Dear New York, by Brandon Stanton

Few projects have captured the essence of humanity quite like Humans of New York. Over the past fifteen years, Brandon Stanton has given voice to thousands of stories, reminding us of the beauty, resilience, and shared experience that connect us all. Now, with the release of his new book Dear New York, he’s taken that vision one step further: transforming one of the city’s most iconic spaces into a living celebration of its people. What began as a simple idea has become a monumental work of art, and a reminder that humanity, in all its diversity, remains something to celebrate.

“I’ve been closely guarding a secret. But before I share it, a little context: fifteen years ago I moved to New York to begin Humans of New York. This city has provided me with the most blessed life any one person can ask for. And when I say ‘this city,’ I mean one thing: it’s people. For me, New York has always been the people. Many of you know that tomorrow my next book Dear New York will be released. It is my love letter to the city, and I’ve never been prouder of a work I’ve created—until now.

Because here is my secret: the book is the inspiration for a much larger piece of art. For the next two weeks Grand Central Station will undergo the biggest transformation in its 112-year history, as it becomes a living, breathing celebration of the people of New York. All advertising has been removed from the building and replaced with portraits and stories from Humans of New York. But it doesn’t stop there. Grand Central was far too large a canvas for one person, so more than 1000 artists have joined me to contribute to this vision. Some of my collaborators have big reputations, such as @davidkorins, and @juilliardschool, and @pentagramdesign. But none of us are more important than the 600 school children who will exhibit their photography in Vanderbilt Hall.

Dear New York is far too large to describe in one post; it will cover all of Grand Central, including all three levels of the subway station. You’ll be hearing much more about my collaborators and their contributions over these next two weeks. But for now I can tell you this: Dear New York was lovingly and carefully made, by some of the greatest people I’ve ever worked with. And if it provides even the slightest amount of joy, solace, beauty, or connection to the 750,000 people who pass through Grand Central every day—we have achieved our goal.”

Brandon’s words, and the extraordinary project they’ve inspired (running October 6th-October 19th), are a powerful reminder of what can happen when creativity meets community. Dear New York isn’t just a tribute to one city; it’s a celebration of what binds us all together- our shared humanity, our stories, and our capacity to create something meaningful in connection with others.

At Forming Impact, this spirit sits at the heart of everything we do: bringing people together across borders, ideas, and experiences to remind one another that the human story is one we’re all writing, together.