I WAS THERE: Isaac Bryan was Born for this Moment; Confronting Police, Protests and Power

"This moment right now is the culmination of personal and professional experiences in my life coming together," says civil rights activist and UCLA's Director of Black Policy Project Isaac Bryan. In this episode of I Was There Bryan describes helping lead a Black Lives Matter protest outside of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s residence and why the experience was a pivotal moment for him. A week earlier he’d suffered injuries at the hands of law enforcement at another protest. What would happen this time?

Most of Bryan’s career has been spent as an educator, public policy analyst and co-founder of several civil rights groups. Born into poverty and a product of the child welfare system, Bryan barely graduated high school only to end up working on public policy issues at L.A. City Hall. His personal narrative speaks to his personal struggles and why this moment of unrest feels different to him.

About the Series

"I WAS THERE" is about telling a great story. This series of first-person accounts breaks current and historical events down to human scale, carefully taking the viewer behind some of Southern California’s biggest headlines.

Production team

Executive Producer: Karen Foshay 

Producers: Tori Edgar, Denise Chan & Michael Ray 

Photographers: Trevor Jackson, Karen Foshay

Editor/Graphics: Michael Ray, Andy Viner