Ukraine supporters gather at Sen. Graham offices

Scout Easton holds a Ukranian flag outside the offices of Sen Lindsey Graham. All photos by Sean Rayford in Columbia, SC / March 19, 2025

Scout Easton is two months out from the Colfax Marathon in Denver, Colorado. On Wednesday, the final stretch of her training run passed the offices of Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“The state of the world, any little bit of protest and civil disobedience is good. It’s our jobs as citizens — to stand up for what believe in, even if its not directly impacting us. Ultimately it comes back to us,” said Easton about what motivated her to grab one of the flags and join the demonstrators.

“I saw everyone was protesting here and the only thing I know in Ukrainian is "Slava Ukraini” (Glory to Ukraine!) and they were like, “Come Join Us!” And I had nothing I was doing today and so I was like “Why not?” said Miller about her day off from work in health care.

Suzanne D. Miller was the one inviting most passerbys to “Come join us!”

“We came out here because we wanted to show Senator Graham we are grateful for the support that he has shown Ukraine in the past,” said Miller, adding that the Ukrainians have been good allies and suffered from many recent atrocities, “We all want peace but we want peace that preserves an independent and sovereign Ukraine.”

When one group that Miller invited, declined because they were headed to grab lunch, a man shouted back, “We are German. We support you!”

Suzanne D. Miller, right

About the author: Sean Rayford is a member of the 2001 graduating class at the University of South Carolina and a freelance photojournalist in Columbia, South Carolina