While Protesting, This Couple Fell In Love

The wanderlust and free-spirited energy of Jasmine and Kritizia’s couple session is one of a kind!

The blue skies and soft sand of Pismo Dunes at Pismo Beach, California were a wonderful foundation for the images that Renoda Campbell Photography captured all so well.

The calm setting was contrasted with a bright pop of orange in Kritzia’s dress, while Jasmine’s animal print dress also gave energetic vibe. Their smiles are some of the most heartfelt smiles we’ve seen and after learning more of their story it’s easy to see how strong of a connection these two share!

Having met through an activist group they helped start, there were many opportunities to interact and get to know one another. But it was one particular moment that allowed them to dive deep into how they truly felt.

“The first time we really acknowledged our feelings for one another beyond our initial attraction was at another protest in West Hollywood,” recalls the couple. “The protest went well with little incident, but the sheriff’s department was watching us closely. They had pointed Kri out in the crowd when they saw her, which she had come to expect after a while, but she was most concerned about me: the Black leader on the megaphone.”

As a group of them realized they needed to escort each other back to the cars, things took a turn.

“Four cops jumped out of the car and ran straight towards Jasmine. I was terrified for them! I told them to run and I tried to block the deputies who were running towards us, but they immediately grabbed me instead. Apparently, I was the intended target, but I was just so grateful that Jasmine was going to make it home safely, even as I spent the night in jail,” explains Kritzia.

“I didn’t know who the intended target was, but as someone who falls into a protective role with friends, I immediately tried to shield Krizia because she was with me at the front of the group. At the same time she was trying to protect me,” Jasmine recalls. “I didn’t even register the fact that I was so distraught about this specific person being in jail when so many others had been and I knew everything would be fine. I stayed up a large portion of the night and was incredibly relieved when she was released. When I held a meeting at my house on one of the days following her kidnapping I couldn’t contain myself. The second I saw her I ran up and folded her into my arms, still completely unaware of my deep feelings for her.”

From there, the feelings blossomed more and more when they realized they were destined to be together. Not only did things move quickly, but another traumatic experience led them to spending more time together than they expected.

“We attended a protest in Compton where the two of us and another protester moved a sheriff’s barricade. A small action, but the sheriff’s department decided to issue warrants immediately. We had no idea, but when the third person was arrested, charged, and threatened with life in prison, our lives would never be the same,” they explain. “We can certainly say that we were too terrified to appear in public. We remained inside, almost never leaving, for an entire month. We couldn’t regularly use our phones, take walks, see friends, or live life at all. However, we found everything and everyone we could possibly need in each other. Our days were filled with conversation, laughter, story-telling, cooking and romance, even as we stayed hidden away in a single room. We feared for our lives, especially in the face of dire uncertainty, but each moment was more precious than the last.”

Once charges were dropped and they were able to explore again, they let their adventurous souls run free; traveling through different states and to Mexico.

“We love traveling together. Our relationship has flourished in places that neither of us had ever seen before as well as refreshed places we’d visited in the past. When we’re together, our time spent traveling is just as enriching as the sights we see.”