On January 22, 2023, the 50-year anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, thousands of women across the country took to the streets to march for women’s reproductive rights, but this year was Bigger than Roe. This is the story of the Dallas Bigger Than Roe March.
Rewind the clock back to December 18, 2021. The scene is AT&T stadium hosting the Texas UIL state championship Class 5A Division II game between two-time champion Liberty Hill and the South Oak Cliff Golden Bears. In the final moments of a tied game, SOC scores on a 17-yard rush, improving the score to 23-14, and securing Dallas ISD’s first football state championship since 1958.
Ending Dallas ISD’s 63-year high school football championship drought prompted buzz and celebrations across the city, including two parades; one by the local community organization For Oak Cliff, and the other by the City of Dallas.
The City of Dallas’ parade on January 22, 2022, featured guest speakers who were SOC alumni, members of the DISD administration, city council members, U.S. House Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, and Mayor Eric Johnson.
“The City of Dallas actually declared today South Oak Cliff Day throughout the entire city.”, Mayor Johnson said just before awarding Head Coach Jason Todd the key to the city.
Fast forward almost a year later to the date, December 16, 2022, we are back at AT&T stadium and the Golden Bears are yet again hoisting the championship trophy after defeating Port Neches-Grove 34-24. This time boasting a new historical moment for DISD—a Back-to-Back state football championship.
Once again SOC’s accomplishment sparks praises and celebration from the community.
On January 7, 2023, For Oak Cliff coordinated what now is starting to become an annual parade for the championship team.
Leaders from public office and the community jointly expressed their pride and adoration of the team, but more pointedly about what is possible for students in underserved communities when they receive the proper investment and resources.
“This is the first time that Dallas has had back-to-back champions in the history of this state.” Reverend Dr. Frederick D. Haynes said. “And it’s all because you finally got the sense to recognize you can’t trash us on this side of town. You can’t give us toxic facilities on this side of town. We deserve the best because we are the best. The South got something to say!”
With the support of the school district and the community behind them, the Mecca, as SOC is alternatively referred to, is poised to strike for a third time.
Fast forward to this time next year, once the game clock strikes zero at AT&T stadium, we’ll see where they stand.
I hadn't shot anything on my camera for weeks and I needed any excuse to blow the dust off of it. Thankfully Brittney was available and willing to team up with me for our first photo collaboration.
The date was booked and we were both eager for the day to arrive. However, the closer we got to the shoot day, the grayer things started to look. The weather forecast predicted rain and an overcast, but we had no intentions on ditching our plans.
Thankfully, the clouds had other plans, and to our surprise, the sun was out that evening and brought some much welcomed warmth with it. You can never predict Texas weather.
Brittney and I took a photo-stroll through the historic Bishop Arts neighborhood in the north Oak Cliff area of Dallas. I really wanted to capture her cozy, winter-wear look against the Dallas winter backdrop. I’d say mission accomplished.
(I used the Canon T3i with the 18-55 kit lens.)
The trolly car system or as Dallas calls them, the streetcar system, shaped many of the road designs we have today. The building’s doors are formed at a peak in the road, which can more than likely be attributed to how the streetcar rails crossed through the city. According to Rachel Stone, a writer for Advocate Oak Cliff, the last historical operating streetcar line in Dallas was the Sunset Hampton-Second Junius line. The line ran from Peak & Elm, through Jefferson, to Cockrell Hill Rd.
Today our bustling streetcar system is all but eliminated, but the infrastructure created around it still remains. Pachanga Bridal & Quinseanera Wholesale is one of those remaining structures.
The Food-Rite is one of the few grocery stores serving the South Oak Cliff area, an area notable for being a food desert and food swamp. As part of my Oak Cliff photo project, I wanted to include the grocery store as a symbol of the opportunities that exist to improve how my community is served.
I conducted this shoot early in the morning before the store opened or customers arrived to create a mood of isolation and emptiness. Like a desert.
Amaris was a little upset about getting up early and still catching the heat, but you can always cheer someone up with a basket ride!
