When Roe Fell.
I’ll never forget the sound of the moment it happened. Even though I knew it was coming, the sound of the Dobbs opinion dropping rings in my ears for eternity. I was there, at the Supreme Court of the United States of America. Not just the moment, not just the day, but the months leading up to it. I covered every waking moment (and some not) from the leak of the opinion on May 2, 2022 - all the way through its official release, and culminating with an editorial spread of one of 100 official senate copies of the opinion. This is the multimedia story I told during that time.
When ‘Roe’ Fell Teaser
Coverage from the leak of Justice Samuel Alito’s leaked draft, through the impact of the ruling in real time. Direction, videography, art direction, concept, and editing. 2022.
Short Documentary.
It became obvious as I was collecting footage, beginning on the night of the leak, outside the court - that a bigger story was forming. Not just that, in an unprecedented move, the Supreme Court was poised to take away the rights of a massive percentage of the populous, but that the people were moved by this and working together. This clip is the the opening of the resulting documentary.
Credits:
Videography, Direction, Concept, Creative Direction, and Editing: Austen Risolvato
Graphic Design: Adrian Rivera
Editorial Support: Esther Gim, Jessica Mason Pieklo, Imani Gandy, Galina Espinoza
The photographs.
I covered the fall of Roe as a photographer, art director, and videographer. This slideshow is a small selection of images from the time of the leak, the official drop of the Dobbs opinion, overturning 49 years of precedent, and the year that followed.
May 2, 2022 - The news of the Politico article spread quickly. Protestors immediately started to gather outside the court, and they would stay through the night and through the coming weeks and months.
May 2, 2022 - The news of the Politico article spread quickly. Protestors immediately started to gather outside the court, and they would stay through the night and through the coming weeks and months.
May 2, 2022 - The news of the Politico article spread quickly. Protestors immediately started to gather outside the court, and they would stay through the night and through the coming weeks and months.
May 2, 2022 - The news of the Politico article spread quickly. Protestors immediately started to gather outside the court, and they would stay through the night and through the coming weeks and months.
May 2, 2022 - The news of the Politico article spread quickly. Protestors immediately started to gather outside the court, and they would stay through the night and through the coming weeks and months.
May 3, 2022 - Senator Elizabeth Warren speaks outside the Supreme Court of the United States the morning after the unprecedented leak of the 'Dobbs' opinion, signaling that the court was poised to over turn 'Roe vs. Wade'.
May 3, 2022 - Senator Chris Van Hollen speaks outside the Supreme Court of the United States the morning after the unprecedented leak of the 'Dobbs' opinion, signaling that the court was poised to over turn 'Roe vs. Wade'.
May 3, 2022 - Congressman Brad Sherman speaks outside the Supreme Court of the United States the morning after the unprecedented leak of the 'Dobbs' opinion, signaling that the court was poised to over turn 'Roe vs. Wade'.
A series of protests erupted daily outside the supreme court in the nearly two months between the leak and the opinion dropping.
A series of protests erupted daily outside the supreme court in the nearly two months between the leak and the opinion dropping.
A series of protests erupted daily outside the supreme court in the nearly two months between the leak and the opinion dropping.
A series of protests erupted daily outside the supreme court in the nearly two months between the leak and the opinion dropping.
A series of protests erupted daily outside the supreme court in the nearly two months between the leak and the opinion dropping.
A series of protests erupted daily outside the supreme court in the nearly two months between the leak and the opinion dropping.
A series of protests erupted daily outside the supreme court in the nearly two months between the leak and the opinion dropping.
A series of protests erupted daily outside the supreme court in the nearly two months between the leak and the opinion dropping.
A series of protests erupted daily outside the supreme court in the nearly two months between the leak and the opinion dropping.
June 24, 2022 - 10:00 AM, the moment the 'Dobbs' opinion dropped, overturning the 'Roe vs. Wade' opinion, and effectively ending reproductive rights at the federal level, anti abortion activists celebrate outside the Supreme Court.
June 24, 2022 - 10:00 AM, the moment the 'Dobbs' opinion dropped, overturning the 'Roe vs. Wade' opinion, and effectively ending reproductive rights at the federal level, protestors respond outside the Supreme Court.
June 24, 2022 - 10:02 AM, moments after the 'Dobbs' opinion had dropped, overturning the 'Roe vs. Wade' opinion, and effectively ending reproductive rights at the federal level, a protestor stands outside the Supreme Court.
A protester outside the Supreme Court, a few weeks after 'Dobbs'.
January 22, 2023 - Senator Mazie Hirono speaks at a Senate Democrats press conference outside the US Senate to mark the would-be anniversary of 'Roe vs. Wade'.
Members of Doctors for Abortion Access mark the would-be anniversary of 'Roe vs Wade' as the date passes for the first time without the precedent standing.
April 25, 2023 - Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at her alma mater, Howard University, at an event championing reproductive rights and freedoms.
The editorial package.
For the first anniversary of the Dobbs opinion, I was tasked with coming up with a cohesive visual package for an editorial content drop. When the US Supreme Court issues opinions, there are a few types of official copies that become part of the record of the United States of America. One such type goes to the US Senate. Each Senator receives one of 100 copies issued by the court and sent to the respective offices across the street. I was able to get my hands on one of the official Senate copies of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization and chose to photograph it on a mid century desk, with a mid century light as the only light source. The idea was that we were going back in time in policy, so the photos ought to look like the era the policy recalled. These photos are the editorial package for the content drop.
