2023 Q2 Photo Essay

Ron Erdrich, Quarter 2 Judge

This category was harder to judge due to the fact submissions were not in folders and or labelled correctly. I have a first, second and third. No honorable mention for this category. This was not the strongest category.

First Place: Good story of the protest, I would have liked to have seen less pictures featuring the same people, as well some tighter moments and perhaps an overall of the entire scene including the people who weren’t fighting. Still, a worthwhile story captured over several chaotic moments.

Second Place: I liked how this story started, but I wish there were more emotionally intimate moments within it. Joy, anger, anything. But it’s tough to get in the room for something like this, so kudos to the photographer for telling their story, I hope we can see more of it.

Third Place: All of the entries in this category could have used a tighter edit. That said, the Cambodia Day parade had a nice variety of storytelling images.

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First Place: david swanson, Agence France Presse

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Police divide parents and counter protesters as they clash outside of a school board meeting over a Pride Day assembly and teaching LGBTQ issue in class, Glendale, California, U.S., June 20, 2023.

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Police divide parents and counter protesters as they clash outside of an elemetary school over a Pride Day assembly in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 2, 2023.

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Parents and counter protesters clash outside of an elemetary school over a Pride Day assembly in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 2, 2023.

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Police divide parents and counter protesters as they clash outside of a school board meeting over a Pride Day assembly and teaching LGBTQ issue in class, Glendale, California, U.S., June 20, 2023.

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Police divide parents and counter protesters as they clash outside of a school board meeting over a Pride Day assembly and teaching LGBTQ issue in class, Glendale, California, U.S., June 20, 2023.

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Police divide parents and counter protesters as they clash outside of a school board meeting over a Pride Day assembly and teaching LGBTQ issue in class, Glendale, California, U.S., June 20, 2023.

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Parents and counter protesters clash outside of an elemetary school over a Pride Day assembly in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 2, 2023.

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Parents and counter protesters clash outside of an elemetary school over a Pride Day assembly in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 2, 2023.

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Parents and counter protesters clash outside of an elemetary school over a Pride Day assembly in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 2, 2023.

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Parents and counter protesters clash outside of an elemetary school over a Pride Day assembly in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 2, 2023.

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Second Place: Gina Ferazzi, LA Times

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NORTHPORT, AL - Raven Williams, 17, who just found out she’s 6 weeks pregnant, talks with her boyfriend about the options ahead of them on April 25, 2023 in Northport, Alabama. William’s and her boyfriend recently moved into his grandmother’s house after her mother kicked her out of her Mississippi home. Williams recently went to the West Alabama Women’s Center to get an Ultrasound confirming her pregnancy and to get prenatal care from Dr Leah Torres. Once the busiest abortion clinic in this Deep South state, the West Alabama Women’s Center in Tuscaloosa shut down briefly when Alabama banned all abortions. But it's reopened with a new focus and remains defiant. It's one of the few clinics committed to providing pre-natal care, birth control and miscarriage treatment to low income and uninsured patients in a state with the third highest maternal mortality rate and fifth highest infant death rate in the nation.

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Alabama has one of the strictest abortion laws in the country. For Raven Williams, 17, who’s 6-weeks pregnant, that means her only option is to keep the baby. Williams now lives with her boyfriend in his grandparent home. She takes a break from folding laundry on April 25, 2023 in Northport, Alabama. William’s and her boyfriend recently moved into his grandmother’s house after her mother kicked her out of her Mississippi home. Williams recently went to the West Alabama Women’s Center to get an Ultrasound confirming her pregnancy and to get prenatal care from Dr Leah Torres. Once the busiest abortion clinic in this Deep South state, the West Alabama Women’s Center in Tuscaloosa shut down briefly when Alabama banned all abortions. But it's reopened with a new focus and remains defiant. It's one of the few clinics committed to providing pre-natal care, birth control and miscarriage treatment to low income and uninsured patients in a state with the third highest maternal mortality rate and fifth highest infant death rate in the nation.

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TUSCALOOSA, AL -APRIL 24, 2023: Raven Williams, 17, with her boyfriend Ethan Williams, 22, consults with Dr Leah Torres after getting an Ultrasound confirming she is 6 weeks pregnant at West Alabama Women’s Clinic on April 24, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Williams has no insurance. Once the busiest abortion clinic in this Deep South state, the West Alabama Women’s Center in Tuscaloosa shut down briefly when Alabama banned all abortions. But it's reopened with a new focus and remains defiant. It's one of the few clinics committed to providing pre-natal care, birth control and miscarriage treatment to low income and uninsured patients in a state with the third highest maternal mortality rate and fifth highest infant death rate in the nation.

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TUSCALOOSA, AL -APRIL 24, 2023: Raven Williams, 17, sits on a exam table during a consultation with Dr Leah Torres after getting an Ultrasound confirming she is 6 weeks pregnant at West Alabama Women’s Clinic on April 24, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Once the busiest abortion clinic in this Deep South state, the West Alabama Women’s Center in Tuscaloosa shut down briefly when Alabama banned all abortions. But it's reopened with a new focus and remains defiant. It's one of the few clinics committed to providing pre-natal care, birth control and miscarriage treatment to low income and uninsured patients in a state with the third highest maternal mortality rate and fifth highest infant death rate in the nation.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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TUSCALOOSA, AL -APRIL 24, 2023: Dr Leah Torres leaves the exam room after giving Raven Williams, 17, an Ultrasound confirming she is 6 weeks pregnant at West Alabama Women’s Clinic on April 24, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Williams has no insurance. Once the busiest abortion clinic in this Deep South state, the West Alabama Women’s Center in Tuscaloosa shut down briefly when Alabama banned all abortions. But it's reopened with a new focus and remains defiant. It's one of the few clinics committed to providing pre-natal care, birth control and miscarriage treatment to low income and uninsured patients in a state with the third highest maternal mortality rate and fifth highest infant death rate in the nation.

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NORTHPORT, AL - APRIL 25, 2023: Suffering with insomnia, Raven Williams, 17, who just found out she’s 6 weeks pregnant, takes an afternoon nap on April 25, 2023 in Northport, Alabama. William’s and her boyfriend recently moved into his grandmother’s house after her mother kicked her out of her Mississippi home. Williams recently went to the West Alabama Women’s Center to get an Ultrasound confirming her pregnancy and to get prenatal care from Dr Leah Torres. Once the busiest abortion clinic in this Deep South state, the West Alabama Women’s Center in Tuscaloosa shut down briefly when Alabama banned all abortions. But it's reopened with a new focus and remains defiant. It's one of the few clinics committed to providing pre-natal care, birth control and miscarriage treatment to low income and uninsured patients in a state with the third highest maternal mortality rate and fifth highest infant death rate in the nation.

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NORTHPORT, AL - APRIL 25, 2023: An Ultrasound image of Raven Williams’, 17, 6-week old fetus sits on a dresser next to a pack of cigarettes and a measuring tape on April 25, 2023 in Northport, Alabama. William’s and her boyfriend recently moved into his grandmother’s house after her mother kicked her out of her Mississippi home. Williams recently went to the West Alabama Women’s Center to get an Ultrasound confirming her pregnancy and to get prenatal care from Dr Leah Torres. Once the busiest abortion clinic in this Deep South state, the West Alabama Women’s Center in Tuscaloosa shut down briefly when Alabama banned all abortions. But it's reopened with a new focus and remains defiant. It's one of the few clinics committed to providing pre-natal care, birth control and miscarriage treatment to low income and uninsured patients in a state with the third highest maternal mortality rate and fifth highest infant death rate in the nation.

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NORTHPORT, AL - APRIL 25, 2023: Raven Williams, 17, and her boyfriend Ethan Willams, 22, (no relation) comfort each other in the bedroom they share on April 25, 2023 in Northport, Alabama. Raven is 6-weeks pregnant. They recently moved into his grandmother’s house after her mother kicked her out of her Mississippi home. Raven recently went to the West Alabama Women’s Center to get an Ultrasound confirming her pregnancy and to get prenatal care from Dr Leah Torres. Once the busiest abortion clinic in this Deep South state, the West Alabama Women’s Center in Tuscaloosa shut down briefly when Alabama banned all abortions. But it's reopened with a new focus and remains defiant. It's one of the few clinics committed to providing pre-natal care, birth control and miscarriage treatment to low income and uninsured patients in a state with the third highest maternal mortality rate and fifth highest infant death rate in the nation.

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Third place: Brandon Richardon, long beach post

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Alena Lek, 5, waves an American flag out of the sunroof of her father Kevin's truck, while her brother Edwin, 8, waves the Cambodian flag from the rear passenger seat during the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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A woman adjusts a young girl's dress ahead of the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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Confetti fills the air at the end of the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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Women wear traditional Khmer headdresses during the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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Ping Um, 8, wears modern sunglasses that juxtapose her traditional Khmer dress during the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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Malissa Phok, 35, shows her daughters Liya and Mia Jones, 5 and 7, traditional Kmer dance movements during the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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Karisma Kim, 17, twirls the Cambodian flag with the Long Beach Poly color guard during the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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Elizabeth Keo, 15, center, walks with the Cambodia Town Stop The Hate Marching Formation, which included 28 women, during the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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A young girl covers her ears as people shoot off confetti canons to kick off the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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Hundreds of people from various organizations, institutions and public offices marched in the 15th annual Cambodia Town Parade in Long Beach Sunday, April 2, 2023.

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Meet Our Judge, Ron Erdrich

PPAGLA Contest Winners, judged by Ronald W. Erdrich, photojournalist for the Abilene Reporter-News/USA Today Network, twice-voted Star Photojournalist of the Year in the statewide Texas Managing Editors Association awards, and a judge in the 2022 Pictures of the Year, International Contest.