By Anna Randall

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many aspects of American life to freeze, including the beloved sport of American football. With the cancelation of the NFL preseason, photojournalist Kym Fortino has instead gone to the streets to capture the rapid momentum of protests against racial injustice. Fortino uses the lens of her camera to capture the raw emotion of what life in America is like in 2020. 

Typically behind the camera, this is a unique moment when Fortino steps in front of one to share her story in Episode 31 of Unsugarcoated with Aalia with host, Aalia Lanius.

What started out as a passion for documenting her kids playing sports, Kym Fortino has now been the official team photojournalist for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers for thirteen years. Nicknamed by the team as “Kympossible,” Fortino discusses how photography became her solace when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. 

“I’ve used football unapologetically throughout my battle with cancer. It was the one constant I could make sense of, week in and week out. I was able to occupy my mind with games, images, editing, travel, events, etc instead of dwelling on the things that were happening to me internally. Football didn’t allow my reality to be reality. It was my lead blocker in a sense, and it didn’t even know it” 

Fortino’s most recent photographic project has led her to document the current protests against racial injustice in response to the murder of George Floyd. She explains how as an artist she is drawn to photograph moments of great significance for humanity; she connects to the relentlessness of the people who are fighting for their voices to be heard. 

“All my life, I have felt the need to fight for something, forever being told I was too little for everything… in retrospect, I can say that this is where the self-driven tenacity derived.”

As a self-proclaimed emotional photographer, one of the most impactful moments Fortino was able to capture was when Colin Kaepernick took a knee on the football field as a form of protest against racialized violence. Discussing the powerful moment, Fortini comments on how she knew the power of the moment was and knew she was documenting something historic. 

Similarly to her mission for her photography, Fortino describes Unsugarcoated with Aalia as “raw and real. The people and their stories aren’t there for the likes. Aalia is so personal and knows how to bring the best out in her guests.” 

Both Fortino and Lanius understand the importance of accurately presenting the human experience in a way that empowers those around them and promotes solidarity. 

But in Fortino’s opinion,  it’s more than just taking a picture and telling someone’s story; it’s about bringing awareness. Even with the unspoken language of an image, she is able to evoke emotion and make a difference in the lives of many.   

CHECK OUT THE FULL EPISODE NOW:

Connect with Kym Fortino:

Instagram: @kympossible3