There are many different types of people in New York; people with different ethnicities, occupations, goals, and backgrounds make up this diverse city.Each person has their own, personal story to tell. Inspired by photojournalism and “Humans of New York,” this “Designing Identity” project focuses on the stories and identities behind the faces of people in New York. People often make assumptions or create stories about people based on stereotypes. This project digs deeper into defying stereotypes and discovering truth. It was a new experience.
This project took me out of my comfort zone through confrontation. While I am comfortable talking to people, it is very difficult for me to converse or start a conversation with people, especially strangers. I am an extroverted-introvert. It was very discouraging when people declined to be interviewed because it was difficult for me to build up the courage to approach them. However, this struggle made the experience more personal and memorable. Because two of my three selected interviews with John and Yashar were done in local cafés, the interviews felt quite welcoming and real (one-on-one conversation). The third interview with Nancy was done in a bookstore. Because the interview was done in a more public environment in action (standing), it felt rushed and less personal. While many of the interviews did not mind the questions, some were not comfortable taking pictures. Some did not trust the idea of a stranger having a photo of them, while others felt insecure with their appearance, despite the private use of the photos solely in a classroom setting. I wanted to have the interviewees depict their personality through their photos without giving away their stories. For example, I had Nancy hold a pencil in her picture, which often suggested that she worked with education. While she did work in the career department for college students, many have assumed that she was a teacher instead.
The three people that I interviewed are as followed: John, Nancy, Yashar.
John is a fellow college student attending Baruch College. He was born in China, but was raised in Queens since the age of five. He surprisingly does not enjoy or like the city. While he does not have any single specific career aspirations, he wants to do a little bit of “everything” and become “rich.” He holds a very strong interest for photography, but can not see himself solely working as a photographer. He currently has a job as an assistant at Broadway Stages, which is a company that rents out film studio space and film/photography equipment for movies. He is very independent and self-supportive. I was able to personally relate with John because I have only recently discovered my interest for fashion, though my mind and heart is not 100% set on design yet. I am still a bit lost, trying to find myself and my future, like John. Even though he has never been to California (my hometown), we connected on the stereotypes and hype of New York, considering we are both not fans of life in this city.
Nancy recently moved to New York City four days prior to this interview for a new job opportunity. She originally worked in marketing in Chicago. She decided on this change for new opportunities and life in New York City. She is a huge fan of New York City and is very comfortable with this fast-paced, busy environment. She has visited many times and has both, friends and family who live nearby. Even though Chicago is a city, urban environment, Nancy cannot compare it New York City. Nancy has a lot of education experience, which helps her skills be more adaptable and versatile with different careers. She has 2 master degrees in business and psychology. As this interview was done at Barnes and Noble, the atmosphere was not very comfortable and friendly. She was very understanding and interested in the focus of this project, which highlights different identities and characters that make up this city.
Yashar is a born and raised New Yorker. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, but currently lives and works in Manhattan. He has moved to California with his family in high school (ages 14-18). He currently works as a server in a hipster-styled restaurant in the Upper East Side. I was interested in interviewing him because of his fashion, which appeared very comparable to the way many of my friends and classmates dressed in California. His fashion inspiration is Kanye and any “street-trend item.” He takes interest in fashion because an appearance, which is affected by attire, is the first thing a person who take notice in another being. So, his fashion is a way to express his identity, individuality, and personality. On the topic of fashion, I asked him what the first thing he would buy if he was given $1 million dollars. His response was that he would use the money to pay off his friends’ debt. While Yashar values identity and personal expression, he values his loyalty to his friends more.