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It started with a photo of a New York middle school boy, Vidal, who admires his school principal. It turned into a million-dollar scholarship fund.
The photograph was posted on Humans of New York, a hugely popular photography blog which profiles New Yorkers from all walks of life. Through Vidal, Humans of New York found out about Principal Nadia Lopez’s simple, modest idea - she wanted to take her 6th graders on a tour of Harvard. The school is located in a rough Brooklyn neighborhood, and Lopez felt that the experience would broaden their horizons, showing the students that they too belong in one of the world’s top schools. The face behind Humans of New York, Brandon Stanton, posted the idea on Indiegogo Life and simultaneously profiled students, teachers and parents from Mott Hall Bridges Academy - painting a rich, compelling picture of the community and bringing the school to life.
Contributions went wild - in just one week, over a million dollars was pledged. So, Stanton decided to use the money to start a scholarship fund for graduates of the middle school.
This tale of human empowerment walks in the footsteps of other successful crowdfunding campaigns made possible by the connecting forces of the internet and the generosity of strangers.
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