We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cindy Trinh. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cindy below.
Cindy, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I definitely got my resilience from my mother, who is the most resilient person in my life. She came to America as a Vietnamese refugee in 1975 and had to build a life in a new country entirely on her own. My father left our family when I was very young so my mom raised me and my brother as a single mom. She sacrificed everything to give us a better life and worked tirelessly to provide for her family. Now that I’m older, I understand more of what she went through at the time and I know that she defied the odds in order to survive in a foreign country. The reason why I work so hard to achieve my dreams is because of my mom. Whenever I feel down or feel like giving up, I think of the resilience of my mom and I channel my own resilience to keep going.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a photographer, media journalist, and activist who is passionate about social justice and human rights. My photography aims to connect with people and places through the art of visual storytelling. I have been published and featured by popular media, including Aperture, HBO/HBO Max, NBC Asian America, Paper Magazine, The Hill, Bloomberg Businessweek, The New York Daily News, .Mic, Hyperallergic, and more. I am the creator of Activist NYC, a documentary photo project about activism and social justice movements in New York City. I am heavily involved in community activism and organizing in Chinatown, working with organizations such as Think! Chinatown, Asian Americans Arts Alliance, Asian Americans for Equality, CAAAV, Send Chinatown Love, Welcome to Chinatown, and more. I regularly engage in community organizing and participate in exhibitions, art and cultural events, volunteer efforts, neighborhood programs, and more. I am a champion for social justice and continue to tell stories of marginalized people through my photography, media, and visual art.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1) My ability to connect with people and community. This is the quality that got me farthest in my career and life. I use my photography as a means of connecting with people and much of my success has been because of the people that have supported me and my creative passions. Community is very important in the work that I do and I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for the amazing community that I have built in New York.
2) My work ethic. Nothing in life comes easy and I worked tirelessly for years to build my career. There were many days I wanted to quit, I still struggle with these feelings and constantly dealing with my imposter syndrome. But I kept working and hustling because it is my goal and dream to make it as a photographer in New York. Everyone who knows me now, knows how hard I work and my determination to give back to my community.
3) My activism and knowledge of social justice movements and causes. A major part of my photography work is my activism and through my activism I have acquired so much knowledge about issues that I care about. I’ve met some of the most amazing activists in New York who are doing incredible work and these people continue to inspire me in my own work. This also allowed me to create a niche for myself in the community.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is an institution that aligns with my politics and principles, while also paying me a fair wage for my labor. Also, a client that respects my time as a human being and appreciates the work that I do. This past year, I photographed for the Brooklyn Public Library, which has been the best client I have ever worked for. I documented their arts and cultural programming, which was informative and enjoyable for me personally as well. The library organized and hosted various workshops and programming for the community, working with local artists and activists. Photographing these important community events made me feel good about the work I was doing. Also, the library made sure I was well paid and respected my time as a working professional. These are all qualities that make an ideal client.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cindytrinh.com
- Instagram: @cindytrinh.photo @activistnyc
Image Credits
Cindy Trinh
