Imagine. A genie grants you three wishes. How shall you spend your wish currency?—On power? On fame? On fortune? For Vidal, a young man from Brownsville, Brooklyn, the genie bottle appeared in the form of a Canon camera and a question posed by Brandon Stanton, the man behind the photo blog Humans of New York (HONY). “Who’s influenced you the most in your life?” The question befit a college admittance essay; Vidal's answer will one day be responsible for college acceptances.
So what was his response?—Ms. Lopez, his middle school principal at Mott Hall Bridges Academy. But the title principal isn't sufficient for Ms. Lopez. She's an encourager, a believer in her students, and a transformational leader. Though Mott Hall Bridges Academy's students live in a poor, crime-ridden area, Ms. Lopez calls her students scholars and has high expectations for all of them. Vidal's answer stuck with Brandon. Stanton decided to follow up with Ms. Lopez and chronicle the school's teachers & students. He also started an Indiegogo campaign to send the school's students on an annual field trip to Harvard University. The story resonated and the school's wishes were granted.
Fortune
The crowdfunding campaign raised money, a lot of money. Within the 20-day fundraising period more than 51,000 donors gave a combined 1.4 million to the cause. The field trip to Harvard was funded for ten years after $350,000 was raised. Then, a summer school program for the middle school was funded when the $700,000 mark was reached. All money over $700,000 went into a scholarship fund for the middle school's scholars; the first beneficiary will be the student who started it all, Vidal.
Fame
The stories on Humans of New York garner attention. In addition to the blog, HONY's social media accounts have many followers; its Facebook page has over 12 million likes. But the story of Mott Hill Bridges Academy went viral, even by HONY's standards. Widely-read news publications like The New York Times and USA Today published the story and Brandon, Vidal, and Ms. Lopez were interviewed by Ellen DeGeneres and Robin Roberts. The school's story and aspirations became more than something that its teachers and students championed—it became something Humans of the World championed.
Power
The story reached the White House where Vidal, Ms. Lopez, and Brandon met President Obama in the Oval Office. Though the White House is the biggest symbol of power in the United States, the campaign really proved the power of individuals. The power of a twelve-year-old's words. The power of a man's camera and his interest in strangers' stories. The power of a woman's vision for a group of underprivleged preteens. The 1.4 million dollar impact of 51,467 people making an average donation of only $27.55. Knowledge is power, and caring people are powerful.
by: Paige Witthar
