Note from the Author

I first want to thank Brandon Stanton as the springboard for starting this project. In a time where my community was suffering as a result of COVID-19, I desperately searched for a way to help unite the community. COVID-19 both physically and socially isolated us, and I wanted to find a way for people to know they are not alone. It was here that I was introduced to Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, where he photographed and interviewed thousands of New York residents. Seeing this as a perfect segue to bring the community together while still staying physically apart, I launched Humans of Wayne County (HoWC), with the goal of interviewing, photographing, and sharing the stories of our beloved Wayne County citizens.

During my time working on HoWC, I have come into contact with unique individuals each with a captivating story to tell from all walks of life. I want to thank each of my participants in this project for being so open and willing to share their distinct stories and experiences. HoWC has grown in popularity in a way I never could have imagined, and that’s a direct result of the people who participate in it. Without them and their stories, HoWC never could have taken off in the way it did.

I hope this book serves as a glimpse into the extraordinary people of Wayne County. For this book, I have combined my passion for photography with HoWC. Here you will see eclectic photos of places that are unique to Wayne County. The photos combined with stories of the people who live in the county make it an extraordinary place.

One of my goals with this project was to showcase that our differences and our diversity make us stronger. Racial, ethnic, socio-economic, geographical, gender, age and many, many other backgrounds illustrated in the stories of the people of Wayne County show that those differences give us an opportunity to help each other in diverse ways. Therefore, for those purposes, I have removed all salutations and last names from the stories. All interviewees are addressed simply by their first name. Photographs of all interviewees are in the back of this book in random order.

I plan to continue conducting interviews and taking photographs after this book is published, but even that will only serve as a snapshot of the exceptional people in this county. My goal in releasing this book is to highlight the rich history that our county has to offer. People may often complain about how little there is to do in the county, when, in reality, our county flourishes in diversity and developments while maintaining its close-knit community feel. This book serves to display how lucky we are to be together in Wayne County.

Lastly, I want to thank the Wayne County Public Library for their support on this project. From the inception of HoWC to conducting interviews to helping spread the project, they have supported me along every step of the way. This project could not be possible without the library’s aid. I especially want to thank Ms. Donna Phillips, library director, and Ms. Jessica Lozano, public relations/library assistant for their positive encouragement and feedback.

Proceeds and funds generated from the sale of the books will go directly to supporting the Wayne County Public Library and their mission to strengthen out community by bringing people together to explore, discover, and connect.

I hope you enjoy the photos and stories in this book as much as I did. Thank you!

-Rohan