Until 1960, Brownsville was a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. Leon Sternhell is now one of only two Jews still operating a business in the community. He has watched Brownsville’s crime rates increase as shops and storefronts are pushed out of the neighborhood. In response to the ongoing street violence, Mr. Sternhell locks the front door after every customer enters, and notes that if anything, this improves business, as his customers appreciate the safety precaution.
Mabel Panigeo, 81, has lived in Barrow, Alaska, her entire life. Only recently have modern amenities like the Internet, television and brand-name clothing become available in this isolated town. Like most of the older natives, she hand made this traditional Eskimo parka from a pattern that has been passed down for more than 1,000 years. Mabel is concerned that her grandchildren’s generation will lose the traditional Inupiat values and customs if she doesn’t continue to reinforce their integrity.
Italian astrophysicist Margherita Hack, explaining to Federico why the sky is blue.
Ervin Royal is a metal scrapper from Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Most of his customers are commercial fishermen and his business has been suffering ever since the BP oil spill. Ervin (right) is pictured here Ernest Montgomery (left), the former fire chief of Bayou La Batre. They’ve known each other for over 50 years.
United Postal Service driver Hakeem Basheer delivered packages without a security guard for about a year, until he was robbed at gunpoint while walking into a project building. As a Brownsville native, Hakeem had felt secure that he would be left alone, but it didn’t take long for reality to prove him wrong. The stolen package was left in the hallway, but the robbery motivated Hakeem to ask the company for an armed security guard. Retired NYPD officer Curtis Walston accompanies him during deliveries in Brownsville and neighboring high-crime communities. Curtis carries two guns, a .38mm and a .9mm, for protection.
Seven days a week, 23-year-old Galson Mgaya rides from his remote village of Mtwango to the nearest city of Makambako, Tanzania. He straps 20 chickens to the back of his bicycle and then sells them in the city for twice what they’d go for in his small town. The trip takes him 3.5 hours each way, but it’s worthwhile because he makes about $8 each day. His daily profit helps support his parents and two sisters.
A carpenter on his lunch break.
Gaj Singh is the son of the last nobleman of Alsisa, Rajasthan. Born in Jaipur, he was in the army before launching his hotel business. He now owns three hotels in Rajasthan, two of which are his family residences converted into heritage accommodations. He is married, has two sons and lives in Alsisa Haveli, his hotel in Jaipur. “We had so many people around us but it gradually faded and by the time I was passing out of school in 1968. We didn’t have many people working for us. But again, with this present business the bygone era has come back.”
Olivia recently formed the “Made Life Pretty Gunnas” (MLPG) crew, which is now made up of over fifty young girls. Young people frequently assemble crews or gangs as adolescents yearning for acceptance. Olivia feels that MLPG is her most dependable support network and would defend its members under any circumstance. She is currently suspended from school for fighting in defense of one of her group members. More often than not, these small discrepancies turn into long-term conflicts that end in fatal violence.
Hoshitango Imachi is a 44-year-old Argentinean who moved to Tokyo when he was 21 to attend the Chuo University. After arriving he become a sumo wrestler so he could support his family back home. Now he’s an official Japanese citizen and works as a professional wrestler for the Japanese company DDT (The Dramatic Dream Team).
Paul Nelson is the president of South Bay Community Alliance, a volunteer organization that advocates on behalf of the citizens of Bayou La Batre and Coden. Paul’s home was destroyed in Katrina, as was the home of his mother, who died in a trailer provided by FEMA. Paul has been traveling to and from Montgomery and Washington D.C. advocating for the people of South Mobile County since the spill. He’s currently pushing for the Gulf Coast Civics Work Act, a program devoted to putting unemployed Southerners to work on civic projects.
It is Joe Mello’s first year as captain of the Leavitt Whaling crew. Moments after catching his first whale, Joe calls his family and other whaling crews, using the local vhf radio, to report the good news. When a whale is caught, it is customary to raise one flag on the ice and hang the other flag on the apex of the captain’s house in town, inviting all to come celebrate and eat. The crew will wait patiently as more than 60 family members and friends rush to their site and pull the bow-head onto the ice.
A common past time during the summer in Italy.
Bryan Toovak is a 7-year-old living in Barrow, Alaska. He goes to this playground from spring to fall despite the below-zero temperatures. On this rather mild spring day in early May, temperatures rose to almost 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 degrees Celsius).
Al is more of a neighborhood counselor than a barber. A jar of condoms he puts in plain sight makes his shop a place teenagers both rely on and trust. Al says his real work happens in the conversations that ensue while kids are getting their shape-ups or trims.
Minh Le is an unofficial spokesman for the Vietnamese community in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Approximately one-third of the town’s population is of Asian descent, and of those, most are Vietnamese. Adopted by an American serviceman during the 1960s, Minh returned to his native Vietnam in the ’70s to act as an advisor to the US Navy. When he retired from the Navy, he moved to Bayou La Batre and bought several shrimp boats, including The Sunrise, pictured here. After the BP oil spill, Minh outfitted his boats to help with the cleanup efforts.
Marsha is one of many non-natives who moved to Barrow, Alaska later in life. Transporting vehicles into Barrow is one of the greatest challenges for people moving to this isolated area. Each summer, a barge carries automobiles to Barrow at a price of $6,000. Marsha owned several cars including more practical ones, but she decided to take only this convertible bug, despite the frigid cold weather. In the summer when the temperatures rise to almost 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), Marsha doesn’t go anywhere without the top down.
Kyong “Kathy” Kim came to the United States from Korea in 1969. She attended college, then married a Colonel in the US Army and lived in Virginia until two and a half years ago, when she opened a crab shop in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Her shop has been closed since the BP oil spill, and she has no plans to reopen it. She is moving to Mobile and collecting Social Security. All of her friends and family live in Virginia, but here, she says, “the price is right.” Kathy makes beaded sculptures that sometimes sell for as much as $350. She says she is especially attached to her dog Cutie because she has no friends down here.
Oscar, 8-years-old, works with his father in the fields every day, tending to their animals. Their five goats, two cows, two horses and five chickens serve as a form of insurance. This horse, valued at 4,000 pesos ($120), would only be sold in the case of a family emergency. Oscar’s mother runs a community store, which provides the family’s modest income.
Ji Hoi Kim and his wife, Yong, catch up on Korean news during Ji’s lunch break. As a taxi driver, Mr. Kim provides a modest income for his family. He has managed to tuck away some savings for retirement. However, this past winter, the couple had to spend what they had saved while their car was held at the town’s only mechanic for three and a half months waiting for parts. They dream of one day saving up enough money for retirement in Fairbanks, AK.
Konishiki Yasokichi is a 45-year-old retired sumo wrestler and one of Japan’s most recognizable celebrities. Now that he’s retired from the sport that made him so popular, he’s become a hip-hop artist and host of his own children’s television show. He was the heaviest sumo wrestler of all time weighing 580 pounds(264 kg). Two years ago he underwent gastric bypass surgery and has lost much of the weight that previously threatened his good health.
Many Brownsville residents say that the area has more sneaker stores than after-school programs. Brownsville has a total of three sneaker stores. A few years ago, Penny began hosting an informal after-school program so that children in her building would have a safe place to go after school.
Eric is a software engineer, and Kaïdre is a biochemist.
Yoni moved from Haiti to the Dominican Republic four years ago and after two years, his cousin helped him become a citizen. If someone asks him if he’s Haitian or Dominican, Yoni responds, “Soy legal” (I’m legal). He cuts sugar cane, earning about 300 pesos ($8) every two days. Yoni is also the proud new father of a two-month-old son.
Alan Clark is an oysterman who worked for the BP Vessels of Opportunity program, which offers between $1,200 and $3,000 a day to local boat owners who help with the oil cleanup. Crewmembers make an additional $200 a day. Allen has been dissatisfied with BP’s hiring policies, which initially did not privilege fisherman who, like Allen, were unable to work after the spill. The average yearly household income in Bayou La Batre is under $25,000. Allen’s son’s first invoice was for $23,000. He came home with $17,000 cash in his pocket and took the day off to shop for a Hummer.
Virginia Smith has lived in Brownsville her entire life, but began swimming at the Brownsville Recreation Center (BRC) just two years ago. The BRC is one of New York City’s busiest recreation centers, one of the few safe havens for the young and old.
Fannie Akpik is one of many female hunters in the North Slope Borough. She uses her 16-gauge shotgun to hunt geese in the spring and caribou in the fall. When asked how many geese she catches a season, Fannie says she counts by the sled full as opposed to exact numbers.
This is Julius, a 35 year old hospital security guard. Here he’s shown holding a baton that he’s never had to use. He dreams that one day he’ll find a better paying job – but he never forgets that he’s one of the few lucky people in Tanzania who can support his wife and two children with a steady paycheck.
Klara, an award winning clean energy champion. She’s one of Vorland’s most respected residents.
Yoshitoku Tashiro is a 33-year-old retired sumo wrestler who now works as a writer. He recently published a best-selling book about the real life of a sumo wrestler, including topics such as how to meet a girl, how wrestlers travel, what they eat, and what they do in their spare time. He originally wrote the book with the intent of teaching young wrestlers about the kind of life they might lead, but it ended up selling more to the masses out of curiosity for a sport that is rarely covered with a personal viewpoint.
On the way to his cousin’s birthday party on a hot Saturday afternoon.
Pierre is one of the few Haitians living in the Arctic Circle. He left his home country in 1998 and has lived in many U.S. locations since. He finds similarities between the struggles the people of Haiti have endured and surviving in this harsh arctic climate. Working for the airline, Pierre flies for free on his days off. He loves the freedom of being able to travel and says otherwise living in Barrow’s isolated setting wouldn’t be possible for him.
Timmy Chi Tai is a nine-year-old from Bayou La Batre. He is one of four brothers. His mother came to America in the ‘70s with her Vietnamese mother and American father. After the oil spill, Timmy’s father was working for BP’s Vessels of Opportunity Program until he was deactivated. Timmy works at Boat People SOS, a local non-profit, handing out food during food drives and helping with various tasks around the office.
I came across this abandoned gas station while driving in the Iowan countryside with my friend Calvin. We decided to get out and take a photo, and after finishing we went inside to explore. The only thing we found were the old gas pumps with the price set at 88 cents per gallon. The last time gas cost 88 cents was in June of 1979.
This is Theopista. She’s six years old and dreams that one day she will become a nun.
Yasuyuki Hirose is a 32-year-old retired sumo wrestler who’s become famous in Japan for his part in a comedy trio that performs on TV. His obesity related difficulties are often the topic of the group’s jokes. In particular he’s known for being able to drink a two-litre bottle of orange Fanta in only ten seconds.
“If I had all the money I ever dreamed of I’d buy myself a Jag. Yep, I’d get a Jaguar and take it for a drive to New Jersey and back.” – Melvin
Marco Pesatori is one of Italy’s most famous astrologers. He writes a syndicated horoscope that appears in D La Repubblica and Italian Vogue.
Felicia raises three of her grandchildren. The family was supported by her husband’s pension until three months ago when he passed away. She lives in one of the few barracks that survived Hurricane George. She believes that the Lord will sustain her during this difficult time in her life.
Elder Harris and Elder Lewis are living in Barrow, Alaska as part of their two-year Mormon mission. Filipino is one of six people whom the elders have baptized; all the others are white. The two missionaries have been more successful converting non-natives. The native Iñupiat people in Barrow have been very welcoming and happy to invite them into their homes. However, the two have had a difficult time with families who struggle with alcoholism, as it remains one of the most difficult struggles in town despite being a “damp” community. Alcohol cannot be legally bought or sold in Barrow.
Waiting for her husband to come back from the bathroom. They’ve been happily married for almost 60 years.
Gris, 9-years-old, is one of the many children in Las Pajas without a birth certificate. Her mother was born in Haiti, and although Gris was born in the Dominican Republic, she is not considered a legal citizen. Gris cannot go to school past the 8th grade without a Dominican birth certificate. More and more organizations are currently working with Bateys to find ways of getting Haitian children legal Dominican status.
Some day when we no longer have cold enough weather, our arctic dwelling animals may just be a taxidermied memory in a museum.
Claudia, a tourist and another victim to the strong sun that now shines on Vorland, Sweden.
A young tourist wearing one of the signature bathing suits that blocks Vorland’s strong sun.
“If I had all the money I ever dreamed of I’d probably travel around the world. First I go to Greece. My country.” – Teddy Vasilopoulos
“None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.” – Henry David Thoreau
This is Nishi Kentaro. He’s owned a sign making business in Tokyo for the last 30 years. When I asked him to show me what he’s most proud of he pulled out a samurai sword. He just recently started taking sword fighting lessons and it has become his new favorite activity.
This is Hawa, she’s 32 years old. Her husband left her a few years ago but she feels lucky to have a good job at the gas station where she has worked for over a year. She supports herself and her 3 children, which is not so common on the small, mostly Muslim island of Zanzibar. She dreams that her children will one day have the chance to go to secondary school.
Captain Quilling and his nephew, Paul Patkotak, have broken trail for the last three weeks to get to their lookout on the ice. The nine-mile trip from town on the ice-covered arctic is a rough one. Before the whale hunt begins, the amateur members of the crew hack and chop away big chunks of ice to ensure a smooth ride out for sleds, the skin boat and the rest of the team. Last fall, at only 9 years old, Paul became the youngest Eskimo to have ever harpooned and killed a whale.
Yani “Nancy” Ortiz lives in this house with her husband and their three children, ages 2, 5 and 10. They have lived here for six years, and they gave it a fresh coat of Limoncillo paint in December.
At 23, Litalina, is the mother of three children. Giro, her youngest, is 1 year old. Every three months, Litalina does her friend, Maria Lopez’s, hair extensions, which cost Maria 294 pesos, equal to the cost of two weeks’ food for her family.
Supermodel Mariacarla Boscono is the muse of Riccardo Tisci, designer of Givenchy. Lucilla is in the 6th grade and love’s things that sparkle.
“If I had all the money I ever dreamed of, I’d buy beauty. Beauty CAN be bought you know.” – Hu Li Hue
A few years ago, the sugar cane industry offered lifetime pensions to anyone who saved more than 350 paystubs during their working lives. Here, Chi Chi proudly shows some of the paystubs he saved. He was the only person in the Batey to have saved more than 350 paystubs, which earned him and his wife, Sonia, a monthly pension of 2,985 pesos.
Suleiman is a blind man living in New York City. In early 2007 he picked up golfing and he goes to the driving range on Chelsea Piers twice a week after work. Watching him golf is unbelievable. He has it down to a science. He places the ball on the ground, feels the distance between his foot and the ball, then he slowly stands up, takes a deep breath and hits it like he has 20/20 vision. “You don’t have to see to play golf. Golf is not visual – it’s all about the sensation of the moment, feeling and visualization. It’s a precise, careful, deliberate game. Just picturing everything in your head – angle, placement, form, swing – requires every aspect of yourself. It’s all about slow concentration, being in tune with yourself and learning to be patient. It’s relaxing, it’s tense, I love it.” – Suleiman Rifai
A lady sitting in her son’s garage.
Francesco Montanari is an Italian actor on both the screen and on the stage. He’s famous for his role in a crime series called Romanza Criminale. Nicola is in his first year of high school and hopes to some day become a sports commentator.
There came a point during my trip to Tanzania when I ran out of model releases, so I traveled to the nearest town where I asked at least five people where I could make some copies. I eventually came across this man’s shop. His only business was making copies but he acted like it was the first time he had ever touched the machine. The first copy came out completely black and it took him eight more tries to make it look readable. Then I told him that I needed 15. After each copy, the machine got stuck, and he would have to take it apart. At some point during those twenty five minutes I took out my camera and snapped this picture.
A woman stands patiently at the pedibus stop in Vorland.
This lady works in an apple orchard and lives in a convent nearby.
A very early Sunday morning, listening to Pavarotti on his boom box while on the way to work.
Fausta (pictured left) is an Italian missionary who has been living in Tanzania for the last 13 years. She started an orphanage that’s home to more than 400 children, many of which are infected with HIV. Every month local people bring more children to Fausta in hopes that she will make a place for them in her orphanage. Here she is seen photographing a child that she is considering taking in.
I only took 3 pictures of this man. Before the last shot I asked him to be more serious. This was the 3rd shot.
Steve Irwin is a pastor who traveled nearly 1,700 miles to arrive in Sturgis. He’s attended every summer since 1992. At the rally he sets up a tent and holds church services to minister to bikers who have three passions: drinking beer, riding the Black Hills and keeping Jesus in their lives. Steve said his church in North Carolina caters to people from all backgrounds and walks of life, but that the majority of his hometown congregation is comprised of bikers.
An August afternoon in Harlem.
This lady had an obsession with fish. Here, she is showing off one of her plastic swordfish heads that she keeps on display in the backyard.
Erving is 86 years old. He grew up in Harlem and then moved to Brooklyn in the mid 60′s. He spends most of his time either watching TV or hanging out at the senior citizen center down the street.
