almost like I'm invisible. The camera allows me a certain detachment. Except, for the march on Ferguson, the big Saturday march. That was the first time I cried during a march, whole photographing. I think it was the rain. It forced me to get back in my body.

"Like photographing volcanos!" Like dat! Wrong metaphor from me then, live long and prosper!

[Smiley face.]

-Why did you get so emotional during the big Saturday march?
-Are any of the tiled photos from that event?
-I don't know, I think Klingons prolly live on some terribly inhospitable climes though....
-Any good photographer should know what you are referring to. If not they should get out more often.

No. Not in the tiled pics. There was a little boy, about 7 years old. I photographed him during the torrential rain. Our bones got soaked. He was marching with a walker. He had physical disabilities, but would not give up. He was the last person I photographed, before I had to put my camera away, and wait for the sun to come out. My camera was getting seriously soaked, and I was afraid it would get ruined. I've photographed emotionally charged events before; mothers recounting the death and violent attacks on their black sons, etc., but there was something about this little boy, and the rain, and the climate, so identical to Nicaragua's weather; oppressively hot and disgustingly humid. It was the perfect storm for me, emotionally. I think I identified with him, when I was five years old, living in. Nica, and having to flee under dangerous circumstances, right before the war broke out in the late 70's (another story for another time) Anyway, I really think the rain pouring down, the visceral tactile experience, it seemed to release a lot of pain in my body that I had been keeping inside, since I had started the trip to Ferguson, from CA. But I have so much pride. I tried very hard to hide the crying. I didn't want to distract from what was happening around me. I was so embarrassed. Trying to soldier up, but the tears just kept coming. A volcano.

-The work that you and I have done, are doing. We know that we are pushing boundaries somehow. It isn't really important how though. What was really important to me was reaching out through independent media so that my peers would be able to see the photography for themselves. I was obsessed with that during Occupy Oakland, and I pissed some people off along the way, but I was like, "Be useful to the revolution or get the fuck out of the way!" Although I tried to be polite about it. Does anything in this 'bubble resonate with you?
-People would do good to look on wikipedia to understand why there are so many immigrant Hispanic families in California actually. ACTUALLY it has a lot to do with the CIA....

Oh, yes….

Do you have time to expand on that?

CIA involvement in Latin America?

8]
-No...
-You photographed at the [Port of Oakland Israeli Freighter…] Zim blockade right?
-So did our mutual photographer friend...
-How does port blockade resistance photography compare to that of civil rights photography in Ferguson?
You do a lot of photography, documenting activism in your community. You are one of several really hardcore photographers I know. How has your work changed your perception of image making, and also revolutionary behavior?

For the block the boat action, I was mostly trying to make sure that the cops knew we were on them, that we were either streaming, or reporting everything directly to social media, as it was unfolding. (Unlike Ferguson, and other people of color actions, it was less about "humanizing" the "protestors" to the community at large) Toward the last few days of the boat block, there were only a few of us out there, literally, 20-30 bodies (the scraggly hard core varsity team, as I like to affectionately call them), so safety becomes more of an issue; safety from cop abuse, and arrests. We were more vulnerable. When I first started photographing protests, I felt like a civilian, coming into another world I was trying to explore (knew nothing about security culture) it's completely different now. My priority is to make sure the cops know we're watching. That the world is watching. I'm very protective of our people. I'm documenting our effort and our work, and trying to give victim families of police brutality visibility. It's difficult though, because I have to be very careful, not to impose myself too much, putting myself between the folks I'm photographing, and the public; whoever sees my photos. So far, so good though. I love it when folks use my pics as their profile pics on FB. It happens a lot. It's the best feedback.

P.S I don't feel hardcore, in any way. So funny to hear this I’m just a girl with a flowery skirt and red boots, sometimes, snake skin boots.

Snakeskin is pretty hardcore...

They annoy a lot of nature environmental hippies!

Why don't you take advantage of indybay media? You could reach out to a larger demographic?

I've never been really good at reaching out to folks like this. Seems like you have to be in a certain social artsy clique. Could never quite fit in. I dunno. I will think about it...

-It isn't at all about that. Start with your favorite twenty photos from one event, then go from there, you get to decide how the content looks or whatever, if there is any technical problem they contact you.
-Back to the blockade and your photography, would you consider what you do cop watch?

Yes. Cop watch, especially now more than ever. But I'm still learning. One of my comrades is teaching me more about this. Eventually, I would like to begin live streaming, like my comrade. Livestreaming; that's real hardcore cop watching. But I love the stills. Photography, for some reason seems timeless to me. In time, but also outside of time, over the years these photos evolve in a way that film does not.

Definitely, you are so awesome! Did I miss anything? I'm emailing you the transcript.

-Okay. Thank you!
-Will look for transcript
-P.S Your interviewing skills are pretty awesome too! Thank you for making this fun, intellectually stimulating and painless!

You to!

{If only it could have been. Something is wrong with our sub-cultural community if we are always looking over our shoulders about prejudice. After editing nine photos were favored by Jessie S. and I and the following file was submitted to Slingshot for the purpose of being the center piece fold art page.}