José A. Alvarado Jr.

Photographer
 
Location: New York City, New York
Nationality: Puerto Rican American
Biography: José A. Alvarado Jr. is a Puerto Rican photographer dedicated to documenting class inequality, civic engagement, and contemporary issues in Puerto Rico and New York City. He works primarily in long-form storytelling, using visual imagery... MORE
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2018 You Were Great
josé a. alvarado jr.
Dec 31, 2018
Location: New York City
What a year this has been! Two-thousand-eighteen you have been an adventure, to say the least. It was a year that started quite slowly but ended in the highest of highs. I have to say I never imagined having such opportunities of meeting so many incredible visions, mentors, and dedicated figures in their craft. This year I completed my first long-form essay documenting a 27-year-old man's daily life living with Remitting Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis in the Bronx. Andrew Sroka and the Village Voice took a chance on me and gave me my first real assignments and provided some sincere guidance and feedback along the way. One of the first self-assigned stories I made, documenting a Puerto Rican barber in my neighborhood of Ridgewood, Queens, finally found a home in the local Bushwick Daily. In April I attended the NYTimes Portfolio Review, where I had the privilege to speak with many great editors and photographers, even including some of my personal heroes. I garnered some of the most honest, sincere, and crucial feedback that helped shape the way I look at current and future projects. Summer of two-thousand-eighteen brought into fruition a major step in a self-assigned project, that I had started back in June of last year when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won her NY-14 primary election against incumbent Joseph Crowley. With the help and consideration of Elizabeth Renstrom and Sarah Burke, the project has a home in VICE/Broadly. This summer I also met Adriana Letorney, whose guidance, constructive feedback, and honesty has expanded my mind and photography to the next level. I was filled with joy and pride when I saw great friends produce some of the most powerful work I've seen, and had them shown at Photoville. Two-thousand-eighteen brought more trips to my homeland of Puerto Rico to help loved ones with life after Hurricane Maria and to document their lives and perseverance. These photographs would find a home in the NY Times, a publication I had only dreamed about being published in, alongside the powerful words of David Gonzales. Thank you, James Estrin, for the valuable constructive feedback and help over the past two years. Two-thousand-eighteen led me on a trip to the land of fire and ice with loved ones, marveling at the beauties of Iceland's glaciers, black sand beaches, and Aurealis Borealis. Lastly, I want to thank my family, friends, and mentors for all the guidance and support, and the invaluable photo editors I've met for taking a chance on me and my work.

Bring on 2019.

- José

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for The New York Times: Audit Finds Fatal Lapses in Mental Health Program Meant to Curb Violence

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for The New York Times: The Young Black Conservative Who Grew Up With, and Rejects, D.E.I.

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for The New York Times: How Rikers Island Became New York’s Largest Mental Institution

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for The New York Times: This Venezuelan Family Won Asylum. Days Later, They Lost It.

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for Southern Foodways Alliance: Offsides Fowl

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for Brooklyn Vegan: Glassjaw celebrated 30 years with career-spanning Brooklyn shows

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for The New York Times: Kendra’s Law Was Meant to Prevent Violence. It Failed Hundreds of Times.

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for The New York Times: A New Push to Improve Mental Health Care for Homeless New Yorkers

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for Bloomberg: The Other Side of Greenwich: Hunger Among the Hedge Funds

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for CULTURED Magazine: At 25, Artist Oscar yi Hou Has Already Had a Solo Museum Show—And Written a Memoir

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for The New York Times: Behind 94 Acts of Shocking Violence, Years of Glaring Mistakes

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for The New Yorker: What Will It Take to Win Brooklyn’s First Majority-Asian District?

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for The New York Times: New York Is Rebounding for the Rich. Nearly Everyone Else Is Struggling.

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for The New Yorker: A Journey from Homelessness to a Room of One’s Own

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for The New York Times: His Job Helping Drug Users Is Illegal. He Says He Does It to Save Lives.

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for NPR: As NYC limits access to migrants and asylum seekers, many are left homeless

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for The New York Times: Vital Places of Refuge in the Bronx, Community Gardens Gain Recognition

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2018 You Were Great by José A. Alvarado Jr.
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