Westboro Baptist Church

Shirley Phelps-Roper (right) daughter of Fred Phelps, the minister of the Westboro Baptist Church based in Topeka, Kan., demonstrates in front of the Trinity High School in Washington, PA on Monday afternoon, October 4, 2010. The independent fundamentalist group, known for their hatred against homosexuals and protests at military funerals, are making their way from Kansas to Washington, D.C., where the Supreme Court will hear an appeal in a case where one military family sued the group and won, but the ruling was overturned and the father of a fallen Marine was ordered to pay the church's court costs of $16,000.

A member of the Westboro Baptist Church based in Topeka, Kan., demonstrates.

Daniel Phelps, 9, a member of the Westboro Baptist Church based in Topeka, Kan., demonstrates with his mother (not photographed).

Luke Phelps-Roper, 8, the son of a member of the Westboro Baptist Church based in Topeka, Kan., demonstrates with his mother (not photographed).

Manny Chacalos, 21, of Wheeling (left) protests against the Westboro Baptist Church.

Kacey Jobkar, 18, of McDonald (left) yells, "Go home Shirley," speaking to the daughter of Fred Phelps the minister of the Westboro Baptist Church based in Topeka, Kan., who demonstrated in front of the Trinity High School in Washington, PA on Monday afternoon, October 4, 2010. Jobkar, Erin Blanchard, 25, of Avella (center) and Davina Ruschel, 35, of Washington (right) all have husbands deployed in Afghanistan and showed up to protest the independent fundamentalist group.
Justin Merriman

Justin Merriman is a freelance photojournalist, commercial photographer, licensed drone pilot, and filmmaker based in Pittsburgh. His career began in Southwestern Pennsylvania, where he worked as a newspaper photographer dedicated to community storytelling and politics. Since then, his work has been recognized with regional, national, and international awards and has appeared in publications around the world.

After covering the crash of United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001, Merriman committed to documenting the U.S. military’s War on Terror, reporting from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and across the United States. His international assignments have also included life in Fidel Castro’s Cuba, India’s campaign to eradicate polio, the aftermath of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Cuba in 2012, the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis in Rome, the second anniversary of Egypt’s revolution, Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea, and the uncertain future of Guantanamo Bay in 2015. That same year, he traveled the full U.S.–Mexico border to document immigration issues.

In addition to photography, Merriman works as a director and filmmaker, creating recent films on refugees in Turkey, Jordan, India, and South Africa.

Closer to home, he frequently covers stories across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, focusing on the intersections of economic, environmental, and political life. Most recently, he reported on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and its impact on the community.

Born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Merriman graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg with a B.A. in English Writing. In 2009, the university awarded him its prestigious Alumnus of Distinction award. He is a founding member of Argo Collective, a group of photographers sharing diverse visions of America. He lives outside Pittsburgh with his wife, Stephanie Strasburg, a photojournalist with PublicSource.

http://www.justinmerriman.com
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