During the trip I had the chance to visit the Civil Rights Museum and the historic 16th Street Church, one of the central hubs of the civil rights movement. It was also the location the infamous 1960s firebomb attack that killed four young girls while they dressed in choir robes one Sunday morning. The experience was both humbling and uplifting at the same time.

We also visited Vulcan Park on a hill overlooking the city, a spot with an incredible view. The park boasts the largest cast iron statue in the world (the Vulcan, a symbol of industry and an homage to working people). I captured several cityscape photos from this vantage point.

While driving through the city later, I spotted an old veterans’ cemetery tucked into the hills. The gravestones of Civil War soldiers were decorated with a relic of the Old South: confederate flags, which I also had to document.

Below are some featured photos from the trip, shot with my G10 and converted to grayscale in post-processing.

View of Birmingham from top of Vulcan Park statue.

16th Street church, Birmingham, Alabama.

Sign marking 16th Street church, Birmingham, Alabama.

Confederate flags marking gravestones, Union Hill Cemetery.

The Alabama Theater building, downtown Birmingham.

The film’s director, Janet Fitch, spoke about her motivation for creating the film and the need to change the conversation about the epidemic of gun violence in the United States. Also present were activist poet Kwabena Nixon and coffee shop manager Ebony Pinkard, who shared their personal experiences with gun violence, including the loss of family members and friends.

Below are a few images from the event. View the original story and photo slideshow on the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service website.

Later, as I was headed home and the rain began to lighten, I spotted a growth of plants with residual large, heavy raindrops and stopped to photograph them. Even though Sunday was marred by bad weather, at least the rain left something beautiful in its wake.

Nigerian-born Aguwa was just in her early thirties when she was diagnosed with the disease. She credits early detection with saving her life, and dedicates her time and resources to raising awareness within the African American community about the importance of routine screenings.

An interesting detail I learned is that there is often a social stigma surrounding cancer in many African cultures. This mentality causes many women to avoid seeking treatment and results in a high mortality rate for those stricken with breast cancer. Aguwa hopes to shatter the myths about the disease, especially among the African population living in the U.S and abroad.

The day included an educational discussions and question/answer sessions, followed by a high-energy zumba lesson (that looked like fun from where I stood on the sidelines).

The event also honored Olive Demby, a breast cancer survivor who was visiting from Africa for treatment arranged by the Courage to Dare Foundation. Demby credits Aguwa and Courage to Dare with saving her life.

Below are a few photos from the event. Read the original story on the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service website.

“There is no great difference in the reality of one country or another, because it is always people you meet everywhere. They may look different or be dressed differently, or may have a different education or position. But they are all the same.” –Mother Theresa

This week’s featured photo was chosen in honor of the annual May Day march for immigrants rights that takes place in Milwaukee. I captured a number of photos and video of the event last year, and was impressed by the large crowds that turned out to show support.

This photo caught my eye because of the girl’s expression that captures shyness and sweetness, and the great message on the sign she’s carrying.

View the 2011 May Day Rally set on Flickr

“Nothing living should ever be treated with contempt. Whatever it is that lives, a man, a tree, or a bird, should be touched gently because time is short. Civilization is another word for respect for life.” –Elizabeth Goudge, author

In honor of Earth Day this Sunday, today’s featured photo is a shot of an outdoor friend of mine, a wild rabbit who lives in my backyard. Not entirely wild, though, as you can see from this photo, which was taken earlier this week from about a foot away. “Clover Joe” as I’ve nicknamed him frequently hangs out in my backyard, so he’s slightly grown accustomed to my presence, and tolerates me in the shared space (usually from a safe distance).  It also probably doesn’t hurt that I leave a few carrots for him every now and then.