The Black Surfing Association (East Coast), which is based in Rockaway Beach, NY, held a Paddle Out Memorial and Solidarity in Surfing for George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. A paddle out is memorial, where surfers, paddle boarders, and kayakers “paddle out” into the ocean and form a circle while holding hands after someone dies.

The Paddle Out for George Floyd was one of the most incredible and moving events I’ve ever experienced. Being a photographer, surfer and living in Rockaway, I had to make a choice to either paddle out in solidarity or stay on land and document this important time in history for Rockaway Beach and human rights. I wanted to paddle out with everyone to show my support and protest, but it felt more right as a photographer to document it from land and try to share this moment and photos with the people who organized this event and the world. This series of images shows both the celebration of Black Lives and surfing, and the heaviness of the work that must continue to oppose oppression.