Humans of UVA explores human connection and shared experiences. Since 2019, we’ve looked to Brandon Stanton (founder of “Humans of New York”) as the primary influence on our work, utilizing his interview and street photography processes as inspirations for our own. Members new and returning interview strangers in the community at random, resulting in a social media post highlighting each person’s unique story accompanied with portrait photography.
We strive to explore the UVA community one story at a time by capturing a glimpse into each other’s unique lives. We believe everyone has a story to share and work to make those voices heard.
Humans of UVA would not be possible without the leaders that worked to build our legacy both past and present. A few special thanks go out to Allison Li (former president), Divya Shan (former president), as well as the rest of the UVA community that never ceases to inspire us.
Caroline is currently a third year Media Studies and French double major born and raised in Durham, North Carolina. She has loved her time with Humans of UVA -- getting the chance to engage with her community through storytelling and exploring the diversity within it. She is excited to continue expanding the organization's reach at UVA and beyond.
Jake Berton is currently a fourth year American Studies major who plans on becoming a history teacher in his future. Jake is from the outer suburbs of Philadelphia, from Quakertown, Pennsylvania. “The club has entirely changed my experience here at UVA, as it’s allowed me to understand what it means to be human, and how to communicate with one another about those experiences.”
Lara is currently a third year Neuroscience major. She plans to attend law school and practice intellectual property law. She grew up in Florida before moving to Virginia and later attending UVA. She is a classically trained pianist and cellist and enjoys traveling, photography, film, and baking. An avid fan of Humans of New York, Lara was ecstatic to find our parallel at UVA.
Leena is a third year who plans on majoring in Media Studies with a specific interest in broadcast. She is proudly Palestinian, but grew up in Northern Virginia as well as Doha, Qatar. She thrives off new experiences, conversation and human connection, making Humans of UVA the perfect opportunity to express this.
Ruby is a second year who is currently a second year hoping to study Political and Social Thought and Women and Gender Studies. Ruby was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and is hoping to pursue a career in journalism. She is passionate about Judaism, childhood cancer awareness, travel, and connecting with new people and their cultures!
2023-2024 Interviewers
Caroline Aldridge (“Carving Out Brightness”)
Zoe Butler (“The Little Things”)
Ruby Kaufman (“Have I Ever Been in Love? Certainly.”)
2022-2023 Interviewers
Caroline Aldridge (“This is Real” / “A Different Connection” / “The Journey” / “Something That Endures”)
Jake Berton (“For Color May Always be Found”)
Zoe Butler (“What I Wear Now Feels Like Me” / “I Don’t Feel Like I’m Running”)
Lara Ergun (“The Game” / “I Hope They Can Stay Safe”)
Leena Fraihat (“This is Real”)
Belle Garber (“Yeah, That’s What Love is”)
Ruby Kaufman (“The Potential to Help” / “More Than Coffee” / “If No One Understands Me, the Page Will”)
Katie Pan (“A Fresh Start”)
Lillie Paris (“The Most Beautiful Thing I’ve Ever Seen”)
Anika Pruntel (“You Can Be Whatever Person You Want to Be”)
Rana Richie (“The Time I Did Mushrooms in my Backyard” / “You’re Not Always Going to Have Football” / “A Different Timeline”)
Bella Tesoriere (“What I Bake Most Often are Layered Cakes”)
Riley Tomek (“We Will Recover”)
2021-2022 Interviewers
Zach Abraham (“Balance”)
Caroline Aldridge (“Reconnecting with Roots” / “Gilmore Girl” / “It Gave Me Confidence, Autonomy, and Ability” / “A Fascinating Thing to Ponder”)
Hannah Bentrem (“Collective Change”)
Jake Berton (“The Really Bad Days and The Really Good Days” / “Don’t Let Hindsight Blind Judgement” / “I Felt Isolated”)
Lara Ergun (“Beneath the Surface” / “Having Conviction is the First Step”)
Leena Fraihat (“They Had No Idea” / “I Love My Dyslexia” / “The Most Prepared Person in the Locker Room”)
Leena Heilizer (“The Cognizance of Misunderstanding”)
Sydney Jones (“They Had No Idea”)
Anjali Kapadia (“RAP Stands for Rhythm and Poetry”)
Callie Knight (“When the World’s Falling Apart: A Survival Guide”)
Allison Li (“I Want to be a Librarian” / “When the World’s Falling Apart: A Survival Guide” / “Do You Know This Song?” / “The Cognizance of Misunderstanding” / “I’ve Started to Love Colors” / “I’m Very Much Like my Mom”)
Mary Pollard (“Collective Change”)
Peihong Shi (“A Loving Small Town”)
Samantha Wong (“I Think We’re Doing Good Work Here” / “The Freedom of Thankfulness” / “A Whole New Light”)
Copyright © 2022 Humans of UVA - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.