BEHIND THE LENS: Migration, and a world on the move
One photo shows a man lying on the beach of a Spanish enclave in northern Africa after swimming there from Morocco
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.DATE: January-August 2021
PLACE: Roma Texas; Mission, Texas; Northern Africa; Italy; Van Turkey
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Dario Lopez-Mills; Julio Cortez; Javier Fergo; Joan Mateu Emrah Gurel
___
Their faces are like our faces -- hesitant, sad, expectant, wary, curious, hopeful. They are the human beings among us who are trying to get — desperate to get — somewhere else. Somewhere safer, more prosperous, more for them.
Look at the man lying on the beach of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in northern Africa, after swimming there from Morocco. His face, at a distance, is exhausted.
Look at the group of migrants arriving at the coast of Italy after being rescued in the Mediterranean. Their eyes are filled with tentative hope and a question: What might be next for me? Look at the group of migrants pinned by a flashlight at night after being apprehended by Turkish security forces. They are less hopeful, but their question is the same: What's next?
Or take a glimpse from above at the long dirt road along the Rio Grande in Mission, Texas where migrants walk after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
They seek what so many of us are seeking: safety. Comfort. Security. Home.
___
QUOTED
Dario Lopez-Mills, Associated Press photographer:
“After years of covering stories on migration and human trafficking along the Mexico-U.S. border, I keep thinking that any of us could potentially become migrants, refugees or asylum seekers because of natural disasters, climate change, civil war or so many other reasons.”
___
For a full overview of the events that shaped 2021, “A Year That Changed Us: 12 Months in 150 Photos,” a collection of AP photos and journalists’ recollections, is available now: https://www.ap.org/books/a-year-that-changed-us