The cover of TIME was huge and life changing, it's still a dream to me. It was amazing not just for me, but for my city; showing us how even the little people can change the world. Now I can tell people dreams really do come true. The TIME cover has made me somewhat of a D-list celebrity. But the most important thing is that it has put me in a position to help my community. I have started my own photography outreach program working with the youth on Penn-North. I thought it was an OK picture but I did not know how powerful it was. I never thought it would become an iconic image.
—Devin Allen, Photographer](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbbdefdf43cca059c/69887349cd1bbac9ee6fe517/final_time_20150511_cv1_1089334_c1.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp) TIME TIME TIME, May 11, 2015\. Photograph by Devin Allen. Now, protesters are marching and chanting in the streets of Baltimore again, as well as in [many cities](https://time.com/5844377/george-floyd-protests-minneapolis-photos/ "undefined") across the world. And again, Allen is on the front lines with his camera. Allen was at a protest on June 5 in Baltimore organized by [demonstrators](https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-friday-protests-20200605-p6qtfbdxknhabjxfbpb3utjb2m-story.html "undefined") representing the city’s black, transgender community. Though the protests were held in response to the death of George Floyd, who was killed in Minneapolis by a city police officer, chants of “Black Trans Lives Matter” were heard from the crowd. The photograph shows a protester sitting with a megaphone, while other demonstrators lie down on the ground. “When I found out about the black trans march, I wanted to come out and make sure that their voices can be heard,” Allen says. “I wanted to give them the same energy that I give any protest.” Allen says that he wanted to provide a platform for a group of people he feels is “left out of so many conversations,” but is often on the frontlines of social and racial issues. Since his photograph appeared on the cover of TIME in 2015, Allen’s career has grown: The West Baltimore native published his first photography book, “A Beautiful Ghetto,” in 2017; he’s worked with NBA superstar Steph Curry on multiple photoshoots; and he’s the [first-ever recipient](http://www.gordonparksfoundation.org/foundation/fellowships/devin-allen "undefined") of the Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship. Allen is still active in the Baltimore community and says that his goal when documenting events like the protests is to make sure he tells the whole story. “\[The\] media likes to shape the message, I want to show people everything,” Allen says. Sharing a [similar sentiment](https://time.com/5844252/minneapolis-activists-police-protests-george-floyd/ "undefined") as many other Black people, Allen says that the video of Floyd being killed felt different than previous similar incidents. “You can’t feel anything from \[the officer\]. There was no emotion. It was so cold and brutal,” Allen says. The subsequent protests haven’t surprised Allen. “The whole point is to get your voice heard,” Allen says. “The real work starts once the fire is done and the media leaves.” The outcry from across the country appears to be having an impact. Aside from the arrests and updated charges against the officer involved in Floyd’s killing on June 7, the Minneapolis City Council announced that they support disbanding the city’s police department. In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti said that [he will cut](https://time.com/5849495/black-lives-matter-defund-police-departments/ "undefined") up to $150 million from the police budget and invest it in communities of color. Allen applauds these changes but says the work cannot stop. “I need people to stay active. I need everyone to not lose that fire. Black Lives Matter is beyond a hashtag,” Allen says. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5851623/time-cover-devin-allen-george-floyd-protests/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5851623/time-cover-devin-allen-george-floyd-protests/"},"headline":"The Story Behind TIME's George Floyd Protest Cover","datePublished":"2020-06-11T02:17:31.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:55:56.643Z","description":"Allen was at a protest on June 5th in Baltimore organized by demonstrators representing the city's black, transgender community. 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