So, who is Kevin Morris? Well, I’m sure many of you know him – he’s literally everywhere on campus and knows pretty much everyone. But for those of you who don’t know Kevin personally, here are some details:
Year: Junior
Major: Economics and History, double-major
Minor: Political Science
Campus Involvement: International Connections Program, SGA Attorney General, Pre-Law Society, Collegiate 4-H Club, Economics Club, Study Abroad Ambassador, Library Council, Council of Student Ambassadors (Tour Guide), and the Honors Program
If none of this rings a bell, you might know Kevin as the man behind the “Humans of New York”-inspired Georgia College: Community pages and photos popping up on your Facebook feed. I had the privilege to talk to Kevin when he had a few free minutes in his day.
Obviously, you’ve drawn your inspiration from the infamous social media hit, Humans of New York, but what made you want to start a Georgia College version?
Well, Humans of New York is great, but no one is really surprised to see that much diversity or that many interesting people in New York – it’s kind of known for that. I wanted to showcase the diversity here at GCSU; people are incredible and they’re doing incredible things and I want everyone to know it.
Have you always been into photography?
I’ve always been interested in photography, but this is actually all very new to me. I just saved up enough money to get a beautiful camera, so I’m still learning! Humans of New York came out and got big around the same time I got the camera, so I figured why not? It’s a great way to do something for Georgia College and a really fun way for me to practice!
What’s been the most interesting thing you’ve learned in your interviews so far?
Gosh, there’s so many great interviews…I’m having to vote in my mind. Although it’s an exterior-based project, it’s so fascinating to me to learn more about people. There’s a worker in the MAX who’s a registered Cherokee and spent summers with her relatives learning how to hunt and fish. I mean, even my friends have these back stories that I didn’t even know. For example, one of my friends chose to be a biology major because the resources and technology in her home country, Liberia, aren’t up to par; something that really stuck with me from that interview is she wants to “give people a chance.”
How exactly does this all come together? The subjects, interviews, and all that jazz?
So far, I’ve been interviewing mostly my friends; I want to expand obviously, but there’s so much diversity even within my friend group that I haven’t even exhausted those resources yet. There’s so many people doing such great things in physics, English, research, internships, clubs, and activities on campus; finding people who are really passionate about something is where it starts. After that, I just talk to them. Sometimes I go in with a plan, but people surprise you, and when they start talking about something that means a lot to them, it’s really interesting to see where the conversation goes. Some people think that, “Oh, I’m not diverse or interesting,” but leave that to me – I just need a picture and then I can pull the cool stuff that’s already there out of you.
What do you hope comes from this project?
I hope to inspire people to look past the exterior and really get to know people on a deeper level. I also hope that this project goes outside of GCSU and that prospective students can see this. I think Georgia College is so underrated; it’s a great school and I want everyone to see the diversity we have and the amazing things our student body is doing.
Were you surprised by the response to this project? I mean, people kinda went nuts!
Yeah! It was crazy; it spread like wildfire for sure. I never expected it to be this popular. One of the pictures the other day broke 100 likes. People have been so enthusiastic and cooperative! Word spread and people have been reaching out to me that they know someone who would be great to interview or they have a story they want to tell, and that’s what I want! If anyone is interested, just reach out to me.
Anything else you want to put out there?
I promise it’s not awkward! The talking and posing and all – it’s fun. If anyone wants to get involved, just reach out to me and let me know. And like the Georgia College: Community page on Facebook!
Check out Georgia College: Community on Facebook or on its new blog!