New York City is arguably the most populated, culturally diverse and fashion-forward city in the country. The world has long been fascinated by New York, a reason why entertainers so frequently play homage to it.
The summer after Jay-Z and Alicia Keys released “Empire State of Mind,” in which Keys proudly sings, “Now you’re in New York / these streets will make you feel brand new / big lights will inspire you,” Brandon Stanton literally took to the streets of New York for inspiration.
The end product, Humans of New York, was a blog in which Stanton photographed strangers on the streets of the Big Apple. Stanton has said his original objective was to create an interactive map that allowed users to find pictures of the city’s inhabitants by neighborhood. Instead, the blog turned into storytelling by pictures, and the stories are staggering.
With more than 8 million residents, the city is axiomatically occupied by an array of individuals with diverse backgrounds.
Stanton often captures style in a way only New York can execute, affectionately captioning photos as, “Today in microfashion,” when the subjects are sharply dressed children. While children are regularly featured on the blog, Stanton took this a step farther this summer when he engaged in a philanthropic venture to raise funds for a young boy's dream.
Stanton met Rumi and his mother in Washington Square Park while they were selling cowboy supplies in the hopes of buying a horse. Admiring Rumi’s entrepreneurism and unwavering determination after only earning $1, Stanton asked readers to donate a total of $7,000 to send the boy and his parents to Drowsy Water Ranch in Denver, where he could spend a week with a horse of his own. The campaign raised a total of $32,167, and the excess donation funds were sent to Equestria, a therapeutic horseback riding center for the disabled in New York.
The captivating effect of the blog can be credited to the rawness of the interviews. Challenging the reputation New Yorkers may have of being unfriendly, Humans of New York is a collection of deeply personal and inspirational stories that are openly shared with Stanton and his readership. The blog works to shine light on what unites us all as humans – hardships, heartbreak, perseverance and milestones.
Stanton is releasing a book to provide a tangible way to become immersed in the photographs and anecdotes of the city’s residents. The book, “Humans of New York,” contains 400 photos, 75 of which are previously unseen and exclusive to the book. “Humans of New York" will be released on Oct. 15.
Reach the reporter at jurgiles@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @MrsMathers94
