As the INDY’s staff photojournalist, I continually photograph new people, musicians, food, events, and issue-based experiences that reveal how robust and complex the Triangle is. In this last month of the year, I looked through my 2024 photo archive; here’s what I observed.

It was a big election year; people patiently waited in lines to cast their votes and attended political rallies months, weeks, and days before the general election. Politicians, including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, President-Elect Donald Trump, and Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein, visited the Triangle often. 

Throughout the year, local activists organized and rallied for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. 

Teachers and concerned community members continued to advocate for additional funding and support for public education. 

Tenants living in derelict Durham properties inherited by the Reverend Leonzo Lynch and former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch agreed to have their portraits made and revealed the interiors of their deteriorating homes. 

Businesses celebrated anniversaries. Southeastern Camera marked its 30th year, while others, such as Schoolkids Records, announced they were shutting their doors after several decades of serving customers in the Triangle. 

The Triangle had another vibrant year culturally. Woody Wonka took the crown at Beavwatch, this year’s theme at the 20th annual Beaver Queen Pageant in Durham. Bull Durham, A New Musical cast members rehearsed for weeks at the Theatre Raleigh Arts Center before gracing the stage at Reynolds Industries Theater on Duke University’s campus. 

As the new year approaches, I look forward to helping readers visually connect with our stories and showing them what people and issues impact the Triangle in 2025. I was born and raised in Raleigh, but the stories I covered in 2024 show me that I still have much to learn about the place I’ve called home my entire life.

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