Long Walk to Freedom

Contributed by Yerusalem Work

My favorite photograph is called Long Walk to Freedom.

I, Yerusalem Work, captured the shot in the winter during my college career as I was walking into the African-American Cultural Center. I looked behind me with my camera in hand and grabbed this moment: a slice of life. I witnessed a man of color wearing a suit-and-tie, marching on a walkway in the snow with a backpack on. I immediately felt his struggle to make progress by pursuing an education and becoming someone, whose work was sought after.

The contrast of black-and-white, his footprints, the wall made of bricks, and the trees all stand out in this image revealing the tension between the natural world and man-made contexts. There’s a saying that education is the key, but they keep changing the locks. We’ve come a long way as a nation, but we have far to go before we achieve equity.

This photo through depth of field depicts a struggle to traverse a vast distance. Yet, it is a beautiful invitation to draw near. With this submission, I was a finalist in an international photography competition. I hope it is a source of inspiration and reflection for you.

Yerusalem Work, a creative writer and the membership director of the Congregational Library Association, has a heart for interfaith dialogue and is a passionate community builder. A holder of a master’s degree in library science and prolific author, she regularly blogs and self-publishes her writing. Her writing has been published in Muslim Matters, Islamic Horizons, and Tysons Interfaith. She considers it an honor and a pleasure to write on Islamic themes.

This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.