Vacant Buildings, Vanished Dreams: Felipe Colon

Vacant Buildings, Vanished Dreams is a series of digital stories expressing working people’s economic, social and personal experiences struggling to survive in the midst of urban blight. The digital stories have also been presented as guided walks by neighborhood ambassadors, with stories triggered through multimedia sites on vacant buildings and locations on one block in North Central Troy — surrounding The Sanctuary for Independent Media. The stories share the impact of economically distressed urban neighborhoods on working families. Living among abandoned buildings and decay, workers will share experiences as homeowners whose properties have plummeted in value, fears for their family’s safety, and the daily challenge they face while struggling against great odds.

Created by media artist Julie Casper Roth, Executive Producer Branda Miller, a production of The Sanctuary for Independent Media. Supported by Workforce Development Institute Art of Labor Program, special thanks: Victoria Kereszi, Arts and Culture Coordinator.

Vacant Buildings Vanished Dreams was featured in the fall of 2016 by the Troy Hub, The Sanctuary for Independent Media, as part of the public art installation Breathing Lights.