Portrait

Trump Signs by Justin Merriman

Leon Moyer, 60, owner of JL Signs stands in front of his business on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2017 in Ruffs Dale, Pa. Moyer has continued to make and sale pro-Trump signs and bumper stickers long after the election has passed.  Read more about Moyer in the New York Post.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry by Justin Merriman

United States Secretary of Energy Rick Perry is photographed on Friday, July 7, 2017 at the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh, Pa. 

EPA's Scott Pruitt Visits Coal Mine by Justin Merriman

SYCAMORE, PA - APRIL 13: Donnie Claycomb, 27, of Limestone, West Virginia., who has been mining for 6 years, stands in front of an American flag prior to an event with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt at the Harvey Mine on April 13, 2017 in Sycamore, Pennsylvania. The Harvey Mine, owned by CNX Coal Resources, is part of the largest underground mining complex in the United States. (Photo by Justin Merriman/Getty Images)

SYCAMORE, PA - APRIL 13: Miner's tags hang on a board at the Harvey Mine on April 13, 2017 in Sycamore, Pennsylvania. The Harvey Mine, owned by CNX Coal Resources, is part of the largest underground mining complex in the United States. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt visited the mine on Thursday and spoke with miners. (Photo by Justin Merriman/Getty Images)

SYCAMORE, PA - APRIL 13: Coal miner Terry Ramer, 32, of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania., stands near the portal to the Harvey Mine on April 13, 2017 in Sycamore, Pennsylvania. The Harvey Mine, owned by CNX Coal Resources, is part of the largest underground mining complex in the United States. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt visited the mine and spoke with miners on Thursday. (Photo by Justin Merriman/Getty Images)

SYCAMORE, PA - APRIL 13: Coal miner Matt Wolfe, 32, of Blacksville, West Virginia, who has been mining for 10 years, waits for the arrival of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt who visited the Harvey Mine on April 13, 2017 in Sycamore, Pennsylvania. The Harvey Mine, owned by CNX Coal Resources, is part of the largest underground mining complex in the United States. (Photo by Justin Merriman/Getty Images)

SYCAMORE, PA - APRIL 13: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt holds up a miner's helmet that he was given after speaking with coal miners at the Harvey Mine on April 13, 2017 in Sycamore, Pennsylvania. The Harvey Mine, owned by CNX Coal Resources, is part of the largest underground mining complex in the United States. (Photo by Justin Merriman/Getty Images)

SYCAMORE, PA - APRIL 13: Coal miners wait for the start of an event with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt who visited the mine and spoke with miners at the Harvey Mine on April 13, 2017 in Sycamore, Pennsylvania. The Harvey Mine, owned by CNX Coal Resources, is part of the largest underground mining complex in the United States. (Photo by Justin Merriman/Getty Images)

SYCAMORE, PA - APRIL 13: Coal miner Jaden Fredrickson, 26, of Cheat Lake, West Virginia, waits for the arrival of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt who visited the Harvey Mine on April 13, 2017 in Sycamore, Pennsylvania. The Harvey Mine, owned by CNX Coal Resources, is part of the largest underground mining complexes in the United States. (Photo by Justin Merriman/Getty Images)

EPA Administer Scott Pruitt visited CNX Coal Resources' Harvey Mine, part of the largest underground mining complex in the United States, and spoke with miners on April 13, 2017 in Sycamore, Pa. You can view the images at Getty Images

Dezmaire Baker by Justin Merriman

Dezmaire Baker, 17, gave birth to her son in eighth grade and is now a sophomore at Woodland Hills High School. Her son, Dorian, has just celebrated his second birthday.

Dezmaire Baker sits on the couch watching her 2-year-old son, Dorian, play at her family's Braddock home. Dezmaire gave birth to Dorian when she was in eighth grade.

Dorian, 2, plays with a flashlight at his Braddock home on Feb. 28, 2017.

Dorian Baker, 2, stands in the doorway of his Braddock home on Feb. 28, 2017. 

Dezmaire Baker, 17, poses for a portrait at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit in Homestead on Feb. 16, 2017.

Ronnika Baker, 36, holds her grandson, Dorian, 2, in the dining room of their Braddock home on Feb. 28, 2017.

Dorian Baker, 2, lays on the ground and laughs at a family gathering to celebrate his 2nd birthday at his Braddock home on April 3, 2017.

Dezmaire Baker, 17, helps her son, Dorian, 2, to ride a scooter along the sidewalk in front of their Braddock home on April 3, 2017.

Ronnika Baker, 36, holds her grandson, Dorian, 2, as she sits on the porch of their Braddock home on April 3, 2017.

Dezmaire participates in the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Project ELECT Program, which helps low-income pregnant teens and teen parents focus on education, training and employment goals. Here, her son, Dorian, looks out the window at his grandmother, Ronnika Baker, 36, at their Braddock home.

As the family gathered for her son's second birthday, Dezmaire Baker watched after him and stood near the edge of the sidewalk to stop Dorian from running into the street.

Dezmaire gave birth in eighth grade. As a teen mom in Pittsburgh, she’s fighting to beat the odds and graduate. Read her story at PublicSource

Monet Spencer by Justin Merriman

Monet Spencer, 18, smiles as she is photographed in her Hill District apartment. Spencer was left homeless after her mother passed away in February 2016, leaving her and her twin brother to care for themselves. Spencer now lives on her own, in a subsidized apartment. Spencer attends Brashear High School and was recently accepted to Carlow University.

Monet Spencer, 18, walks from Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5 after tutoring young elementary students on February 13, 2017.  Thirty percent of Spencer's salary from her tutoring job helps pay for her apartment at Action Housing's My Place, which provides housing and intensive case management services to young people who have aged out of the foster care system in Allegheny County and are either homeless or at risk homelessness.

Monet Spencer reads to elementary students at Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5 on Feb. 8, 2017. She tutors at the school Mondays though Thursdays for a job through the Neighborhood Learning Alliance. 

Monet Spencer looks at a game with Tya Carter, 10, as Aminyah Dooley, 5, looks on after an after-school tutoring session at Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5. Spencer earns about $100 every two weeks from the tutoring job. She pays $50 a month in rent.

Monet Spencer, 18, left, sits with her best friend, Maya Smallwood, 18, at her North Side home where Maya and her mother took Spencer in to live after her mother died and she was left homeless. 

This is Monet Spencer's home. Here, she's looking through videos on her computer. She uses her phone to connect to the Internet through a hotspot. Spencer and her twin brother were considered homeless after their mother died. Spencer eventually acquired an apartment through ACTION-Housing's MyPlace Youth program. "It was the happiest day of my life," Spencer says about getting her own apartment.

Monet Spencer, 18, plays her flute during her band class at Brashear High School on February 16, 2017.  

Even after losing her mother and becoming homeless, Monet Spencer continued to make it to classes at Brashear High School. She was recently accepted to Carlow University.

Monet Spencer, 18, works on a computer during a study hall at Brashear High School on February 16, 2017.  

Monet Spencer, 18, walks home from her job tutoring at Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5 in Pittsburgh's Hill District on February 13, 2017.  

Monet Spencer, 18, was left homeless after her mother passed away in February 2016, leaving her and her twin brother to care for themselves. Spencer now lives on her own, in a subsidized apartment. Spencer attends Brashear High School and was recently accepted to Carlow University. You can read Monet's story at PublicSource.

Sabrina by Justin Merriman

Sabrina Snyder, 9, coaxes her hamster out of its cage in the bedroom of her Brookline home as her bother, Miles, 5, stands by on Monday, January 30, 2017. Sabrina was mauled by a Rottweiler in Aug. 2014, leaving her with several physical injuries as well as emotional scars from the incident. 

Sabrina Snyder, 9, draws as her brother, Miles, 5, and sister, Gabby, 10, look at their pet hamster.

A journal written by Sabrina after she was mauled by a Rottweiler in Aug. 2014.

Sabrina, second from left, sits at her dinner table with her siblings, from left, Miles, 5, Gabby, 10, and McKenzie, 5.

Sabrina sits at the dining room table of her home. 

Sabrina, right, sits on her swing with her sister, Gabby, 10,

Sabrina Snyder, 9, of Brookline was mauled by a Rottweiler in Aug. 2014, leaving her with several physical injuries as well as emotional scars from the incident. Read more about Sabrina and her story in PublicSource.

Ginny Thrasher by Justin Merriman

Morgantown, W.Va., August 17, 2016: Olympic gold medalist Ginny Thrasher, 19, a sophomore at West Virginia University, poses as she gets photographed by the university photographer during a photo shoot on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Thrasher won the United State's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics, competing in the women's 10-meter air rifle event. 

Ginny Thrasher, 19, a sophomore at West Virginia University, stands outside of her apartment as she is filmed by the university on her first day of classes on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Thrasher won the United State's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics, competing in the women's 10-meter air rifle event.

Ginny rides on a bus as she goes to classes on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.

Ginny listens to her calculus professor, Dr. Galyna Voitiuk, on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.

Ginny receives a round of applause from classmates in her General Physics class on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny meets with her academic advisor, Toni Key Oliverio, on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. They decorated her box with messages of congratulations.

A page from 2015-2016 WVU Rifle Media Guide features a page with now, Olympic gold medalist, Ginny Thrasher at West Virginia University. 

Ginny listens to her physics professor speak on her first day of classes in the fall semester on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny walks with Maddy Gardner, 20, a junior, left, on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny sits in an Intro to Electrical Engineering class on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.

Ginny at West Virginia University, picks up her books from Sandy Cole-DeMent on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.

Ginny talks to Aishwarya Vijay, 18, left, and Skyler Roth, 19, right, in an Intro to Electrical Engineering class on her first day of instruction for the fall semester at WVU on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny Thrasher's gold medal sits on an U.S. flag during a photoshoot on the campus on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny poses as she gets photographed by the university photographer during a photoshoot on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Range records hang inside of the rifle range at West Virginia University on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny gets photographed by the media during a press conference at the campus on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny talks on her phone for a radio interview on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

Ginny gets interviewed by MetroNews Radio Network's Tony Caridi, left, and Greg Hunter, right, in Morgantown on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

A sign congratulating West Virginia University sophomore Ginny Thrasher, 19, who won the United State's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics, competing in the women's 10-meter air rifle event. Thrasher is the first female from the university to win a gold medal in the Olympics. 

Ginny poses for photographs with the university's photographer on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. 

I followed Olympic gold medalist Ginny Thrasher, 19, a sophomore at West Virginia University, for ESPN on her first day back to school after winning the United State's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics, competing in the women's 10-meter air rifle event. You can read about her day at ESPN.com.

Shriner Clowns by Justin Merriman

Shriner Clowns (clockwise from top left) Jerry Sciullo of Lower Burrell, "Dots,"  John Koedel, of Glenshaw, "Bunkey," Ronald Wassel of Creighton, "Jingles," Tom Morrissey of White Oak, "Redd," John Hisiro of Charleroi, "Hissie," and George Edwards of Jefferson Hills, "Little Georgie," photographed at the Big Butler Fair on Tuesday, July 5, 2016.

Future Interfaces by Justin Merriman

Carnegie Mellon University PhD students Gierad Laput, 29, left, and Yang Zhang, 26, right, at Future Interfaces Group, in Oakland on Wednesday, June 29, 2016. The two work on human computer interactions with a focus on hardware and sensing including "Electric Friction" and "Skin Track."