Tish Lampert 's Diaries

America Speaks Podcast

I have focused my lens on controversy since 1967. When I see a crowd amassing, placards waving, when I hear the sound of feet pounding the pavement, voices rising over each other, I feel an uncontrollable urge to be among them, to follow the momentum and capture the spirit that compels people to rise up. The adrenaline is addictive; it’s been in my blood since I first picked up a camera and marched for civil rights

In 2001, Americans felt disenfranchised after the presidential election of G.W.Bush. I was drawn in by the volatile mood that resulted from the Supreme Court’s decision. Before long I realized I was a player on this human stage, active and no longer just an observer. Marching with my fellow citizens enables me to share the anger and capture the frustrations of their struggle. My journey across America presented me with history in the making, as I carved my own path of discovery. I set out looking for that spark that energized my generation in the sixties and seventies, to come together for peace and love. We were idealistic back then.

After twenty years on the trail, our nation is still deeply polarized. We may be conflicted but we remain determined as we pass the torch to the next generation. I am left wondering if this next generation will have more empathy and tolerance for each other; be able put aside their differences to better shape their future.