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Natalie Snyder, 26, of the North Side, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pa., an employee at Switch and Signal Skatepark, poses for a portrait on Sept. 9, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Frankie Wolber of Edgewood, Pa., left, watches Ryan Eckel, of Point Breeze, Pa., help his daughter, Sage, 3, skate at Switch and Signal Skatepark on Sept. 1, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Kerry Weber, 37, owner of Switch and Signal Skatepark prepares to skates in the indoor facility on Sept. 1, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Bianca Terente, 20, of Oakland, Pa., skates during 'Womxn & Grrrl Session' at Switch and Signal Skatepark on Sept. 9, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Helen Geleskie, 26, of Castle Shannon, Pa., roller-skates during 'Womxn & Grrrl Session' at Switch and Signal Skatepark on Sept. 9, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Nico Newton, 7, of Wilkins Township, skates at Switch and Signal Skatepark on Sept. 1, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Kerry Weber, 37, owner of Switch and Signal Skatepark, helps teach kids to skate on Sept. 1, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Logan Blank, 13, of Mars, Pa., stands on his skateboard at Switch and Signal Skatepark on Sept. 6, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Kerry Weber, 37, owner of Switch and Signal Skatepark, helps set up a new skateboard for Casey Byrne, 10, on Sept. 1, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Matthew Newton of Wilkins Township, sits with his son, Nico, 7, as he skates at Switch and Signal Skatepark on Sept. 1, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
Desmond Henry, 6, of East Liberty, Pa., takes an awkward break from skating at Switch and Signal Skatepark on Sept. 1, 2018 in Swissvale, Pa.
To read more about Switch and Signal Skatepark visit Huck Magazine.
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.