“Susan Kuklin, Kachin and Michael at Michael’s Apartment” (1986), by Susan Kuklin. Displayed at the Museum of the City of New York

This image should not be surprising. Two friends laying side-by-side, enjoying each other’s company. It is so difficult for me to contextualize the radical nature of Kachin’s easy attitude and proximity to Michael. What makes this photo so powerful is that their body language and facial expressions indicate an intimacy that seems pleasant and is reminiscent of time spent with my best friends. It is the slogan on Michael’s t-shirt that puts it into perspective: “Silence = Death.” The sight of those words knocks the viewer out of their reverie and reminds them that this is a time of dire need, of activism, of marginalization. The mental position of achieving a moment of normalcy in a time of activism is one that requires much time and emotional capacity to empathize with.