I don't remember a day when I did not know about May 4th, 1970 at Kent State University. My father, Allen Richardson, is a survivor of the massacre by the National Guard at Kent State University on May 4th, 1970. My dad has always said to me, "Your government will kill you," which deeply affected my political identity and participation in activism, care work and protest. 13 Seconds is a long-form collaborative investigation into learned trauma through family, and an attempt to unpack a history of state violence pervasive far beyond Kent: in the past, such as the killing of 2 black students at Jackson State 11 days later, and in the present, such as current movements against police brutality. Furthermore, how that history is held in the body, how we learn about it, what allows for visibility historically, how we react to it, and roles we play in its history and present. This project is a multi-media piece in which I am also utilizing my own experience and documentation of political movements and state power.

In that, included here is documentation from the gatherings and protests outside of the Washington, D.C. courthouse where the J20 defendants were being held after being arrested, over 24 hours before, during protests against President Trump's inauguration. A close friend of mine was among the over 200 arrested and is still awaiting trial. The front of the courthouse served as a meeting place for people to provide support to those coming out of police custody and strategize future actions—while popular media attention focused on the Women's March, which unfolded earlier that day just steps away from the courthouse.

13 Seconds is a work in progress, audio and video forthcoming.