WELLNESS & WELL-BEING
We’re All Only Human
HOSTL’S LINDY DREW SHARES WORKINGS OF ORGANIZATION
By Vi c k i Fr e n c h B e n n i n g t o n
T
he concept for Humans of St. Louis, known colloquially
as HOSTL (though they are far from “hostile”), is the
brainchild of Lindy Drew and Caroline Fish. They
realized that though there were similar “Human”
projects in other cities, it was something that was
definitely lacking in St. Louis - especially when the people who live in
the area have so many interesting stories to tell.
As lead photographer, Drew went out onto the streets – sometimes
on her bike, sometimes on foot, to gather the words of ordinary citizens
(and the not-so-ordinary) throughout the city and beyond, while Fish
is the organization’s story editor.
Much of what’s been discovered through the conversations with
people of all ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, races and religions,
is the fact that we are all a lot more alike than we think, and people
(humans) like reading about other humans - the good, the bad and the
ugly. That’s what real life is made of.
The project has become extremely successful and popular, and the
team decided to commemorate the fifth anniversary of its conception
with the production of a book, highlighting some of the faces of St.
Louis, along with their stories. The book, entitled simply “Humans
of St. Louis” is slated for completion by the end of the year or shortly
thereafter. To pre-order, visit humansofstl.org.
Drew took the time out of her busy schedule of talking to, listening
to and photographing the faces of St. Louis to discuss the formation
and workings of HOSTL, and the people who all make it worthwhile.
Q: What inspired you to begin the Humans of St. Louis
project five years ago? Is it an extension of the Humans of
New York? Or affiliated with it?
Drew: I was looking for a documentary photography project to do
on the side in-between studying for classes at the Brown School of
Social Work at Washington University. A friend introduced me to
Caroline Fish, another student who had the idea to start the page, and
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we did it together. So many cities had “Humans of” sites popping up,
but St. Louis didn’t have one yet. So we teamed up and started hitting
the streets to see what would happen. Brandon Stanton’s work at
HUNY definitely influences our work, and over time, we’ve been able
to add our own spin to it.
Q: Are you and Caroline both still involved?
Drew: Yes, and we brought Dessa Somerside onto the team shortly
after we began. Both of them, along with a few other volunteers, help
with editing. And since we became a nonprofit, Caroline serves as the
board president, and Dessa is the vice president.
Q: Do you find all of your subjects by observing them and then
approaching them as strangers? Or do you ever have referrals
or people you hear about that you decide to interview?
Drew: I prefer relying on the organic nature of approaching strangers
on the street when gathering content for the page. It’s intriguing
to head out with my camera for the day without knowing who I’m
going to approach or what we’re going to talk about. Then, these
beautiful interactions just happen from a simple, “Hello.” When we’ve
done partnerships, like the United Way, Missouri Foundation for Health,
Forward Through Ferguson, and Migrant and Immigrant Community
Action Project, the companies or organizations usually have an idea
of who they’d like me to interview, so they’ll set those up, while also
allowing me to add in some unexpected stories that I get from riding
around town on my bike, or walking through neighborhoods on foot.
Q: What kind of reactions do you get from the people you
approach in public? Do most people that you ask agree to
be interviewed and/or photographed?
Drew: I hear everything from “I follow you on Instagram!” to “I couldn’t
possibly have anything interesting to share.” Most people are up for
participating, and even if they’re not so sure, we take it step by step. As