Instagram Journalism: Salem Profiles
by Amanda Rosa
As part of their exploration of different journalism genre, Salem State University’s Journalism Practicum students have been experimenting with “instagram journalism,” a form made popular by Humans of New York.
Here are some Humans of Salem, courtesy of Amanda Rosa.
Meet Crash. This wise man sits with his friends downtown and speaks of the history, the true history, of Salem, Massachusetts. The history that Crash likes to tell is the history that sometimes gets lost in the commerciality of Salem to the tourists that visit. Yes, it’s famous for the witch trials, but do you know all of the gruesome details and the torture that occurred during these times? Crash does, and he will tell you all about it if you just listen. “Salem is the Disneyland of Genocide,” he names it. As my friends and I listen to the details of all that happened in Salem’s past times, it strikes me as an interesting, and mind-blowing thing that a subject so horrible, so morbid, could bring people from such different backgrounds together to create a story of the historic past hidden in the merchandise and fun of a town known as Salem. See on Instagram
#Salem #Crash#History #Listen
The student full of light and laughter. Ashley was a smiling soul that laughed as I asked to take her picture. Timid yet full of life and eager to talk to a stranger like me. We talked in the Salem park about the weather, about the wired squirrel chasing his friend up the tree, about the green, green grass and the bright blue sky that day and how lovely the town of Salem truly is. Strangers are strangers until you just let go of your fear and do this crazy thing called talking. When you open up and listen to what strangers have to say, you realize that strangers are truly just friends you haven’t met yet. “We have so much in common,” she said after we chatted about the camera she had around her neck. Come to find out we both are photographers that love taking shots of nature in all of it’s pure beauty. Don’t let strangers intimidate you, they are just like you, human, and ready to talk if you’re willing to listen. See on Instagram
#Strangers #Salem#Laughter #Communicate
He uttered a quiet “thank you very much,” as I dropped in the wrinkled dollar from my backpack. His heart and soul just poured out of his fingertips into his guitar strings and flooded the streets of downtown Salem, Massachusetts. Bill wasn’t in it for the money, or for the glory, anyone walking by could tell he was there to unleash the emotions he had within. He was there to spread the feelings that music can give, the love that this world needs. The sweet melodies and his rugged look were quite the interesting pair, but the historic scenery Salem has to offer brought the two contrasting senses together and formed a peaceful vibe that left you no other option but to drop your crinkled dollar in his guitar case and nod in appreciation to his gentle, soft “thank you.” Thank you Bill of Salem for sharing your melodies with our world. See on Instagram
#Music #Salem #ThankYou #Melody#Downtown #Musician #PeopleOfSalem
Mary the woman with the kind eyes opening a door to her gentle soul. She sits downown and quietly watches the world around her. She has friends that sit on the benches nearby and do most of the talking while she listens and nods. Looking at this sweet soul you can almost feel the life she has lived, the moments that have passed by, the memories that she holds onto. Even though there were only a few words spoken, and only the agreeing, “exactly”, or , “yes it’s true”, she would utter as her friend was telling me of the history of Salem, it was almost as if she was talking more than he. The small amount of conversation almost spoke more loudly than everyone else’s conversations in downtown Salem that day. For her emotion in her eyes told the stories of her life, and that is all you needed to understand. See on Instagram
#PeopleOfSalem#SpeakingFromTheSoul #Emotion#Kindness #Stories #Salem
