What commenced as an attempt to showcase vast diversity within a local community has now become an international phenomenon which everyone seems to be talking about. With over eight million followers on social media such as Instagram and Facebook, Humans of New York has become a prominent blog whose aim is to celebrate cultural diversity. Created by Brandon Stanton, it presents distinct images of New York inhabitants accompanied by a caption that elaborates on their life-story or an instance that has molded their existence.

“The trademark of Humans of New York, is its depiction of real people, and the commoner’s life. The blog reaches out to both the remarkable, and the underachiever, with every detail. It presents the perfect balance between the heart-warming, and the horrendous, the almost divinely inspired, and the ignorant, the extravagant, and the crude disgust of poverty,” junior Joseph Villafañé said.

Stanton walks around the busy streets of New York City and listens to anyone willing to share their story. Not only does Humans of New York provide a clear portrayal of an individual’s reality, it presents the jarring nature of a person’s life yet it also depicts the joyful instances that mold an individual. With increasing popularity, Stanton took his project to the next level publishing Little Humans, a New York Times best-seller, which showcases the distinction of today’s youth.

“The reason I enjoy Humans of New York so much is that it teaches me about different cultures, and it helps me understand and sympathize with those who don’t have the most fortunate upbringing,” junior Tatiana Taylor said.

Originally intended to be a book, Humans of New York presents the serendipitous hardships and moments of exuberance that sculpt an individual. Brandon Stanton has commenced a revolutionary ideology which draws away from ethnocentrism and emphasizes the appreciation of a uniquely diverse society.