Adel, Times Square
Ramadan 2016 was the longest in decades, due to coinciding with the summer solstice. Although he is fairly well-traveled, Adel Zo had never been out of Algeria during the holy month. He struggled with the work schedule, with missing his mother, and with the lack of community vibe. As a two-pack-a-day smoker, food wasn't even his biggest sacrifice. Halfway through Ramadan, he switched to working overnight shifts in Times Square, which was somewhat easier than the day shift had been, and occasionally allowed nearby cart workers to break fast together. Formerly a database administrator for Algeria's Ministry of Health, Adel fondly remembers people napping at his office or even at the mosque during Ramadan. Definitely not an option when you're hustling smoothies 12 hours at a time.
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Hi friends! Are you on Instagram? If so, please follow me @nancyc_huang (www.instagram.com/nancyc_huang/) for photos that are about 95% different than what I post here on Flickr. I'm currently working on a long-term project on the stories of immigrant street food vendors in New York, and will be sharing a few of the photos I've posted there. I have a description & essay format on nancychuang.com/streetvendors.html , but I really hope you'll join me over on Instagram for newer images & continuing progress.
Adel, Times Square
Ramadan 2016 was the longest in decades, due to coinciding with the summer solstice. Although he is fairly well-traveled, Adel Zo had never been out of Algeria during the holy month. He struggled with the work schedule, with missing his mother, and with the lack of community vibe. As a two-pack-a-day smoker, food wasn't even his biggest sacrifice. Halfway through Ramadan, he switched to working overnight shifts in Times Square, which was somewhat easier than the day shift had been, and occasionally allowed nearby cart workers to break fast together. Formerly a database administrator for Algeria's Ministry of Health, Adel fondly remembers people napping at his office or even at the mosque during Ramadan. Definitely not an option when you're hustling smoothies 12 hours at a time.
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Hi friends! Are you on Instagram? If so, please follow me @nancyc_huang (www.instagram.com/nancyc_huang/) for photos that are about 95% different than what I post here on Flickr. I'm currently working on a long-term project on the stories of immigrant street food vendors in New York, and will be sharing a few of the photos I've posted there. I have a description & essay format on nancychuang.com/streetvendors.html , but I really hope you'll join me over on Instagram for newer images & continuing progress.