Artist statement: My work is a form of social practice, but when I started in 2010, I considered it street photography. I felt compelled to interact with the strangers I encountered on my daily walks through downtown Minneapolis, so I started using my camera as an excuse to break through socio-cultural barriers by asking people if I could take their photos. I made prints and gave them to the subjects when I saw them again. Their reactions were positive, so I kept doing it, even though it pushed me way out of my comfort zone. I enjoyed connecting organically with people outside my usual “circles” and began a process of intensive learning through intentional observation and engagement with people from all walks of life. I became adept at reading body language and listening without judgement. I now identify this practice as “mindful empathy.”

I relaunched the project in 2013 as Humans of Minneapolis, inspired by Humans of New York, and began posting first-person narratives with my photos on social media, eventually gaining 70,000 followers. Certain themes (acceptance/belonging; struggle/resilience; wanting better for our children; desire to be seen/heard) came up again and again. I became convinced that these universal experiences are deeper than the external things we allow to divide us, and that listening to stories is the most powerful tool we possess to bridge those gaps.

My process has evolved to be more trauma-informed and collaborative, and my work now includes panel discussions, workshops, public art, speaking engagements, gallery exhibits, and publishing a coffee table book in 2016. Whatever format it takes, my goal is to help people better understand one another through the lens of social justice.

Bio: Stephanie Glaros is an artist, speaker, author, and educator with more than twenty years of experience in marketing and visual communication. She was a magazine art director for almost a decade, most notably at Utne Reader. She taught graphic design at Minneapolis College and the University of Minnesota Hubbard School of Journalism. Her work has been featured in the Star-Tribune, Minnesota Monthly, City Pages, and on MPR, KARE11, WCCO-TV, and FOX9.