If you want to read the stories of the real New York check out the Humans of New York (HONY for short) website, Facebook page or pre-order Brandon Stanton's book that is coming out this fall.
Stanton wanders the city streets capturing photographs of interesting NY folk asking them a question or two about themselves, the answer of which become the captions to the photos- they tell the story. I began perusing the photos on a rainy day when I was bored. Five pictures later, I was hooked. Without realizing it, I was assuming certain things about these people of NY based on the pictures alone. (Like the man who appeared apathetic with all the tattoos)
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| Photo courtesy of www.humansofnewyork.com 8 April 2013 |
Until I read the captions. Turns out his mom died when he was 18. I was intrigued by the photos and became captivated by their stories. I didn't realize I was even making presumptions about the people in the photos until the captions told a different story.
I was embarrassed. I had always prided myself on accepting all kinds of people. I've been friends with punk rockers, jocks and cheerleaders, people of different races, sizes, religions, sexual orientation - so I never expected to create snap judgments about the people in these photos. I guess we are all guilty of something similar at one point or another, but I think recognizing it is what's important. Get out of your bubble once in a while, it's good for you. And the world. Luckily, my snap judgments were a reminder to myself to slow down and remember that everyone's got an inner story, despite what their outer image may project.
The stories are often deep and profound despite the subject's just having met Brandon Stanton.
I was embarrassed. I had always prided myself on accepting all kinds of people. I've been friends with punk rockers, jocks and cheerleaders, people of different races, sizes, religions, sexual orientation - so I never expected to create snap judgments about the people in these photos. I guess we are all guilty of something similar at one point or another, but I think recognizing it is what's important. Get out of your bubble once in a while, it's good for you. And the world. Luckily, my snap judgments were a reminder to myself to slow down and remember that everyone's got an inner story, despite what their outer image may project.
The stories are often deep and profound despite the subject's just having met Brandon Stanton.
However, some are funny, and some, are just too stinking cute. Like this one entitled, "Today in microfashion..."
How adorable is she? My goodness!
Many of them are heartfelt. Like this...
"We met 55 years ago on a teen tour, and have been best friends ever since." “What’s her best quality?” “She’s loyal.” “What’s the toughest thing she’s ever helped you through?” “I don’t know if I should say this, but I’m going to. Fourteen years ago, I got lung cancer. Then seven or eight years ago, I got breast cancer. And now the lung cancer’s back. I must have set a record or something, because it was fourteen years ago, but now it’s back, and it’s metastasized, and the prognosis is not good.” “She’s doing good. The chemo is working.” “She’s right, I’m doing ok, and I’ll make it longer than expected, but the prognosis is not good. And I’m gonna cry now, but I've got to say— and I know it’s a cliche— but she’s been there every step of the way. Every appointment, every surgery, every time I've done chemo, she’s been there. And I couldn't have come this far without her.”
Or surprising...
Humans of New York is a reminder, as cliche as it sounds, not to judge a book by its cover and to perhaps pay more attention to those around us. Everyone has a unique story all their own and most people, even New Yorkers, are willing to share it. We could learn a lot from one another, you know? And that, my friends, is worth a glass of champagne!"
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| Photo courtesy of www.humansofnewyork.com Taken on 15 August 2013 |
Many of them are heartfelt. Like this...
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| Photo courtesy of www.humansofnewyork.com 26 August 2013 |
"We met 55 years ago on a teen tour, and have been best friends ever since." “What’s her best quality?” “She’s loyal.” “What’s the toughest thing she’s ever helped you through?” “I don’t know if I should say this, but I’m going to. Fourteen years ago, I got lung cancer. Then seven or eight years ago, I got breast cancer. And now the lung cancer’s back. I must have set a record or something, because it was fourteen years ago, but now it’s back, and it’s metastasized, and the prognosis is not good.” “She’s doing good. The chemo is working.” “She’s right, I’m doing ok, and I’ll make it longer than expected, but the prognosis is not good. And I’m gonna cry now, but I've got to say— and I know it’s a cliche— but she’s been there every step of the way. Every appointment, every surgery, every time I've done chemo, she’s been there. And I couldn't have come this far without her.”
Or surprising...
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| Photo courtesy of www.humansofnewyork.com 27 June 2013 |
"Follow your heart."
"And where has that taken you?"
"Exotic climates."
"Such as?"
"Well I leave in three days to return to Kabul, where I’m currently stationed. Before that, it was Iraq for three years. Then Burundi. Then South Africa, where I was Nelson Mandela’s legal advisor."
Humans of New York is a reminder, as cliche as it sounds, not to judge a book by its cover and to perhaps pay more attention to those around us. Everyone has a unique story all their own and most people, even New Yorkers, are willing to share it. We could learn a lot from one another, you know? And that, my friends, is worth a glass of champagne!"
"If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it" - Ferris Bueller
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