Blog #2: Soundwalk

I walked around my neighborhood in East Harlem one afternoon for my "soundwalk." The main keynote sound was the traffic along Lexington Avenue. There were buses, cars, taxis, and bicycles all competing for road space. Another major sound in the background was the subway entering and leaving the station, which I could hear through the grates in the sidewalk. One of the largest sound signal was the construction that's being done on the subway station. There were lots of workers and power tools all making noise at once. Mixed in with those sounds were the conversations people were having with one another, children shouting and laughing, and ambulance sirens making their way toward Mount Sinai Hospital. Street vendors made their sales and people who hang around outside a local liquor store argued among themselves. Tenants shook their keys and opened their front doors while an ice cream truck made one of its last rounds of the season playing its tinny song.

One of the soundmarks unique to where I live is the music that is always playing. People blast it out of stereos and car radios, filling the street with salsa music, hip-hop, and sometimes classic rock. There is also someone who practices the bagpipes somewhere nearby, but I've never spotted them. That particular instrument is one I never expected to hear when I moved into my apartment, but it has blended into the soundtrack of my neighborhood. This mix of cultures in the form of music represents East Harlem and the diverse group of people who live there.

Artist Statement

I've always loved media, ever since I was a child. I gobbled up as many movies, TV shows, news programs, music, theater, magazines, and books as I could. Around the age of 12, I realized that my passion for media, but especially films, could be turned into a career. I dreamed of becoming a filmmaker and working on movies that would win awards and praise from critics. I took as many film classes as I could, learned about cameras, and how to work with Final Cut Pro. But after I started thinking about applying to college, this dream shifted as I realized that film was not my only passion anymore. As a dual citizen of two very different countries, I was fascinated by how world governments worked together. I discovered that if I combined my love of media and my interest in international politics, the resulting career path was journalism.

Since I've decided to study journalism, I've had a goal of working in broadcast news: in television or on the radio. I don't necessarily want to be in front of the camera either. Instead, I'd rather produce and focus on international issues. My dream is to be a foreign correspondent for a large news organization. I'm still passionate about film as well so I also want to try telling stories in that way through documentary. I don't know if all of this is possible.

I am inspired by many different media-makers. Nicholas Kristof, the New York Times columnist and author of Half the Sky, comes to mind in terms of what stories I want to tell. Ira Glass and Sarah Koenig at NPR have sparked my interest in working in radio. As far as documentaries go, I love the films of Errol Morris, Michael Moore, Werner Herzog, Alex Gibney, Kirby Dick, and Jennifer Sibel-Newsom. I'm obsessed with filmmakers on YouTube like Casey Neistat and how he finds a way to shape a new story every day. I'd love to work for an established organization like NBC, CBS, BBC, or even Vice.

I don't consider myself an "artist" right now, but maybe taking this class will help me develop that.