It was on morning of Saturday, November 7, when I was to cover this peaceful march for democracy in Columbus Circle. I was prepping up my gear when Wolf Blitzer of CNN called the Presidential Election for Joe Biden. Immediately every news network were showing New Yorkers celebrating on the streets. My twitter feed was exploding with videos of neighborhoods in Manhattan applauding and clanging their pots and pans in high rise condos reminiscent of the 7 O’clock habit during the pandemic. I got excited because it was a historic moment. For photographers, this is the kind of event you want to cover. No need for posing. Just click the camera as the events unfold.

THE AFTERNOON MARCH FOR COUNTING OF VOTES

At this time, the news already spread that Joe Biden won the Presidency. Every marchers carry either a protest sign or a celebratory message on their placards. I have never seen such a joyful city since the pandemic. The energy in New York that afternoon was truly remarkable and contagious.

A diner was caught off guard by the incoming march
Restaurant workers who were just opening went to the middle of the street in front of the march as they joined New Yorkers in celebrating Joe Biden’s election
Twenty blocks away from the head of the march is Times Square already filled with joyous New Yorkers celebrating the Biden Win.
A powerful image: A mother raising her fist in solidarity with the Marchers as her daughter stands on top of her car.
Marchers passed by in front of the New York City Public Library in 5th Avenue while onlookers cheer on
Power to the people: Multimedia artist Konstance Patton raised her fist in solidarity with the marchers as they passed by New York City public library where she and colleague Amir Diop’s was working on a street mural
Multimedia artist Amir Diop
I love this shot. The Power of Visual Image in every photographer’s camera
This is one of the most memorable shot I made that day. This young man climbed the 15 feet scaffolding to have a good vantage point of the march.

THE CELEBRATION IN TIMES SQUARE

I went to Times Square at around 5:30 pm when the sky was already dark. I was tired from the march but I forced myself to go there because I knew there was a celebration happening at that moment. It is certain as the sun that every time something historic happens, Time Square is the place to be. I was right. The thing about Times Square is, it is virtually empty during the pandemic because it is a tourist destination. Only tourist goes to Times Square. But this night was different. New Yorkers poured onto the Times Square streets to cheer on cars and buses passing by, honking their horns, and waving flags in approval of the crowd that gathered there. I saw a man went out of his car just to dance in the middle of the road during the traffic stop to celebrate with the crowd. Strange thing about this day was, Donald Trump was born in Queens, New York but even his fellow New Yorkers seem to reject him with this kind of celebration never before seen in history of a Presidential win.

This one is my favorite. A young Hispanic boy holding an American flag over his dad’s jeep at Times Square celebrating Biden’s win.
Election Analysts say that new voters such as the Gen Z’s contributed to Biden’s 5+ Million win