“I’m Tired” Project Highlights How Exhausting It Is To Endure Discrimination

Suffering through discrimination — even when it's unintentional — can be, in a word, exhausting. But a new photo series that gives voice to the microaggressions people endure every day could help lighten the load for victims while raising awareness about what not to say.

Paula Akpan and Harriet Evans, both 21-year-old graduates of the University of Nottingham in England, co-founded The "I'm Tired" Project to help people air their grievances while still maintaining a certain level of anonymity. A photographer named Ming Au shot each portrait, all of which feature text explaining what makes the subject "tired."

The overall effect of these black-and-white images — paired with Human of New York-style captions — is moving: The statements reflect racism, body shaming, homophobia, gender and identity prejudice, and beyond. Akpan and Evans aren't done yet, either. "We honestly believe that there is no limit to the types of microaggressions we'll hopefully be able to highlight on our page," they shared in a joint email to Refinery29.

The project's Facebook page currently features 16 portraits, and anyone who is interested in becoming involved can email the artists. We'll be checking back to see what images will be added next — there's certainly a wealth of microaggression material in the world today.