Mandie Garcia

In the fall of 2018, I spent two days on assignment in the Zaatari Syrian refugee camp located near the Jordanian-Syrian border in Mafraq governorate. I was granted entry into the camp to conduct research on smart phone/internet access, and to take photography/video for an international NGO. Zaatari is the largest camp in the world for refugees from Syria, and was established in July 2012. The current population, according to UNHCR October 2018 report, is around 78,357, with nearly 20% under the age of five. These images are a small collection of personal photos I took while visiting families, and touring different facilities and the camp marketplace.

September 2018

Hiyam Al Suliman is a single mother from Dara’a in Syria. Two of her three children are special needs with undiagnosed mental disabilities that affect their behavior and speech. Their neighbor, Fatima (age 11), is also special needs with a moderate case of down syndrome. Hiyam’s oldest, Mohammed, is 13 years-old – he’s very verbal and is prone to anxiety fits. He likes to ride a bike around the camp to help calm him down. Shahed (age 12) is also prone to anxiety and crying fits because she has an unknown speech issue. Shahed is difficult to understand when she talks because there seems to be a development issue with her mouth that has gone untreated. The youngest, Nedal (age 8), does not seem to have any developmental problems or disabilities. Nedal is very social and likes to play imagination games with Fatima in their front yard area.

I spent two days documenting their living situation in District-1 of the Zaatari Syrian refugee camp. District-1 is the original district of the camp and was the first block established in 2012. District-1 lacks a lot of the innovative and more stable infrastructure that the newer districts have. I launched a small fundraiser for Hiyam’s family so they could travel to Amman to be seen by a clinic that specializes in mental disabilities among children. The fundraiser also helped pay for a new door for her home and a new water tank. These photos show our journey together from the refugee camp, to the clinic in Amman where both Shahed and Mohammed were diagnosed with severe autism and PTSD, and Shahed was diagnosed with an additional disorder that affects her speech development.

On February 28, 2022, Democratic Congressman Andy Levin joined members of the House Ukraine Caucus and local activists outside D.C.’s Holodomor Memorial to stand in solidarity with Ukraine. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was officially launched just four days prior on February 24th.

Local Ukrainian activists spoke at the event to condemn Putin’s actions and call on the international community to hold the Russian government accountable for its crimes against humanity.

The Holodomor Memorial in D.C. was approved by Congress in 2006 and opened in 2015. It was built by the National Parks Service and Ukrainian government to honor the victims of the Ukrainian Famine Genocide of 1932-1933 – where an estimated 3-5 million Ukrainians died.

Sawiyan, the Arabic word meaning “to come together,” is an organization based in Amman, Jordan primarily serving Sudanese refugees, and providing relief and sustainability programs to vulnerable communities of African descent inside Jordan. Every Saturday they host a skate school at the 7Hill Skate Park in downtown Amman. Children are provided skateboards and are mentored by volunteer instructors. Volunteers also provide snacks, facepainting and other recreational activities

The Capital Pride Alliance closed out Capital Pride Week with its annual festival on June 11, 2023 in downtown Washington D.C. – I was one of the official photographers for the event.

This year’s theme was “Peace, Love and Revolution,” and included performances by Tony award-winning actress Idina Menzel, Rupaul’s Drag Race Allstars winner Monet Exchange, 1980s pop icon Debbie Gibson, Grammy-nominated R&B singer Shanice, Japanese British pop singer Rina Sawayama, and pop singer Hayley Kiyoko; and appearances by local drag performers and Mr. and Mrs. Capital Pride 2023.

In 2021, the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem became a focal point of tensions, sparking protests and international outcry as Palestinians and activists rallied against the forced eviction of Palestinian families from their homes. The Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, situated in a historically significant area, has become a symbol of the larger Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the situation escalating in the spring of 2021.

Protests in Houston, Texas were held in solidarity with Palestinian protests all across the Middle East region.

“Save Sheikh Jarrah, free Palestine!” This was the rallying cry among hundreds of Texans who marched from downtown to City Hall in support of Palestinian human rights. The protests were organized by local chapters of the Students for Justice in Palestine and the Palestinian Youth Movement.

October 14, 2023 | Washington D.C.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of the White House to protest in support of Palestinian human rights and against the indiscriminate bombing on Gaza just one week after the October 7th terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel.

The civilian death toll in Gaza surpassed 2,000 that morning and demonstrators were calling for a cease-fire and hostage exchange that would deescalate the violence in both Gaza and the West Bank.

On September 23, 2022, Activists gathered by the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool for a candlelight vigil in honor of Mahsa Amini and in solidarity with the protests in Iran. Mahsa Amini was a 22 year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who died in police custody on September 16, 2022, after being arrested by Iran’s morality police for failing to wear the hijab properly. Iranian authorities claim Amini suffered a heart attack, but rights groups and eye witnesses say she died by police brutality after being beaten in the head with police batons. Since 1981, the Iranian government has severely restricted women’s rights and enforced a mandatory hijab on all women in public spaces. Protests erupted throughout Iran and worldwide following Amini’s death. “Women, life, freedom,” is the protest chant heard round the world calling for justice, human rights and dignity for Iran’s citizens.

This was the first major protest in D.C. held in solidarity with the protests in Iran. The vigil was organized by Middle East Matters. Georgetown University student, Bahar Ghandehari, is the founder of Middle East Matters and was one of the main speakers at the event. Attendees lit candles before marching towards the Capitol chanting “women, life, freedom!”

September 29-30th, 2023

Washington D.C.’s annual festival “Art All Night” took place with installments and events happening in all eight wards of the city. The festival celebrates D.C.’s local art scene and highlights the importance of supporting local businesses. I had the privilege of photographing Team Rayceen Productions’ event showcasing D.C.’s up and coming documentary filmmakers, artists, and performers. The event was sponsored in part by the D.C. Housing and Finance Agency. Team Rayceen Productions was launched in 2014 with a mission to center LGBTQ+ programming and uplift creators of color. The night was hosted by its founder, Rayceen Pendaravis, also known as the self-described “Queen of the Shameless Plug.”

Austinites marched on the Texas Capitol, July 13, 2017, marking two years since Sandra Bland was found dead in a Waller County jail cell in 2015. Her death was initially ruled a suicide, with much controversy surrounding both her arrest and three-day detention. Her case is one of many that highlights racial injustice and discrimination during routine traffic stops. Protesters and activists honored her life by speaking on their own experiences with discrimination, and raising awareness on cases similar to Bland's. The keynote speaker was Sandra Bland's mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, who was wearing the same outfit Sandra was wearing the day she was arrested. The box of Sandra's clothes had been shipped to Reed-Veal just days prior to the event. Event was sponsored by State Representative Shawn Thierry, and organized by local nonprofit group, Counter Balance ATX.

The Capital Pride Alliance kicked off Pride month with its annual pageant crowning Mr., Miss, and Mx Capital Pride 2023. Local drag performers competed in categories showcasing talent, style, and personality. Contestants treated the crowd to musical performances, a fashion show, and answered questions in a Q & A portion.

*I was one of the official Capital Pride Alliance photographers for this event.

In June 2018, nationwide protesting broke out across Jordan, becoming the largest protests the country had seen since the Arab Spring in 2011-2012. Protesters gathered every night for weeks outside Parliament, near an area known as “4th circle.” The demonstrations were primarily organized in opposition to a proposed tax bill, but years of economic austerity, rising unemployment rate, and the high cost of living for Jordan’s working class quickly became the center of protesters’ chants and demands. The protests took place during Ramadan, and quickly led to the resignation of Prime Minister Hani Mulki, after two years in office. Jordan’s King Abdullah appointed former World Bank official and education minister, Omar Razzaz, as Mulki’s replacement.

After the passage of the income tax law, and proposals for a cyber security/internet censorship law began making headlines, protests across Jordan resumed in Amman’s 4th Circle. The demonstrations took place five months after the first round of nationwide protests led to the resignation of Jordan’s Prime Minister Mulki.

Houston’s East End Studio Gallery presented its annual ¡Viva Frida! Festival on April 14, 2018, celebrating Latino culture, and the life and work of Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo. The event kicked off with a scheduled attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as Frida Kahlo. Participants were provided with costume guidelines through the event’s Facebook page in order to be officially counted by the Guinness World Record observers. Hundreds were gathered for the 15-minute happening, but they ultimately fell short of achieving the record goal. The current record is held by Dallas, TX, with just over 1,000 gathering outside the Dallas Art Museum in acceptable Frida Kahlo dress. Houston’s annual Frida Fest enters its 14th year of celebrating the Mexican artist, with a second planned attempt at the world record expected to take place summer 2019.

May 14, 2022 | Washington D.C.

Protesters gathered in Washington D.C. for a march to the Supreme Court in support of abortion rights and reproductive healthcare. The rally comes just one week after a draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was leaked to the public. The draft was leaked to Politico on May 2, 2022 in what is being labeled as the worst breach of confidentiality in the court’s history. The overturning of Roe v. Wade would remove 49 years of nationwide access to safe and legal abortion services for the American people.

The rally began at the National Mall with a variety of guest speakers ranging from activists, artists, and elected officials like Democratic Representative Barbara Lee from California. Lee has been public about her own experience with abortion when she was sixteen years-old and had to travel to Mexico for an illegal, “back-alley abortion” prior to Roe V. Wade. The event was organized by a coalition of groups advocating for reproductive healthcare rights and bodily autonomy including the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Women’s March, and MoveOn. A total of 350 partnership rallies were organized across the country – all calling for abortion rights to be protected and for Roe v. Wade to remain upheld.

Various individuals I have met from the refugee and diaspora populations throughout different regions.

Various pictures of activists, journalists, relief workers, and other interesting indiviuals I have met or collaborated with through my work.

The 7th annual Stonewall rally in Austin kicked off June 28th, 2017, commemorating the 48th anniversary of the New York City Stonewall riots. The 1969 riots at Manhattan's Stonewall Inn are widely considered to be the beginning of the gay liberation movement in America, paving the way for LGBT rights organizing and advocacy. Speakers at the rally included Austin's first openly gay city councilman, Jimmy Flannigan, and Lisa Scheps, from the Transgender Education Network of Texas. Drag performers paid tribute to prominent LGBTQ activists throughout history, and honored victims of the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting with a balloon release ceremony. The event also served as a protest against Senate Bill 6, also known as the "bathroom bill," and Senate Bill 242. Both bills were highly criticized for intentionally discriminating against the LGBT community.

In Summer 2018, I worked with journalist, Rana Sweis, and ARIJ (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism) on an investigation on Jordanian Christian inheritance law and other women’s rights issues. We traveled throughout Jordan’s capital, Amman, and historic Christian districts like Salt, Jordan to find notable cases. I worked as a researcher and photographer. The photos are of a Jordanian Christian family we interviewed in their home.

Arabic report linked here: https://arij.net/christian_inheritance/

In September 2019, I attended and photographed the YallaPunk festival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – a festival celebrating SWANA artists.

From their website: YallaPunk is redefining the narrative for Southwest Asian North African individuals through the arts. The organization celebrates the creative accomplishments of SWANA individuals and serve as an accountable and inclusive space free from sexism, islamophobia, transphobia, homophobia, and bigotry for discourse on social issues. As a community, we will celebrate who we are through music, art, film, poetry, and comedy.

The death of George Floyd in police custody in May of 2020 sparked protests and civil unrest in at least 140 cities across the U.S. for weeks. The National Guard was deployed in 21 of those cities. There was news of police clashing with protesters every day – meanwhile we were all still trying to navigate life at the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic.

This was a confusing time, for sure. But one thing was clear – the Black Lives Matter movement felt bigger and more important than ever. We were witnessing a major moment in the new Civil Rights Movement.

After a few days of protests in DC, the White House was fenced off just past Lafayette Square – but the movement around the White House continued. Photo tributes, flowers and protest signs hung on fences in the area. The construction zone across the street was completely covered with artwork. There was a makeshift tunnel full of tributes to people of color who died in police custody.

I visited Black Lives Matter Plaza a week after it was established. I was there for a scheduled demonstration in solidarity with the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis. There was a brief incident where protesters clashed with police while I was there. One man was wrestled to the ground by two officers and arrested. It was unclear what caused the situation.

The overall mood was a celebration of the Black Lives Matter movement and its message of peace, empowerment, justice and accountability. Activists from local organizations lined the street selling Black Lives Matter shirts and artwork.

After Hurricane Harvey devastated the Kingwood suburb just a few miles north of Houston, local volunteer groups organized clean-up crews in the most heavily hit areas.

August 19, 2017, protesters gathered in Sam Houston Park demanding the removal of the controversial, “Spirit of the Confederacy” monument. The statue was erected in 1908 by, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a group known for funding confederate monuments throughout the United States in the early 1900s. Houston Black Lives Matter organized the event along with several other local nonprofit organizations. The rally was met with counter-protesters calling for the statue to remain in its original location.  An online petition being circulated prior to the protest had gained more than 2,000 signatures in support of the statue’s removal.

Roe V. Wade: A Nation Divided

In the summer of 2022, the United States found itself thrust into the center of a seismic social and political upheaval. A leaked Supreme Court decision on May 2nd hinted at the impending overturn of the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, igniting a firestorm of protests. As Americans grappled with the potential erosion of reproductive rights, the nation witnessed a surge of impassioned activism from both sides of the abortion debate.

I spent the next few weeks photographing protest movements in Washington D.C. dedicated to the cause of Roe V. Wade. Protest locations include: the Supreme Court building, the White House, U.S. Senate buildings, and the personal residence of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.

The activist collective often referred to as “Die-In for Humanity,” stage political art displays to raise awareness on human rights violations and war crimes in Gaza and the Palestinian Territories.