A young man walking down Fenchurch Street, London

Photographed by Alexander Williams.

I photographed this young man walking around Fenchurch Street, around the corner from the famous Sky Gardens located in East London. 

It is said that every young person has their life in front of them, creating new beginnings wherever they feel fit. Making a life for oneself requires time, transparency, and courage. To develop the courage to pursue what you desire is an act of self-belief, which can lead you wherever you wish. Allowing life to take you to a place where you never thought possible is something remarkable and for this young man, it can change a life forever. 

"Courage is a sign of achievement, achievement is a sign of self-belief and self-belief is the courage you need to experience the unknown"

 - Nelson Mandela. 

Moving to London at the young age of 23, I found myself in many situations one could never dream of. I have experienced life and learned so much about diversity which shaped me to be a man which I always wished to be, but never thought could happen. Creating a new life for yourself across the sea or within your own surroundings is a powerful achievement that can not go unnoticed. Allowing yourself to take a step back from time to time and reflect on one’s achievements will give you an extra amount of courage and belief which empowers progress. I have had to learn this technique as life can seem like a flash if not reflected on properly.  

I begin to wonder when focusing on this young man, the privileges on which is stowed upon him at birth. A young white male. Throughout history, one can imagine the struggles of other individuals who have had a very different life due to not fitting in within society's boundaries of how one should look, talk or act. Creating positive awareness within this day of age is vitally important not only for others that face unlawful acts of unkindness but for diversity empowerment. We find ourselves in unfortunate situations that we cannot foresee, however, creating an act of kindness even once a day can have a profound effect on someone which can create a chain reaction. 

"We need diversity if we are to change, grow and innovate" 

- Dr. Katherine W. Phillips

London has stolen my heart when it comes to diversity, but also experiencing unhealthy narratives creates a path for positive empowerment which was a fundamental part of why “Humans of London” was created and this blog will hopefully generate a chain of awareness and love. 

If you enjoyed this blog as much as I did, I hope you'll follow along for more.  

Thank you for reading... 

References:

How diversity makes us smarter 

How students benefit from school diversity 

Explaining diversity with children