Hearing my classmates share their ideas for the Capstone project inspired me to think deeply about an area that intrigues me, while also pushing me out of my comfort zone. Last semester, I took a course called Comm 440- Global Iconic Events. We spent the semester examining- just as the title suggests- global iconic events. These events ranged from the assassination of JFK to the Royal Wedding. For our final paper, we each could choose any event that interested us. I wanted to take a different approach to this assignment, and examine individual life events in a global sphere. In order to do this, I examined the “Real Humans of New York”. I am not sure if everyone is familiar with this, but it is essentially a collection of photographs of subjects all over the world who share pieces of their life stories. The pictures are then posted to Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and other social media sites.
While researching for this paper, I was was shocked to find how other viewers were able to deeply connect with the people in the photos. The comments on the Facebook or Instagram pictures was incredibly supportive. For this project, I am interested in exploring how vulnerability can lead to empathy, shared connection, and understanding. I think it would be particularly interesting to explore this concept with an audience and area who are seemingly disconnected. I would appreciate any feedback you all may have for me! Good luck brainstorming ideas!
