World-renowned as the greatest photographic exhibition ever assembled, the Family of Man by Edward Steichen awoke something inside of me and inspired the Restoring Humanity Project resurgence. Moved to tears, I slowly worked my way through each of the 503 photographs within the exhibit. Photographs depicting the ritualistic traditions, habits, actions, choices, and emotions that we all share. Pictured were individuals from every corner of the earth celebrating, grieving, eating, cleaning, playing - living.
Easily overshadowed by Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss just two rooms over, The Family of Man was created as a humanist manifesto for the equality and peace of all mankind. Set to establish and cherish the sacred common ground in which we all walk, The Family of Man spoke my language. It spoke everyone's. It was universal. It was heartbreak and heart fulfillment all at once.
Staged in an opulent art gallery and world heritage site, the understated exhibit was the only one of its kind, not plated in gold leaf or dimly lit by a hanging chandelier. The exhibit was all in black and white, photographs taken by over 273 artists around the world.
Since its first presentation in 1955 at the New York Museum of Modern Art, the exhibit has since been presented in over 150 museums worldwide, and I was lucky enough to view it in Vienna, Austria.
“Having toured the globe, exhibited in over 150 museums worldwide, the final integral version of the exhibition was permanently installed in Clervaux Castle in 1994. Since its creation, having attracted over 10 million visitors, The Family of Man has entered the history of photography as a legendary exhibition. In 2003 the collection was inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World register.”
People everywhere are absolutely incredible. I knew that my travels would grant me a new perspective, and this exhibit cemented that. Viewing each photograph in the series, I felt within me the presence of my family, my heritage and traditions, and those who came before me. I traveled through 11 countries alone over the course of two months and found that everyone everywhere only wanted to connect. There was no fear or hesitation from one country to the next. When it came down to it, everyone spoke the same language of universal empathy. It need only to be listened to. Of all the authentic connections and conversations shared, I found that accomplishments and accolades were never discussed. Rather, passions and experiences were what brought us together. Who we truly are, and what we are made of.
Restoring Humanity Project is here to remind what it truly is to be human, to serve as a digital space to represent the duality and dynamic nature of the human condition. My trip can be summed up by The Family of Man; seeking to reveal the commonalities everywhere I’ve been, the coming together, the restoring of humanity.
A: If the Restoring Humanity Project is of interest to you, simply shoot me a message to coordinate a time and place for an interview. Ask anyone who has been previously interviewed, each interview is as laid back and relaxed as possible. I want to feature you in your natural habitat, in your element, not posed or staged in any way. However and wherever you are your most comfortable is how I want to interview you.
Q: What do I need to bring?
A: Your lovely self! I’ll be recording each interview and taking notes throughout. If you’re a creative, I would be over the moon to share your work (in any and all mediums) in your interview as well. This is a safe and supportive community where you’re encouraged to share your passions, talents and projects. Working on a new recipe? Just wrote a new song? Selling handmade crafts? Let’s share it here. Knowledge is power!
Q: How can I spread the word?
A: Tell your friends. Tell your friends’ friends. Tell your parents and cousins and camp friends and coworkers. If you’ve been interviewed, or simply support the mission, share the blog on your social media channels, and encourage others to do the same.
Q: Is there an age limit?
A: Not at all! This began as a post-college passion project, so many interviews conducted are amongst millennials. However, people of absolutely all ages are invited to get involved in the Restoring Humanity Project.
Q: Do I have to be in New York?
The ultimate goal with the Restoring Humanity Project is to take it global. I will be conducting interviews each time I travel moving forward. No matter where you are in the world, I encourage you to reach out. If you’re located anywhere within the Tri-State area, we can absolutely arrange an in-person interview as soon as possible!
A close friend of mine, Rory, approached me several months ago asking if he could take part in my blog, 'in a few months'. When I asked why not now, Rory replied that he wanted to wait until his pending graduation. Yesterday, I shot Rory a message: "Hey bud, remember you said, 'Wait a few months for me to graduate and I'll be ready to be interviewed?'"
"Yeah, I haven't graduated yet."
"Would you want to do it at this point in your life?"
"Yes."
What is your dream career?
"I'm going to school to graduate with a communications degree, and with that and the skills from the classes I've taken, I eventually want to become a videographer and then eventually a cinematographer. I was never interested in photography while I was in high school or I was never in any club related to that like AV or something. Through the classes I've taken in the six years I've been going to college, I've developed this interest in this visual art and it's really cool. I've always played music since seventh grade and it's cool to have another, different outlet to express myself."
If you're not working that dream job, in what ways are you working to sustain your current job?
"Well, my current job is a bartender, and I'm a hard worker. I work hard at that. You know, my bosses aren't down my neck, but If I screw up they know right away and that looks bad. I don't want to make the restaurant look bad because they've been treating me well the entire time I've been there, and I feel pride in my work. I'd say I'm good at what I do. And I usually know what I'm talking about when someone has questions or whatever. It's nice. I feel good when I know I'm doing well. And it's different with school because I've never really done well in school. Even in college. And I feel like I've been gliding by in that aspect, and that's taken a toll on me. You know, because I'm not performing to my potential I feel bad about myself. And I guess work kind of balances it out so I'm not upset or sad all the time. But you know, there are some times when I'm just at home like hanging out and not necessarily content, I guess."
What was your mantra today?
"Get up and do what you have to do."
Can you tell me your current greatest battle you must face?
"I actually just started seeing a psychologist almost two weeks ago. And I'm doing that because of my performance in school. Not because of the grades I've received, but because I haven't felt motivated for whatever reason. I've been anxious ever since Mitch passed. He and I wanted to do the same thing. We had the same dream and we said we were going to work together. And when he passed, it was, to me it was a shock. I, for whatever reason, didn't know his condition. And when I found out, I was numb...devastated. Since going through that process and the months after that, I've grown more anxious about my future. And what I'm going to do after I graduate and what opportunities I may or may not have. I need to use my time to do something. Not just what I want to do, but to better at least one person. You want to leave with a positive impact. And I can say Mitch left a positive impact on me. I hope to work up to my expectations."
Tell me about your current path.
"Umm, where I'm going?"
Take it as you will. Interpret it however you want.
"Well, I'm on the road to going back to school this semester. This upcoming semester. And I want to tell you now that I'm going to work probably the hardest I've ever worked while attending school, and I really hope I stick to that. I'm glad that I'm putting that in this because I'm gonna remember it's here and I'm gonna be like, 'Oh god, I really have to work. Haha.' But yeah, I'm really excited about that. I hope to become more involved. I'm told that If I'm involved in a lot of stuff in school, not just classes but you know, clubs and stuff like that than I'll work harder to stay there and want to be there. And I'm a commuter, so it's hard to just go to school and not leave once your class is over. So I need to become more involved."
Can you tell me about the steps you're taking to feel comfortable in your own skin?
"I am taking new interests in I guess you could say. Over the past year or so, because I'm a bartender, I've taken a big interest in brewing and craft breweries and stuff like that. And so eventually I want to start brewing my own beer and I'm really excited about that, because that's something that really interests me. And you know, it's just a hobby. I don't know If I'm gonna make anything of it. But some people tell me I'm so knowledgable and so interested in it that If I do make my own beer it might turn out great, haha. Might have to start bottling it. But that's just a hobby I'm trying to take up. I'm trying to start playing my instruments more often than I have been. I'm always collecting albums and maintaining my player and rearranging speakers to get the best sound and stuff like that. So that's something that I'm interested in. I'm not that knowledgeable with audio equipment, but I guess that's something that I would look into."
If you were faced with absolutely no limitations at all, what would you be doing with your life?
"I'd become a politician."
WOAH! Wasn't expecting to hear that.
"I'd become like a lawmaker."
That's awesome.
"You know? There's not enough representation that is benefiting us right now. I know a lot of people and a decent amount of our friends think that the government and politics is bullshit. But If I got there and found that it was, then we'd know. But if it's not bullshit, and people are really fighting for terrible amendments and laws and stuff like that, well then somebody's got to be there to counter that. I've always had an interest in politics. Politics is bullshit, I hate politics. But at the same time, I love politics."
What are your dreams for yourself and for the person you want to become?
"Well, the person I want to become is a graduate with at least an internship in my field. I'll keep bartending, it doesn't matter. I'll get money from wherever. I'm really thankful for my parents. I'm still living at home and again, I'm commuting to school and they support me no matter what. So even if I'm on the rocks, I've got people willing to help me. I'm really fortunate for that. I'm trying to branch out, meet new people. Hang out, you know. New faces, new experiences, fresh ideas. It's good to stay fresh. But as long as I keep doing what I need to do, which has been the pattern for the past couple of weeks - as long as I keep with it, everything - everything's going to work out."
And what is keeping you from achieving them?
"It's a mentality, right now. Again, up until recently, I haven't really been motivated for whatever reason. I can't tell you why. It's baffling. And that's why I'm talking to someone and trying to work it out, because I really do have this dream of the job I described before. That's what I want to do. I really, really don't see my self in an office with a tie on. I can't do it. And I know that's so cliche, but it's just not me. You know? So I need to be creative, but I need to do things with my hands. I still need to work. That's what I like about bartending. Bartending is work."
What have you learned about yourself along the way?
"That I really can do whatever I need to do. There's nothing really stopping me besides myself."
What advice do you have for everyone seeking to answer the same questions as you?
A beautiful soul and incredibly dear person to my heart, I've had the pleasure of watching Paul's journey unfold for three years now. "This interview feels too casual," laughed Paul. "It's just like I'm talking to you." That, I responded, was the purpose for conducting these interviews. Below are Paul's absolutely honest, 'just like talking to me' responses.
What is your most recent accomplishment?
"Does it have to be an actual event? No? Finally getting my first tattoo."
What is your dream career?
"I don't have a specific career that I want to be working towards. I just know that for the rest of my life, I want to be helping people with disabilities. Whether it's physical, mental or developmental. Because they are a voiceless group of people. You know, for years these people have been fighting for equality. They've made great strides in terms of equality, but when you go to a movie theater the only thing they have special for them is an extra seat where you can put the wheelchair."
What is your daily mantra? It can change every day. What was it today?
After a brief lull in fluid conversation, Paul responded: "I do try and go out of my way to make people smile. If I can make one person smile, my day's work has been accomplished. If it takes so much as wiping someone's ass to smile, I'll do it for them. If that's the one moment of happiness that they'll get during their day."
Can you tell me your current greatest battle you must face?
"The biggest battle that I'm facing right now is finding a balance between my professional life and my personal life. There just seems to be less and less time for both with every passing week."
Can you tell me about your current path and the steps you're taking to feel comfortable in your own skin?
"I don't have a path. I DEFINITELY do not have a path. You can put that in capital letters. I'm constantly trying to figure out what the next step is, but it's never what I imagined. Well, the happiness gets hard to find every single day. That's why I work in the field that I do, because it is incredibly, incredibly rewarding. It gets very stressful too. For months and months I went to a doctor and got prescribed Xanax for my anxiety, and that more or less just made me a drooling zombie. Eventually, that just didn't work out for me."
If you were faced with absolutely no limitations at all, what would you be doing with your life?
"I'd definitely take myself out west to Boulder, Colorado. But I really do wish that I had all the time in the world to spend on planning Mitch-A-Palooza events with all my friends."
What's Mitch-A-Palooza?
"An organization that me and a few of my best friends started once my closest friend, Mitch, was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma (bone cancer). We hosted music events with some of Mitch's favorite bands, basketball fundraisers, raised money for academic scholarships, Camp Adventure and Stony Brook Hospital, where Mitch received his treatments."
What are you doing with your life currently? And in what ways are you working to fill the void you've been experiencing?
"Well, I'm currently working as an assistant supervisor at a residence for people with developmental disabilities and that takes up most of my days. I try to fit in yoga when I can. And spend as much time with my girlfriend and friends that I possibly can. There's really not enough time in the day to do as much as I want to. And I don't have enough energy to do as much as I want to."
What have you learned about yourself along the way?
"That I'm not as angry as I thought I was."
What are your dreams for yourself, for the person you already are and the person you want to become?
After an extended moment of silence, Paul responded: "I have no real set dreams. I think my biggest dream would be to be a person who is comfortable with who I am today, and not worrying about what my next big step should be."
And what is keeping you from achieving them?
"It's the constant fear of what I feel like my next step needs to be and how I need to accomplish them. I feel like everything needs to be in a set order. I don't know whether that pressure comes from my upbringing, solely from myself, or seeing what my friends are doing. I'm just constantly feeling like the grass is always greener."
What advice do you have for everyone seeking to answer the same questions as you?
"What advice? If you can't be happy by doing things for yourself, try and do something for somebody else. I think you'd be surprised how good it can make you feel."
Intrigued by Evan's thirst for global awareness, we spoke briefly about his willingness to shed some light and share some insight for the Restoring Humanity project. His loving pit bull (and only son), Blue, remained sprawled out by his side for the entirety of the interview. Below are Evan's hopes, strides, setbacks, and dreams as illustrated by a series of raw, stream of consciousness inspired responses.
What is your most recent endeavor?
"I'm still currently working on a few musical projects. I play in two bands and I also produce my own music. Aside from that, I'm at a crossing point in New York and I'm making strides to move across the country."
Can you tell me your current, greatest battle that you're facing?
"Probably, I would say, feeling out of place in society in general. It's definitely difficult when you don't see eye to eye with a lot of the common causes that most people get fueled up by. I'm not really driven by financials, or careers necessarily. I'm more interested in, I don't know - finding my own peace of mind and being creative."
Can you tell me about your current path?
"Well, at the moment, I'm still living here in New York. I'm aiming to move across the country, I'm thinking probably towards Colorado. I would like to get into the medicinal field. I'm looking into helping treat people out west. If not, maybe run a dog farm."
The steps you're taking to feel comfortable in your own skin?
"I recently changed a lot of my own habits. I've been a lot more physical, I've been working out. I've been preoccupying myself and trying to spend a lot more time living in the real world and off of computer screens. I've also been just putting a ton of effort into music again. I've been writing an EP pretty much by myself."
If you were faced with absolutely no limitations at all, what would you be doing with your life?
"I would definitely travel. I would see as much of the world as I could. I'm really interested in culture, pretty much anything else outside of America. I'm really tired of it. I'd like to build homes where people don't have resources. I'd definitely like to check out ancient sites too. I'd just like to see as much of the world as I could before I'm not here anymore."
In what ways are you working to fill the void you've been experiencing?
After a slightly elongated pause, Evan replied:
"I have been spending a lot of time trying to become more comfortable with myself. I have a very hard time just being alone and not being preoccupied. I get really lost in thought a lot. I've been spending a lot of time being comfortable with being alone, or not doing anything. Stillness, trying to appreciate it as much as I can. There was a saying that I can't remember right now that really summed it up."
What are your dreams for yourself, and what is keeping you from achieving them?
"Well, first and foremost, what's keeping me from my dreams is being a type 1 diabetic. I have to be in touch with modern medicine, which pretty much ties me down to doctors and hospitals. I'd really like to make an impact on as many people's lives as I can. I'd like to see the world in a more positive light by the time I'm out. At more than one point in my life, I would have just traveled and lived wherever life threw me. Finances, too, hold me back. Emotionally, though, I'm ready to go."
What advice do you have for everyone seeking to answer the same questions as you?
"Don't overthink it, hah. That's the first. At the end of the day, you are the only person that's ever going to be able to answer your own questions or give yourself solace. You're going to have to find your own peace and make your own happiness."
Rachel had initially reached out to me upon my first announcement that Restoring Humanity was in the works. While I hadn't gotten a chance to meet up with her for an interview, I received this message in my inbox just a few nights ago.
"I remember you posted that you are working on a project to document the struggles of recent grads. When you posted that, I kind of hoped my luck in finding a job and moving out would get better, but unfortunately it didn't and it prompted me to write to you in case you wanted to use my experience in your project. I'll send you my thoughts if you're interested."
The phrase, "Be kind for everyone you know is fighting a hard battle," opened my eyes to the unspoken about, unaddressed battle we all face - the internal. Can you tell me your current, greatest battle you must face?
"This past year has been filled with two significant internal battles for me. The first was getting out of an emotionally abusive on and off relationship once and for all. It was difficult to align my head and my heart because internally I knew I shouldn't tolerate what went on anymore, but I couldn't let go of my feelings for the guy. It put me in a really deep depression for a long time, which is something I had never experienced or understood before. While dealing with that, I also came to realized that I needed to figure out what I was going to career-wise, so I could live independently and keep myself busy. I'd say that while I have come out of the depression, I still feel unworthy in many aspects of my life because of the constant rejection I've faced in the last few months/years."
What brings you happiness?
"I'm trying to meet as many people as possible. I've found that although I can be conscious at times, I am at my happiest when I'm with friends and meeting new people. I've made more of an effort to get out of bed each day and instead get out there and do and see as much as I can."
If you had no limitations at all, what would you be doing with your life?
"I would spend a few years traveling and living in different countries. I'm lucky in that I've already been able to travel somewhat, but it really is so expensive. I wish everyone was able to do it as frequently as they wished."
In what ways are you working to fill the void you've been experiencing?
"I go to therapy to talk out my issues and feelings of being lost, and I try to remind myself that everyone puts their pants on one leg at a time each day - so I shouldn't feel so low or conscious about things."
What advice do you have for everyone seeking to answer the same questions as you?
"One of my tattoos is a simple up and down arrow, which I got after going through a rough time and then having other good opportunities open up for me. To me, it is a constant reminder that while life can bring you down sometimes, it will always turn back up when you least expect it. So even though things might be really shitty for whatever reason, you just need to have faith that if you take the necessary steps, you can pull yourself back up and good things will eventually come your way."
