The year in photos: Part Two

December 30, 2021 5:00 am

Two Amish men continue their routine of delivering milk, while an American flag flies at half staff. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Two Amish men deliver meals while an American flag flies at half staff. (Photo: John Partipilo)

In our second gallery of photographs that defined 2020, we share works by photojournalists John Partipilo and Karen Pulfer Focht on topics including the environment, families with special needs children and immigration issues. While 2021 wasn’t characterized by the same type of demonstrations that marked 2020, the year nonetheless had its share of demonstrations by immigrants — including Afghan residents — rallying for the U.S. government to both protect Afghans who helped the U.S. military during a two-decade long war that ended and to press Afghanistan on human rights issues.

The Lookout stepped up our coverage of environmental issues, as Black Memphians fought to keep an oil pipeline out of their neighborhoods and in Middle Tennesseans, hikers, campers and hunters pushed back on a state plan to sell off a wooded recreational area to create a quail habitat. And devastating tornadoes in West Tennessee and Kentucky, just over the state line, took Partipilo to two of the hardest hit towns to talk with residents and document the damage.

The Tennessee environment

Valero Memphis Refinery billowing smoke. Valero was one of two companies proposing the Byhalia Pipeline, a 40-mile oil conduit that would have gone through historic Black neighborhoods in Memphis. (Photo by Karen Pulfer Focht)

John Partipilo photographed Mike O’Neal, a longtime hunter, as he surveyed an expanse of the Bridgestone Firestone Centennial Wilderness Area where clearcutting is planned to create quail habitat.

Will Burton at his father Jerry Burton's home on the road that cuts through his farm. Jerry Burton moved away from the home because the smell was so bad from the chicken barns. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Andrew Byrd at the farm he owns with his wife, Marianne Menefee Byrd, on historic Holly Tree Gap in Williamson County. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Andrew Byrd at the farm he owns with his wife, Marianne Menefee Byrd, on historic Holly Tree Gap in Williamson County. The Milcrofton Utility District wants to blast a 40-foot cliff into Byrd's property for construction of water tanks. The property includes a portion of the Middle Road, which was built in 1799 as a road for early settlers. Photo: John Partipilo)

n Dawson Springs, Kentucky, Bill Cobb had his possessions looted at his home and put up signage to let thieves know there was nothing else to loot. Severe storms, normally experienced in spring, have escalated in winter months over the last few years. Photo by John Partipilo.

In Dawson Springs, Kentucky, Bill Cobb had his possessions looted at his home and put up signage to let thieves know there was nothing else to loot. Severe storms, normally experienced in spring, have escalated in winter months over the last few years. Photo by John Partipilo.

Monica Blankenship on her back patio, with scores of chicken barns rising in the background. A plan by Tyson Foods to build a massive chicken farming operation behind Blankenship’s home is overwhelming nearby residents in unincorporated Madison County with the stench. Senior Reporter Anita Wadhwani and photojournalist John Partipilo spent days in West Tennessee talking with local farmers, contract chicken farmers for Tyson and elected officials.

Tennessee families in need

Doherty, 19, and his mother, Tommi, at their Nashville home. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Joey Doherty, 19, and his mother, Tommi Stephenson, at their Nashville home. Tommi struggled in 2021 with schooling for Joey, who has special needs, as schools cut options for remote education during the COVID pandemic.(Photo: John Partipilo)

Juana Cecilia and her family contemplated eviction from the Nashville mobile home park they lived in for over a decade after a developer bought the property and gave residents a short timeline to move. Photo by John Partipilo.

Juana Cecilia, in red, and her family contemplated eviction from the Nashville mobile home park they lived in for over a decade after a developer bought the property and gave residents a short timeline to move. Photo by John Partipilo.

John Partipilo photographed Drama Bryant, 38, with her brother Jay, 32, on the front porch of their family’s home in Greene County. She is his primary caretaker. Bryant’s entire life has revolved around caring for Jay, who requires 24/7 assistance as a result of congenital conditions that leave him unable to eat, bathe, go the bathroom, speak or walk unassisted. The family has struggled to get assistance from the state they qualify for.

Fathers get ready to compete in the baby race at a shower hosted at Nashville's Cathedral of Praise by Meharry Medical College. The man who dressed the baby first won a prize. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Fathers get ready to compete in a baby race at a shower hosted at Nashville's Cathedral of Praise by Meharry Medical College in Nashville. The man who dressed the baby first won a prize. Photo by John Partipilo.

Jasmine Worles (right) discusses pregnancy concerns with her doula Miajenell Peake at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, Tennessee on January 24, 2021. As a doula, Miajenell will support Jasmine with many aspects of her pregnancy and after delivery. ( ¬© Karen Pulfer Focht)

Jasmine Worles (right) discusses pregnancy concerns with her doula Miajenell Peake at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, Tennessee January 2021. As a doula, Miajenell will support Jasmine with many aspects of her pregnancy and after delivery. Photo by Karen Pulfer Focht.

One of, if not the, strangest story the Lookout covered in 2021 was the saga of rogue funeral director Reid Van Ness. Van Ness lost his funeral director license in late 2020 but continued to operate, primarily offering his services to immigrant families in Middle Tennessee with promises to send the remains of their loved ones back to their home countries. In many cases, the bodies languished in funeral homes for months and in some cases, were never sent home for burial. Several families have filed lawsuits against Van Ness and the Mexican Consulate warned families against working with him. Dulce Torres Guzman and Anita Wadhwani began covering the story in February and John Partipilo handled photography.

Saddler Funeral Home in Lebanon, where Reid Van Ness stored bodies for months at a time. (Photo: John Partipilo) — Saddler Funeral Home in Lebanon, where Reid Van Ness stored bodies for months at a time. Photo by John Partipilo.

Immigration issues

Staff at El Hornitos Bakery in Nashville celebrated their seventh year in operation in December knowing they are among the Latino businesses that survived a pandemic that has devastated the community. John Partipilo photographed a baker in motion.

Children in Nashville during a recent rally. Memphis has received about 36 Afghan refugees while Nashville has received around 300. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Children in Nashville during a September rally for human rights in Afghanistan. Memphis has received about 36 Afghan refugees while Nashville has received around 300. Photo by John Partipilo.

Alex Mutabazi and his family came to Tennessee in 2016 to escape years of strife in the Democratic Republican of Congo. He has founded two Tennessee churches.Photo by John Partipilo.

Armando Arzate speaks out about how workers are abused as Cecilla Prado of Workers Dignity translates. (Photo: John Partipilo)

In December, Armando Arzate spoke out about how undocumented workers are abused as Cecilla Prado of Workers Dignity translates at a Nashville event. Photo by John Partipilo.

Around 800 Tennesseans, many immigrants or descendants of immigrants from Palestine, demonstrated in Nashville in May during a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine resistance group Hamas Photojournalist John Partipilo hopped on the moving truck after taking this shot.

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John Partipilo

Working as a photojournalist for 40 years, Partipilo has won awards such as NPPA Best of Photojournalism and nominated for two Pulitzers. His photography has also been featured in national and international publications. Most importantly Partipilo’s work is about people — people in their different environments and people in their different stages of life. That’s the heart of his work. To him people are so important, because they all have a unique story.

Karen Pulfer Focht

Karen Pulfer Focht is a freelance photojournalist in Memphis, Tennessee who has won numerous awards in her career, many for in-depth projects about children and families. Her work is regularly published in newspapers and magazines around the world.

J. Holly McCall

Holly McCall has been a fixture in Tennessee media and politics for decades. She covered city hall for papers in Columbus, Ohio and Joplin, Missouri before returning to Tennessee with the Nashville Business Journal. Holly brings a deep wealth of knowledge about Tennessee’s political processes and players and likes nothing better than getting into the weeds of how political deals are made.