In regards to the website, I wanted to focus on people who have found major success growing up in New York City. I believe that telling the story of a well-known celebrity who has taken the same train and walked to the same places we have will show how relatable they are. It can also illustrate the kind of influence NYC had on their careers, whether the place felt like home or a battlefield to get where they wanted. So was maybe thinking of choosing five different celebrities from each borough.
Robert Downey Jr.- Greenwich Village
Lana Del Rey- Brooklyn
Al Pacino- Bronx
50 Cent- Queens
Alyssa Milano- Staten Island
I would like to approach the public-facing project by telling the story of an Albanian immigrant who is ‘making it’ in New York. She came to America at the age of 10, serving as an interpreter for her parents. She has been living in the United States for 11 years now. I want to explore how her childhood differed from the ‘norm’ and how her immigration shaped her life, considering she lived half her life in Albania and half in the United States. As she plans to graduate college and attend law school, I would like to ask what she considers ‘making it’ in New York and if she can relate.
I hope to include past and present photography, as well as video segments–if possible.
with Constance Rosenblum, Spring 2014
