The Cuban Cause

June 11, 2017 / Esther Hassell

Growing up a first-generation millennial, for many, is synonymous with the struggle to find the balance between American life while remaining true and protective of your heritage. Stories, among other things like food and music, are passed down to you for safekeeping and for the eventual passing down to another by you. As a Latina, and daughter of history lovers, it was inevitable for me to learn of the stories of the glorious times lived in the Caribbean during my parents youth. Of all I heard the story of Cuba then and now was always the most fascinating to me as it remains to many today.

I now have the opportunity to visit Cuba, not simply as a tourist, but as a volunteer - helping to lay the ground work for the future of the largest Caribbean island, and not doubt one of the most intriguing places on earth

There is work to do in Cuba because:

· Over a quarter (26%) of the Cuban population lives in poverty

· About 1/3 of Cubans lives on less than $100 USD a month

· Due to the influx of tourists fresh fruits/vegetables/dairy have become too expensive for Cuban families

My team and I will be taking donations for schools and institutions in need of supplies like pencils, notebooks, calculators and the like. We will also be taking everyday toiletries like soap, toothpaste, and shampoo/conditioner for families, and toys for children like baseballs, gloves and bats which are greatly appreciated on the island.

Every cent forms part of a greater contribution to the futre.

Help me help them by lending a hand, help me share their story by donating to the cause and become my ally in change.

Donate

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Believe . Bali

February 24, 2017 / Esther Hassell

Few places in the world are like Bali. Their deep rooted beliefs span 3 religions, but grace and hospitality are housed in every home and every smile. RoadToDreamland partnered with StephAnyDay for this adventure as we believe paradise is better enjoyed with friends.

Come with us to Bali, and enjoy the experience through this photo journal in what I would call "The Eden of the East".

Though most of Indonesia is Muslim or Christian the vast majority of the people of Bali identify as Balinese Hindu, or Hindu Dharma. One sees the influence of religion on every street and in every part of the Balinese culture. It is difficult to visit Bali and not have a temple sighting, or a sacred site on a to-do list. A perfect example is the Sacred Monkey Forest. Tri Hita Karana, which when translated means "three ways to reach spiritual and physical well-being", is a philosophy of Hinduism and the concept on which the Monkey Forest is conserved. This concept is incorporated into everyday life in Bali as it promotes harmony between humans and humans, humans and their environment, and humans and God.

In my opinion the people of Bali are some of the worlds most gifted carvers. As you can see in some of the images above, the intricacies in their stone carvings make of the statues an attraction in their own right. They also work with metal, gold, silver, and wood. Wood carvings are also renown and are seen everywhere in Bali - from entry ways to traditional Balinese homes to temples. Architecture in Bali is a mixture of art, culture, religion, and history and so each detail is both deliberate and impeccable.

Balinese food is impeccable. Because of the harmony between humans and nature in addition to its climate the flora in Bali is exotic and beautiful. The many types of blossoms on the trees perfume the air and the greenery all around you make you feel at peace effortlessly, an invaluable aspect of this destination. Even the Asian Palm Civet, or Luwak has an important job by providing some of the most expensive coffee beans in the world. By eating the coffee while its still a coffee cherry, fermenting it as it digests it, the Luwak changes the flavor of the bean which is later dried, cleaned, roasted and ground to give us the famous "Luwak Coffee".

To me this trip could not be complete without the amazing people I met in Bali. People who exemplified the harmony meant to be had between people.

Like Chris, an American expat who now lives in Bali. While over-working on New York's Wall Street he suffered severe organ damage - severe enough that after healing from surgery he decided his life needed a complete change and now he leads people like his former self on tours of Bali and the surrounding islands.

I fell in love - as cliche as that seems - with Bali. I fell in love with the willingness of those around you, Balinese or tourists, to smile. The infectious harmony in the air and in everything you saw makes it a place where all of you is at ease. This ease lets you fully experience and become one with all of the beauty around you. The value of this trip far outweighs any monetary worth - see for yourself

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Faces of Nicaragua | Part Two

October 18, 2016 / Esther Hassell

“GO, DO”

The eye is the sensory organ responsible for capturing imagery, its receptors allow us to see all that is around us capturing movement as it happens continuously - never tiring of its purpose.

Feast your eyes on the many colors of Nicaragua and be moved to see for yourself.

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Faces of Nicaragua | Part One

October 02, 2016 / Esther Hassell

“GO, SEE”

It is not enough to see the end goal, the dream, or the destination adorned in ones mind - one has to work to ensure one reaches it, it's easier said than done - I know. When you are someone who loves people, traveling to serve is natural and fulfilling, every destination leaving you hungry for more. The exhilaration of meeting people that you have never seen before is exciting beyond measure.

These images are frozen fragments of an unimaginably captivating experience. To see children smile back at you and transmit so many emotions as they did is a feeling one's soul never forgets. The look in their glistening eyes is an image one's mind never forgets. Amid poverty, political totalitarianism, and -in some cases - unsanitary conditions, the smiles on the faces and their over all joy and tenderness left me completely enamored with Nicaragua.

Instantly one is fulfilled - this is what love is.

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From Russia, With Love

September 07, 2016 / Esther Hassell

Cinematographer, Director, Photographer, and Filmmaker that is Anice Jee - whose hair was so stunning a double-take was simply not enough.

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The Shock

July 21, 2016 / Esther Hassell

I met her in this room.

Many times before I had seen her, and her shock of white hair - a prominent streak framing her face. I was drawn to it and the ease with which she admired the many works in Dia:Beacon, pointing, smiling, commenting to her friends as she pointed at one corner or another. Finally, it was in this room - which must have been a Dan Flavin piece with its shower of yellow fluorescent light - that I asked to photograph her. She accepted after a short pause.

Her name is Yael, she is from Tel Aviv, Israel and her favorite colors are "black, and green, and red". When I asked why there were three she laughed and mentioned that in Israel you didn't have to have just one favorite - so she had many. A shy smile on a face of Israel, two intense eyes, and three favorites in a nameless yellow room where she stopped being a stranger, to me.

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categories / Beacon NY
tags / Strangers, Blog Posts

Memorial

July 15, 2016 / Esther Hassell

Growing up in an urban neighborhood in the 80's and 90's meant you often saw shoes that hung off of telephone lines - sometimes one pair of shoes, sometimes a few. The just hung there, they swung in the breeze, got drenched in the rain, and slowly they became weathered by time. Often times one wouldn't notice when a pair came down, or when a new pair was added to the line - they just dangled, hovering over the traffic and everyday lives below.

I was told once that the shoes were there as memorials for those who had worn them, so the neighborhood wouldn't forget.

Slowly they went disappearing, as time went on. Cut down and tossed somewhere. They are the faded stamp of neighborhood culture, trying not to fade completely as the rest of the neighborhood shape-shifts below.

Here is my ode to the memorials I knew, they symbolize loyalty to those that have gone for all to see - till they, themselves are gone.