Jan. 24th/26th- Humans of New York

Learning Objective: A1.4 Select industry-specific works and analyze the intent of the work and the appropriate use of media.

A3.6 Investigate and discuss universal concepts expressed in visual media products from diverse cultures.

A4.2 Deconstruct how beliefs, cultural traditions, and current social, economic, and political contexts influence commercial media (traditional and electronic).

A4.4 Analyze the relationship between the artist, artistic product and audience in both an existing and self-generated project.

A4.5 Analyze and articulate how society influences the interpretation and effectiveness of an artistic product.

Requirements:

Go in pairs or groups of three.

Ask a relevant, open-ended question.

Record the interview with a voice recorder app like NOTES, which will automatically transcribe it for you.

Take portraits (multiple) during the interview while your subject talks. You can also take photographs afterward. Your subject's face does NOT have to be in the picture.

Return to class and record your subject's interview in a Google Doc.

Edit their photo.

Submit their photo AND the Google Doc with their interview.

Questions you may want to ask:

Here are 10 questions inspired by Humans of New York interview-style storytelling. These questions aim to evoke personal, reflective, and meaningful responses:

1. Who is someone you don't talk to anymore and why?

2. Tell me about someone you wanted to be like as a kid.

3. What's something you want in 2025 that you didn't get or accomplish last year?

4. What is one moment in your life that changed everything for you?

5. If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?

6. What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make, and how did it shape you?

7. What’s a memory that always makes you smile, no matter what?

8. What’s a fear you’ve overcome, and how did you do it?

9. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?

10. What’s one thing people misunderstand about you?

11. If you could relive one day in your life, what day would it be, and why?

12. What’s a challenge you’re facing right now, and how are you working through it?

13. What does happiness look like to you?

14. What’s a moment when you felt truly proud of yourself?

15. What’s a tradition or ritual that holds special meaning for you?

16. What’s a story about your childhood that still makes you reflect on who you’ve become today?

17. What’s something you’ve struggled to forgive—either in yourself or someone else?

18. What’s a time when you felt completely out of your comfort zone, and how did you handle it?

19. What’s a dream you’ve held onto for a long time, and how has it evolved over the years?

20. What’s a moment when you felt truly proud of yourself?

21. What’s the kindest thing someone has ever done for you?

22. What’s a lesson you had to learn the hard way?

    
    

These open-ended questions encourage introspection and allow people to share meaningful, authentic stories about their experiences.

Submit to "Humans of Northridge" in Schoology.

Mrs. Pollard's example interview with a student on CSUN's campus:

I would tell my younger self not to put all your eggs in one basket. Stay in school. I took like a two or three-year break from school. I used to be a professional gamer. I used to go to tournaments like five days out of the week locally and then Id have to travel like every month or twice a month to a tournament and I was doing fine then, but the problem is it doesn’t last forever. I didn’t realize that at the time. Then I quickly realized that I should probably go to school for something more sustainable so I just wish I’d been in school earlier instead of finally taking school seriously like at 21. I realized that as I got older, I realized that this video game stuff is like, it’s not gonna last. The game’s gonna end a new game is gonna come out. It’s possible I won’t be as good at that one, like if I don’t put as much time into it. Plus, it’s just not worth it. There’s like no future in that. It’s risky and you could still do that while being in school. There’s no point in doing only that. There’s a lot of older Street Fighter players who are in their mid-30s and early 40s were doing fine for themselves, but like it’s a really stressful life and lotta hustle. It is a lot of hustle and it’s just like- why do only that? I think it’s just an excuse. “I’m doing this so I don’t need to go to school.” That’s just risky. Now I’m in school now for computer science. I’d also tell my younger self, life is not a race. Just take things at your own pace. As long as you’re making progress, that’s all you need!- C.