From West Africa to the Bronx, a Retail Maven Dreams Big
by Cassandra Basler, NY City Lens
Alawe Fouleratou sold dress wraps in Guinea. Now, she sells “everything” in the Bronx.
Bronx-born City Planner Can’t Get Enough of his Hometown
by Max Burman, NY City Lens
With his pet Cockatiels and an apartment full of New York artifacts, Sam Goodman is not your ordinary politician.
Meet Riverside Church’s Unofficial Gardener
by Christine Chung, NY City Lens
A 73-year-old parishioner took over a messy plot in 2012, and it’s been a garden of blooms ever since.
Harlem’s Aspiring Yogi Proves Yoga isn’t for the Weak-Minded
by Mally Espaillat, NY City Lens
“It’s the little sparks that add up to something big,” says Lara Land.
The Activist Who Ran for Governor
by Cherno Baba Jallow, NY City Lens
Randy Credico, activist, comedian, candidate, has no time to rest.
A Cop Who’s A Clown
by Hezi Jiang, NY City Lens
Michael Fandal fought crime in his police uniform. Retired, he says, he’ll continue fighting it—in costume.
South Bronx Defender
by Latena Hazard, NY City Lens
Public defender Shaf’on Venable wants to make a difference in her clients’ lives.
You Can Meet Her Off Broadway and In The Heights
by Reshmi Kaur Oberoi, NY City Lens
For Elizabeth Ruf-Maldonado, committing to an off-Broadway path was a ride or die move.
Don’t Call Him a Street Artist
by Shannon Luibrand, NY City Lens
Cram Concepts would like to be known as a mural painter, an art form he particularly likes.
Where Cuban Food Seeks Its Future
by Daniela Porat, NY City Lens
Monica Zaldivar and the restaurant dynasty she heads offer a glimpse into what it means to be Cuban American.
A Gallery Owner Who Paints a Muted Portrait of His Past
by Arianna Skibell, NY City Lens
Jeff Jaffe grew up in South Africa, whose apartheid policies he found abhorrent. He eventually found a home in art.