• Projects
    • unSEEN
    • Us Against the Wall
    • Waiting for the Outside
    • Arctic Fading
    • Substitutes
    • I Am Family
    • Stuart in his plaid shirt with his things
    • Born Here Project
    • Waiting Room
  • Exhibits/Honors
  • Lens Magazine Feature
  • Press
  • Art Justice Cohort
  • TV/Video
  • Books
    • Us Against the Wall book
    • Born Here Project tabloid zine
  • About
  • Contact
  • Login
Statement
BORN: NEWARK, NEW JERSEY

I was born at a time when Newark was probably considered one of the most prolific areas of corruption and mobs. It was the 1950’s. I forever and ever wanted to get away from that. Newark defined what I did not want to be.

Everything I did in my life, from the earliest I can remember, maybe 6 or 7 years old, was to try to break the mold and to try and do everything opposite of what I had seen. I had seen people making money in unscrupulous ways. I had seen people hurting other people. I had seen people being dishonest, disloyal. And I had seen people making a lot of money by taking advantage of other people. So at that point, I was kind of ashamed of both my heritage and where I was born. And, actually, for many years I never even spoke about where I was born because I felt it tarnished my person.

I became a hairdresser in my late teen years. And I worked in a Newark neighborhood for the fist 5-6 years. But then I insisted on coming to New York City because I felt that if I came to New York, my career would be treated more professionally than I had been where I grew up and I could break out of the mold of what I believed I was.

As time goes by, and, as I mature, and no matter what avenues I took, and what means I used to get away from where I was born or who I am, I realize I can’t escape Newark. And, as an Italian American, third generation, I embrace it now, instead of hiding it. And, I have excelled.

—Carmine Anthony Minardi

All images copyright Ellen Jacob

An Icompendium Site