The winter of our resistance
circa 2026
The Winter of Our Resistance brings together photographic works by Xavier Tavera, Kingdemetrius Pendleton, and Chris Juhn that document a period of social unrest, resistance, and uncertainty in Minnesota. Through distinct perspectives, these three photographers bear witness to communities confronting discrimination, displacement, and the detention and deportation of immigrants.
The exhibition considers photography as more than a record of what happened. These images reveal the human experiences behind moments of public upheaval—fear, anger, grief, solidarity, and resilience—while asking what responsibility photographers carry when documenting communities in crisis.
Together, the photographs offer a visual testimony to a difficult moment in our collective history and to the people who chose to stand up, speak out, and resist. The Winter of Our Resistance invites audiences to look closely, consider whose stories are being told, and reflect on the power of photography to preserve truth when it is most at risk of being forgotten.
Xavier Tavera
Xavier Tavera is a conscientious and thought-provoking photographer born in Mexico City in 1971 and based in Minneapolis since 1996. Renowned for his compelling and nuanced portraits, Tavera has dedicated his career to documenting people from all walks of life, with a special focus on the Latino community. His portraits challenge conventional notions of race, gender, and class by subverting stereotypes and capturing the humor, complexity, and humanity inherent in personal identity. Through his lens, viewers are invited to confront their own assumptions, biases, and prejudices, creating opportunities for reflection and dialogue.
Deeply committed to storytelling, Tavera crafts images that go beyond the surface to reveal the rich narratives of his subjects’ lives. His approach draws inspiration from photographers such as August Sander, Edward Weston, and Diane Arbus, using environmental details and symbolic objects to build layered, meaningful compositions. Similarly, his work resonates with the visual traditions of Mexican photographers Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Hector Garcia, and Enrique Metinides, offering a sensitive and authentic exploration of Mexican and Latino-American identities. While rooted in these cultural expressions, Tavera’s work extends more broadly to examine the immigrant experience, capturing the resilience, diversity, and evolving culture of communities that define contemporary society.
Chris Juhn
Chris is a freelance photographer based in the Twin Cities, specializing in sports photography, photojournalism, and socially engaged documentary work. With a deep commitment to visual storytelling, Chris brings a powerful lens to stories that matter—highlighting moments of resilience, injustice, and human connection through his photography.
He is currently studying photography at Century College in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, where he is further developing his technical and narrative skills. As a working photojournalist, Chris freelances for respected publications and organizations, including Minnesota Public Radio, the Minneapolis Spokesman-Recorder, and Sport Ngin, where he documents everything from high-intensity athletic competitions to community stories often overlooked in mainstream media.
Chris’s work extends beyond local boundaries. In September 2018, he traveled to Mexico City to document the conditions of psychiatric institutions as part of a human rights investigation in collaboration with Disability Rights International. Over the course of this project, he visited five psychiatric facilities—some in urban areas, others on the outskirts of the city—capturing the stark reality faced by people with disabilities in a country where human rights protections are frequently absent for this population.
Through his lens, Chris told stories of forced institutionalization, shock therapy, and the loss of basic freedoms, while also documenting resilience and advocacy efforts. He met individuals like a mother who fought to enroll her two autistic sons in public school, despite pressure to institutionalize them; and a woman who resisted forced sterilization and later won the right to raise her own child despite continued challenges. Chris also spent time with Colectivo Chuhcan, a group of self-advocates—many of whom were formerly institutionalized—working to improve conditions for people with disabilities across Mexico.
This work reflects Chris’s broader mission: to use photography as a tool for justice, representation, and education. Whether documenting sports, protests, or international human rights violations, Chris’s images aim to inform, move, and activate viewers toward greater empathy and action.
Kingdemetrius Pendleton
KingDemetrius Pendleton is an independent street journalist, photographer, and activist whose work focuses on social justice and community issues. His journey into journalism began in 2013 following the tragic death of his daughter at the hands of a drunk driver. Frustrated by the lack of accountability and the absence of his voice in official conversations, King turned to documentation as a tool for advocacy. By capturing and sharing raw, unedited video, he sought to ensure that voices like his would no longer be ignored.
Over time, his commitment to truth-telling has evolved into a practice of live-streaming protests, community events, and public meetings in their entirety. Unlike mainstream outlets that often frame events through selective coverage, King’s uncut documentation offers viewers the opportunity to witness events as they unfold and form their own conclusions. His work has become a trusted resource for those seeking an unfiltered view of social justice movements in Minnesota and beyond.
In addition to his video journalism, King is also a passionate photographer whose images capture the urgency, resilience, and humanity of the communities he serves. He is currently developing two books on photography and plans to make his compelling images available for purchase. Deeply dedicated to activism, King frequently donates his work to amplify the causes he believes in and to set an example of service and commitment for his children.
Special thanks to Layala Whipple, Jayla Jones and Bhavana Goparaju for their support in curating this exhibit and for facilitating our artist talk series that highlighted the work of these artists.
Please note that all of the images presented on this page are the property of the artists and are not available for public posting or sale without the express permission of the artists.
For more information please send an email to info@in-progress.org
This exhibit activity is made possible with support from: the McKnight Foundation, the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation, and several anonymous funders. This activity was also made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board General Operating Support Program, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.