About
This project is a creative examination of where we are personally, professionally, emotionally and geographically during these uncertain times.
Through a mixed media expression of poetry and photography, participants were invited to submit a single image that captures what’s true for them and pair it with a haiku to communicate the desired sentiment.
Project Goals:
To ease the ache of social distancing
To gather in creative expression
To create connection during a very disconnected time
This project is for us.
All of us.
It is a collective conversation about what we’re thinking and feeling amidst the sudden and startling shift brought on by the need for social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis.
The collected expressions are displayed here an online gallery to offer a more nuanced contextualization of the times. The project will also be shared as a case study of student-led creative projects, virtual collaboration, and community building during the COVID-19 quarantine that has disrupted education and life as we know it.
Our Team
Kevin Roberts - Project Lead
“We all share philosophies, yet not a single one of us shares the same story”- Brandon Stanton, Creator - Humans of New York
During this odd time in the world I aimed to find ways to help people stay connected while staying creative. As time has passed the project evolved into something much bigger than what I originally had it to be. My main mission is to help others know that their story is unique and powerful no matter the extremities or conditions.
Britany Gorman - Web Design
In a time when social distancing is the norm I want to get close: to myself as well as my cohort. This is a really special time to be vulnerable and kind above all else. I’m using Where You At? to listen and shorten the gap between you, my classmates and my own feelings. My intentions are to share an emotional, creative journey in a really close way via poetry and photos.
Kabreea White - Graphic Design
To have positive thoughts that lead to positive emotions, which lead to positive behaviors. My goal with this project is to take on new challenges and use this time to be more productive. I want to challenge myself to think creatively and use that creativity to create meaningful content. I struggle a lot with anxiety and that leads to me procrastinating a lot so I thought I would take the opportunity to use this project to get me more motivated about getting stuff done and creating work to put in my portfolio.
CJ Smith - Contributor
I’m looking to self-reflect these grim times with something uplifting, or yet humorous. I once was passionate about creative writing, and have steered off track the past few years, and now I feel that some kind of poetry will push me back into it. I generally want to get back into forgotten life-long interests and maybe find some new inspirations in the process.
Katerra White
I want to use this project as an opportunity to practice using a picture to tell and create a story that people can connect with. I’ve just started out in photography and I haven’t had the chance to play around with my own camera--until now. So, I would like to try to express my feelings and emotions about all of this through a photo. I also would like to use it as a way to help me relax and calm me down because this has made me very scared. I think doing this project for myself would help lighten the mood and make me feel a bit better about the situation.
Taylor Maxson
I plan on doing a few different things for my poems. For starters, I plan on using this opportunity to “vent”, expressing my emotions and how I am feeling during this quarantine. Also, I plan to attempt to write poems based around some of the places I have traveled to, in an attempt to “transport” individuals to said locations. Lastly, while talking with our group leader Kevin, we came up with the idea of me interviewing other people (those who may not feel comfortable or capable at writing their own poems) and writing poems on their behalf.
James Goleman
My goal is to remind everyone to either find something new that they love or to reconnect with something in order to stay positive. Sometimes all it takes is starting up a new or old hobby to stay happy when times are tough.
Amirah Muhammad
My goal is to remain fluid in such a stressed, stagnant time. I know I am stuck inside but I want to make the most of this time by doing everything I can to lift myself emotionally, mentally, and financially. To feel that you can still move when the world is on pause is liberating.
Emily Wray - Project Mentor
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I think that’s verbose. My goal with this project is to strip away the excess, all the filler, all the fluff, and challenge us to express a simple, beautiful, devastating truth in just 17 syllables.
Derek Sammartino
My goal is to make content that moves people and gives them a nostalgic feel. For example the first picture I took is from when I went on a bike ride with my cousin and I used to bike everywhere as a kid. I just feel like I am a little kid again when I am riding around.
Sophia Perez
My goal is to challenge my mind by thinking under these set parameters. I hope to write something that resonates with others. Lastly, I hope to use these haikus as little lessons brought to me by the anguish and/or clarity of quarantine.
My mission is to support Kevin with this great project he has put together.