A helping hand Archives - Tony Ward Studio

Jing Liu: Time Heals

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Jing Liu

Yang is a friend of mine. I met him in class in 2014 and my first impression of him was cold and unfriendly. He seldom talked and he was always by himself. We didn’t even say hello until we were assigned to the same study group half a year later, and that’s when we started to get familiar with each other. As we learned more about each other, he started to open his heart and tell me a story hidden deep inside his psyche.

Yang grew up in Beijing, and he met his girlfriend Chi when he was 17. It was his first love. They were still high school students then where they used to sneak out of school, drank beers while sitting on Tiananmen Square late at night. They talked about dreams and the future while lying on the grass in the park. They forged ID’s to get a hotel room. They went to an Art Museum and stared at one painting of Vincent van Gogh for a whole day without talking. They did all sorts of crazy things together. They were classmates, friends, soul mates, lovers and eventually went to college together. They were happy for four years. Yang thought they would get married, because he believed Chi was the one. Unfortunately, something bad happened. Chi passed away suddenly because of a car accident. It’s very painful for a young boy to accept this fact. He fell into a deep sorrow, felt lonely, helpless and desperate.

Beijing is a city full of good and bad memories for him and he couldn’t stay in the city anymore. He decided to go abroad to escape from the painful memories. That is why he came to Upenn, where he hoped a foreign environment and stressful graduate student life would occupy his mind. But the loneliness even made him worse and he turned to drugs and alcohol. He lost himself, and didn’t believe he’d have the ability to love anyone else, including himself.

He said he’s very thankful for my friendship, because of one unintentional word of mine. A long time ago when were not so close, I was talking about a scar on my knee and I said: “time will heal all of your pains.” I smiled and I looked into his eyes. He realized, yes, maybe time is the cure.

Is time the cure? He doubted, he waited, he struggled, he tried.

He tried so hard. He is better now, at least he no longer looks like the lonely and sad boy as before. He communicates more with others, he goes to parties and he meets more new friends.

But I can still feel his weakness inside. He’s like wearing a mask. Time cures him partially and gives him the ability to camouflage. There is still a long way to go for time to heal his heart. I believe the power of time and so does he.

About the Author: Jing Liu is a graduate student in Fine Arts at the University of Pennsylvania.

Corey Fader: My Second Mom

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Corey Fader

For the first 16 years of my life, Myra was like a second mother to me. While my parents were busy working, Myra was there to take care of all of the housekeeping, cooking, and my sister and me. As early as I can remember, she would push me around in a stroller to museums such as the Please Touch, Franklin Institute, and the Museum of Natural History. She was always there to bathe, feed, and support me in any possible way.

As I grew older, everything around me started to change. I went through a notorious time in my life when I had to figure out exactly what I wanted to be. I was on the brink of expulsion at school, and I was associating myself with a bad group of friends. Even though these were a few rough years for me, I always knew that I could come home and have Myra brighten my day. She taught me right from wrong, and significantly helped me navigate my way through tough situations.

Entering high school, I was aware that my time with Myra was beginning to come to a close. My sister was getting ready to go off to college, and I was much more self-reliant than when I was younger. As each day of freshman year went by, I realized that we were that much closer to the end.

I can still vividly remember the day that I learned that Myra would no longer be with us. My parents let me know that Myra had received a full-time teaching position at Trinity Academy. I immediately went to my room to cry, and I was confident that Myra was doing the same on the other end.

I suppose people are correct when they say that you never fully appreciate something until it is gone. There is not a day that goes by that Myra does not cross my mind, and I can honestly say that I would not be where I am without her.

Photography and Text by Corey Fader

About the Author: Corey Fader is a freshman enrolled in the Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2018

Transformation: New Americans in Philadelphia

33 people of Burma — Photography by Harvey Finle, Copyright 2015.

Posted on January 21, 2015, by Roberta Fallon (TheArtBlog.org)

A Photographic Exhibition by Harvey Finkle at the main branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia Until 2/15/15 in Conjunction with “One Book, One Phildelphia.”

An historic, exciting transformation is occurring in this unique neighborhood, South Philadelphia, the original destiny for immigrants arriving in this city during the last decades of the 19^th century and early 20^th century. This diminishing population of descendents of European immigrants from over a century ago are being replaced today by immigrants from a variety of other countries, but bringing the same energy, values and hopes brought by their predecessors a century ago. As a Jewish community that some once estimated at a quarter million evaporated and the Italian community slowly shrinks, they are being replaced by Indochinese from Cambodian, Vietnam and Laos; by Indonesians of both Christian and Muslim faiths; by Mexicans and most recently by refugees from Nepal and Burma.

South Philadelphia is a microcosm of what is occurring in old neighborhoods of many large cities throughout the country. New immigrants and refugees are revitalizing urban neighborhoods with their energy and commitment that emulate what prior immigrants brought. Homes, shops and restaurants, once vacant and deteriorating are being regenerated; schools are being refilled; even religious facilities are being restored or constructed to reflect the varied belief systems of these new arrivals. Simply put, they work hard, want to live in safety, raise their families, educate their children and worship without fear.

This is a unique historic moment. The issues of immigration are once more at the forefront of a national discussion. Immigration will continue to be a natural occurrence throughout a globalizing world, imposing the need for major political and policy decisions. Social movements have already blossomed. An organized, informed grass roots effort can influence and enable beneficial decisions. This work can offer some small contribution to the already existing local and national discussion.