In 2011, on her 31st birthday, on a whim, Briana Cerezo headed downtown with her new DSLR camera, began photographing strangers, and asked them for life advice. “Each person had their own reaction,” she recalls. “But they softened when I asked for advice. It’s remarkable what people will tell you when you demonstrate you want to understand them.”
Last September, this excursion led Cerezo to create Humans of Portland, a local spin-off of the famous photoblog Humans of New York (3.5 million Facebook fans, a book that was a no. 1 New York Times best seller, many imitators). Both projects pair street photography with impromptu microinterviews.
Sometimes Cerezo’s portraits conform to “Portland weird” expectations. More often, they capture a richer, quirkier diversity. A construction worker turned out to be a Soviet refugee; a quadruple amputee, a medical student; a former aspiring therapist had dropped out of school to focus on being a sex worker.
“I want to encourage and inspire people to see one another,” she says. As her discerning eye reveals, there’s a lot to see.
See more Humans of Portland—and read their stories—in the slide show below.
1
“I’m a forensic photographer. I take pictures of dead people. People are like lawnmowers. Some people sharpen the blade, some people don’t. Some people let it get really rusty in there.”
2
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
“An artist. I mostly do masks, cats and trees.”
3
“I had a bacterial infection when I was two that turned into gangrene. People don’t believe all the things I can do. Like write. I have some of the best handwriting in my class.” She put her arms together to show me how she would hold a pencil or pen.
4
“I grew up in a very traditional Laotian household where gender roles were very clearly defined. Men were dominant and women were submissive. To cross gender lines was very taboo. When I was a child I was aware that I was different, but my mother was ill
5
“People assume that if you can talk, you can hear. But I am deaf with a capital D. I have Muniere’s Disease, which made me go deaf six years ago. I taught myself how to sign and to read lips, but my family and friends don’t know how to sign, and people t
6
“I’m moving away from Portland. Too cold and too many ex-boyfriends.”
7
“I used to do drag shows. But don’t call me a drag queen, it sounds trashy. I was a female illusionist.”
8
“We definitely annoy each other but we’re also friends. It’s more fun than being alone.”
9
“People assume that if you can talk, you can hear. But I am deaf with a capital D. I have Muniere’s Disease, which made me go deaf six years ago. I taught myself how to sign and to read lips, but my family and friends don’t know how to sign, and people t
10
“If you really wanna see somethin’ you should take a picture of me topless. I look like Adonis.”
11
“Ask me what my nationality is.” “What is your nationality?” “Haida Tribe. But I was adopted and raised by white people. People called me a nigger when I was growing up.” His body shook after he spoke.
12
“We definitely annoy each other but we’re also friends. It’s more fun than being alone.”
13
“I had our three babies via c-section, and when they pulled those babies out, I couldn’t move, so he was the first one to hold them. He sang the same song to each of our boys in their ears, ‘Come Into My Heart, Lord Jesus.”
14
“Ask me what my nationality is.” “What is your nationality?” “Haida Tribe. But I was adopted and raised by white people. People called me a nigger when I was growing up.” His body shook after he spoke.
15
“I’m moving away from Portland. Too cold and too many ex-boyfriends.”
16
“I had our three babies via c-section, and when they pulled those babies out, I couldn’t move, so he was the first one to hold them. He sang the same song to each of our boys in their ears, ‘Come Into My Heart, Lord Jesus.”
17
“I’m struggling with PTSD. I was in the Army in Iraq and Afghanistan and I have trouble sleeping at night. I get really startled if someone comes up behind me. Sometimes if I hear a loud noise I drop to the ground and look for my weapon.” “If you were
18
“It was on my bucket list of things to do before I die: go to a book store dressed up like Belle from Beauty and the Beast.”
19
“I was sexually assaulted when I was 17. I was drugged and nearly choked to death. That’s how I lost my virginity. But the physical trauma didn’t impact me as much as the emotional trauma. The worst part was, a while later I had saved up $400 to go to th
20
“I’m struggling with PTSD. I was in the Army in Iraq and Afghanistan and I have trouble sleeping at night. I get really startled if someone comes up behind me. Sometimes if I hear a loud noise I drop to the ground and look for my weapon.” “If you were
21
“It was on my bucket list of things to do before I die: go to a book store dressed up like Belle from Beauty and the Beast.”
22
“My wife and I foster 4 adult males with disabilities in our home. It’s rewarding and challenging. As a caregiver you constantly have to check yourself to make sure you’re doing what’s best for them, while also taking time for yourself. I’m in school, to
23
“I’m a rapper.”
24
“People have a lot of unexamined ideas about spirituality and religion. If you were to ask someone about their beliefs they would probably respond with a set of rituals that makes them feel comfortable.”
25
“I was sexually assaulted when I was 17. I was drugged and nearly choked to death. That’s how I lost my virginity. But the physical trauma didn’t impact me as much as the emotional trauma. The worst part was, a while later I had saved up $400 to go to th
26
“My wife and I foster 4 adult males with disabilities in our home. It’s rewarding and challenging. As a caregiver you constantly have to check yourself to make sure you’re doing what’s best for them, while also taking time for yourself. I’m in school, to
27
“I’ve been married three times and widowed three times. The first two died when I was overseas and the third died in a car accident along with our child. I found out later that I have another daughter. My family knew about her but my father chose not to
28
“I’ve been married three times and widowed three times. The first two died when I was overseas and the third died in a car accident along with our child. I found out later that I have another daughter. My family knew about her but my father chose not to
29
“It’s a letter from my husband. He’s incarcerated. This is just full of laughs and smiles.”
30
“Right at this moment, I’m trying not to yell at my coworkers. That’s why I came out here right now — to take a break. Because, does this really fucking matter? In the grand scheme of things? No, it does not. “
31
“Thank you for the photo, this boosted my spirits. I was feeling pretty down.”
32
“People have a lot of unexamined ideas about spirituality and religion. If you were to ask someone about their beliefs they would probably respond with a set of rituals that makes them feel comfortable.”
33
“It’s a letter from my husband. He’s incarcerated. This is just full of laughs and smiles.”
34
“The happiest moment of my life was when my oldest daughter was born. I was rushing to the hospital and I got there just in time to see her be born. And we are still like this (he made a hand gesture with his pointer and middle fingers together). We see
35
“The happiest moment of my life was when my oldest daughter was born. I was rushing to the hospital and I got there just in time to see her be born. And we are still like this (he made a hand gesture with his pointer and middle fingers together). We see
36
“Look at the boots I just bought!! I just put ‘em on because I’m such a total geek. But what I do, is I go in there and I’m like, I need some fuckin’ boots, man! I’ve been a dad for 75 years, all I know is the real boring shit. These are a Can-You-Tell-I
37
“Look at the boots I just bought!! I just put ‘em on because I’m such a total geek. But what I do, is I go in there and I’m like, I need some fuckin’ boots, man! I’ve been a dad for 75 years, all I know is the real boring shit. These are a Can-You-Tell-I
38
“Thank you for the photo, this boosted my spirits. I was feeling pretty down.”
39
“I’m a forensic photographer. I take pictures of dead people. People are like lawnmowers. Some people sharpen the blade, some people don’t. Some people let it get really rusty in there.”
