Our 2026 Photo Urbanism theme, Home Without Boundaries will explore public spaces that evoke the feelings, memory, and rituals of home. In partnership with the Macaulay’s Honor College at CUNY, eightYouth Fellows will participate in a week-long photography workshop, led by local photographer and Design Trust Photo Urbanism Fellow Barnabas Crosby.

This year for our Photo Urbanism theme Home Without Boundaries, we have invited  Barnabas Crosby, our previous photo urbanism fellow in 2020, to return and lead a series of youth photography workshops. His Photo Urbanism portrait series Holding Court explored the resilience and ingenuity of entrepreneurs and the power of public space, and was on display in Times Square and the Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Branch. 

The concept of home for many New Yorkers exists outside of the confines of their physical home space. Public spaces can help form a sense of community, connection and identity. Shared spaces allow for connection with people from different backgrounds, an escape from the urban elements, and the ability to create a home outside of four walls. This year’s Photo Urbanism series will explore what New Yorkers consider home in public spaces. 

The selected youth fellows will receive funding to explore photography as a tool for personal research and urban storytelling. Through a combination of guided research, expert-led workshops, and proposal development, students will build portfolios that reflect engagement with the environment.

Meet our 2026 Photo Urbanism Youth cohort:

Daniel Sooknanan ‘26

Hunter College, Major in Computer Science with a Minor in Mathematics

Although a Computer Science & Math double major at Macaulay Hunter, Daniel loves to step into new disciplines and creative challenges when he's not in front of the laptop screen. As a native New Yorker, he's fascinated by how the city always seems superposed between being so large yet small; each neighborhood has its own distinct charm despite being a train ride apart. Throughout this fellowship, he seeks to capture the unique character of these local pockets while emphasizing how, despite these differences, we often call the same city home.

Eli Jacobson ‘29

Hunter College, Undecided

Eli Jacobson is a street and documentary photographer based in Brooklyn, capturing the strange in the everyday through candid moments and human interaction. His work explores themes of isolation and connection, focusing on subtle gestures and fleeting encounters. He is currently studying film at the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College.

Emmy DeMuro ‘26

College of Staten Island, Major in Biology with a Minor in Psychology and Art History

Emmy DeMuro is a senior majoring in Biology with minors in Psychology and Art history at the College of Staten Island at Macaulay Honors College. She has served as Vice President of Community Service on the Macaulay Scholars Council for the last two years and currently works as a Resident Assistant. After graduation, she plans to pursue a doctorate in Physical Therapy. In her free time, Emmy is an amateur photographer who primarily shoots digital and also has an interest in film production.

Isabel Torres ‘27

Baruch College, Major in Public Affairs

Isabel Torres is a junior at Macaulay Honors College at Baruch College, studying Public Affairs, and a proud Friedman Transfer Scholar from Queensborough Community College. A native New Yorker, she has seen firsthand how the city’s shared spaces create connection and foster a true sense of community. Through her work, she hopes to document how New Yorkers from all walks of life interact with these public spaces across different circumstances and stages of life.

Khadijah Shoaab ‘29

College of Staten Island, Intended Major in Psychology with a Minor in Speech and Language Pathology

Khadijah Shoaab is a Macaulay Honors freshman at the College of Staten Island. She is currently a Psychology Major hoping to go into speech therapy. She loves the arts, baking, and making people laugh!

Ruben Torres ‘28

Baruch College, Major in Marketing Management

Ruben Torres, is a first-generation Mexican-American Macaulay Honors freshman at Baruch College, majoring in Marketing Management. Photography has always been a passion of his, and he hopes to continue honing my skills through this amazing opportunity!

Shadia Sultana ‘28

City College, Major in Business Management and Administration with a Minor in Journalism

Shadia Sultana is a Business Management and Administration student with a minor in Journalism. With a deep passion for arts and culture, she enjoys exploring different creative mediums and embraces opportunities to express herself artistically. 

Stephanie Ng ‘27

Queens College, Major in Food Management Studies with a Minor in Cities and Social Medicine

As a food management studies student, Stephanie enjoys exploring different cultures through cuisines and traditions. From this fellowship, she hopes to learn more about New York City environments and strengthen her communication skills through visual storytelling. Most of all, she is excited to learn more about the art of photography. 

Barnabas Crosby will lead our 2026 cohort of Photo Urbanism Youth Fellows through a series of workshops and final public photo exhibition in New York City exploring Home Without Boundaries, reflecting on how shared environments, including parks, streets, plazas, and everyday gathering spaces, can foster connection, care, and a sense of belonging beyond private walls. 

The Photo Urbanism Fellowship is supported in part by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts. Learn more and view the online photo gallery of past exhibits at photourbanism.org

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