The image shows a white guy in a neon green safety vest and bicycle helmet, hands in the air, bicycle lying at his feet. He’s standing in front of dozens of Richmond police officers, and his back is to the camera. On his vest are the words “Justice for George Floyd BLM.”
One protester who happened to catch a camera’s eye in what would become a poignant moment in the city’s fight for racial justice.
The guy in the photo — Richmond resident James Kelley — learned of the photo as it circulated throughout Richmond on social media the evening of June 1. That’s the night police released tear gas on protesters prior to the city’s 8 p.m., curfew at the Robert E. Lee statue, fueling public backlash and unrest that’s continued for more than a month.
Kelley sought out the photographer — Domico Phillips — to get a copy of what he considered a moment in history.
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The interaction led to more than a framed moment in time; a friendship was born.
On any given day or night, you will find this pair together; Phillips on his motorcycle, Kelley on his bicycle. They meet up at protest points, participate in marches and generally watch each other’s backs as events unfold daily around the city.
Sitting on a shady sidewalk spot late last month across from the Lee statue on Monument Avenue, Phillips and Kelley ate take-out lunches and chatted about their experiences.
Phillips, a Richmond-area native and professional photographer, said he comes out just about every day and night to document what he sees — the good, the bad and everything in between.
“I’m able to cast a light. ... There’s a lot of people who might be scared to come out here ... or might not be aware [of current events] because their life doesn’t cross this path,” Phillips said.
That June 1 night, he said, “I saw [Kelley] standing up front with his hands up, and I was like, ‘Oh, man, I like him — I like his energy.’” And then he snapped the picture. By chance, the two met the next day outside City Hall, when Mayor Levar Stoney issued a public apology for the actions of the police the night before.
That neon green vest and bike helmet — the same he was wearing the night before — Kelley joked, are hard to miss.
The two share mutual sentiments about what’s happening in Richmond and what needs to be done. Taking down statues that represent oppression is a good starting point, they say, but they agree that deeper changes are needed within the criminal justice and mental health systems. Neither wants to see more violence, from either side, although they admit they’d prefer to see more marches to keep the movement going. They’ve had heated, yet civil, conversations with police officers. They’re openly critical of city and state leadership during these times.
Kelley, who’s from Arlington but now lives in Richmond, said he initially was going out to protests by himself.
“I’m here to support everyone, but I’m not here to incite anyone,” he said, adding that when it comes to changing the systems that oppress Black communities, “as the capital of the Confederacy, if anyone leads by example it has to be us.”
Phillips said he thinks things will get worse before they get better. He said there’s a collective angst to see immediate changes, but in reality, “it’s going to take time and everybody coming together.”
For now, the two will continue to plan out their days and nights so they can best witness what’s happening — and maybe have a little fun while they observe the history happening all around them.
“We have a good time out there together,” Kelley said. “Being able to laugh is definitely important — and we laugh a lot.”