At Interactive Portrait Project, Tales of Hope, Struggle, and Brighter Days

With the phrase “ARMY OF” written on her arm, Cassandra Ferrante ’17C raised  an  index finger to complete the sentence by suggesting the word “ONE.”

Cassandra’s message hinted at her personal story of heartbreak, perseverance, and independence—a tale that might have gone untold if not for the Dear World storytelling event that came to St. John’s University on February 15 and 16.

“My mom passed away when I was 11,” said the psychology major. “At that moment, I told myself, ‘it’s all on me now.’ I’ve been alone a lot in my life, but now I find strength in it. That’s why I’m an ‘Army of One.’”

Cassandra joined approximately 200 students, faculty, staff, and administrators on the Queens, NY, campus to participate in Dear World, a traveling, interactive portrait project that unites people through pictures in a distinct “message-on-skin” style.

Dear World asks participants to write something about themselves on their skin. Displaying the message as they pose for photographs, the subjects share their portraits on social media, accompanied by the story behind what they write.  

“Hosting Dear World on our campus provides an exciting venue for our diverse community to express themselves, to connect with each other, and to find a common purpose,” said Eric Finkelstein, Director of Residence Life. “Through that, we can better understand each person’s story—the journeys that make us all who we are.” 

Sue McNeilly, Associate Director of Residence Life, had similar thoughts on the program. “We wanted to give members of our University community a unique opportunity to share their truths and listen to each other’s stories in a comfortable environment,” she said. “We hope the program empowers our students to share their personal journeys and learn from each other.”  

Throughout the sessions, students took advantage of the opportunity to learn about their classmates. “Everyone is defined by something different,” said Lucy Holmes-Higgin '17C. “Dear World has given me a chance to say something about myself that I wouldn’t otherwise tell others.”

Students weren’t the only participants—faculty and staff joined them as well. “Your Ability to Show Up” was the message Mary H. Pelkowski, Associate Dean for Student Engagement, wrote on her arms. “As a Vincentian educator, rooted in service, I’m amazed at our students and their ability to be present and rise to the occasion,” she said.

The two-day event, sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs, concluded with a “Photo Reveal” held inside the Little Theater. There, the Dear World team shared some of their favorite portraits and stories. Students then had the opportunity to tell their peers the stories behind their portraits. The evening concluded with a slideshow of the photos.