Miguel-Angel Barrios
"For a year and a half, I endeavored to write a novel exploring the political complexity of San Francisco, a vibrant scene of progressive social movements, against the attitude of Reaganomics in 1980’s America. My only problem: I had never set foot in San Francisco. With the Appel Fellowship, I was able to finally travel to San Francisco, as well as to Mexico City, where I worked on developing the novel’s main character, a Mexican progressive activist with big ambitions to change the country. These trips were transformative for my writing process, giving me experiences of place to build on the worlds I had imagined."
Asia Best
"During the pivotal period before he became one of America’s renowned authors, James Baldwin experienced a sense of pessimism as he observed and suffered from injustices in America. It was in Paris, France that Baldwin gained the critical distance he needed to sit, self-reflect, and write with a resurrected spirit and love towards humanity. As a scholar of Baldwin’s work and a spectator of continued injustice in America, I followed in Baldwin’s footsteps to Paris. Exploring two of his core themes—the will to critique and the role of the artist in civilization—I traveled and wrote, engaging with Baldwin’s work as someone fully grounded in his artistic perspective."
Kevin Chen
"For my Appel Fellowship, I took a road trip through my home state of Alaska, from Anchorage to Fairbanks. Inspired by the Dear Data drawing project, I documented the uniqueness of Alaska’s smallest towns, coldest glaciers, and greenest hikes on postcards with data on one side and an explanation on the other. My writing and photos accompany each postcard, providing context from my travels. At the end of my expedition, I compiled all this data into a visual experience book to capture and record what life in Alaska can be."
Ana Federico
"My project is a collection of short stories based on the experiences of my family and their community in the border town of Nogales, Arizona. These stories portray the complex experience of growing up and living in the bicultural, multilingual community of Nogales. Writing them allowed me to investigate class and economic difference and to better understand the dynamics behind who stays and who leaves. Along with spending time in Nogales this summer, I conducted a series of interviews with my extended family, all of whom have grown up, lived and worked in and around this unique place."
Henry Garcia
"From an early age I was taught that sharing a meal with someone is sacred. Furthermore, there are fascinating stories behind each dish. Politics, history, geography, economics, and religion all shape cuisines and food cultures. For my Appel Project, I traveled to Mexico City, Marrakesh, Morocco, and Singapore, all of which are home to globally recognized street food scenes. In each city I explored the social, cultural, and historical contexts behind street food in these unique corners of the world. Through journaling, photography, and short stories, I captured my experiences and thoughts in real-time throughout my travels."
Magdalena Gavahan
"For my Appel project, I wanted to discover why running and running clubs are increasing in popularity among young people. There are many differences within the sport – individuals’ race preferences, speed, distance capabilities, goals, and backgrounds – but somehow, running draws in different types of people and ties us all together. In order to learn what draws people to running and connect with people through our shared love for the sport all around the world, I ran with running clubs in three major running cities (New York City, London, and Chicago), interviewed people and wrote about my experiences. I compiled my writing and photos on a website."
Abboskhon Ilyasov
"For my Appel Project, I traveled to countries that were part of the ancient Silk Road, exploring how their traditional dishes compare to those of Uzbekistan, my home country and a historical center of the Silk Road. My journey took me to Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and, of course, Uzbekistan. I sought to answer the question: How do the dishes of these countries resemble or differ from the Uzbek cuisine I grew up with? I shared my writing, photos and restaurant reviews on a food blog."
Kahani Malhotra
"For my Appel Fellowship I will travel to the U.K. to investigate intersections between British theater and Indian colonization. I will watch shows at renowned playhouses, visit Shakespeare's birthplace, and learn through museum visits and walking tours. At the end of my trip, I will write a series of reviews based on my experiences, inspired by John Green’s The Anthropocene Reviewed. Commenting on everything from Richard III to the birth of the British East India Company to the stealing of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, uncovering the good, the bad, and the ugly in the process."
Srey On Peuy
"This summer I traveled back to my home country of Cambodia, as well as to Thailand, visiting temples and historic sites. Drawing on my travel experiences and background research, and incorporating stories and experiences from tour guides, locals, and tourists, I chose 11 temple sites and wrote poems about my experience of each one, bringing history and modern experience together. I paired these writings with photos to make a literary travel guide that takes the reader through landmarks and temples, conveying history as well as timeless architectural beauty."
Nico Riley
"For my Appel Fellowship, I traveled to Berlin to develop my artistic interests (photography, filmmaking, and dance) and explore the city’s vibrant creative scene. To achieve this, I looked for inspiration in movies and art exhibitions, wrote scripts, practiced my photography, and networked with other creative individuals. As documentation of my journey, I created a visual journal of poems, sketches, and short essays. Along the way, I also visited the cities of New York, Kingston (Jamaica), Rome, and Dubrovnik, steadily building a collection of street photography that can be found on my Instagram (@nico_.riley). Teeming with creativity, open-mindedness, and freedom, Berlin’s experimental spirit is a souvenir I will carry with me long after my trip."
Myla Soliz
"Like most car enthusiasts, for as long as I can remember attending a car meet in Japan has been a dream of mine. I have explored the car scene back home in Houston, which has an aggressive meet style that walks a fine line between celebration and being disruptive. Japan, on the other hand, is known for hosting more respectful meets. For my Appel project I traveled to Tokyo to explore how the car scene in Japan differs from Houston. I have been gathering photos, interviews, and personal anecdotes in a zine about these two vibrant car cultures."
Phoebe Wolfe Lyons
"For my Appel Project, I traveled to Astypalea, Greece to observe the effects of the Volkswagen Group’s revolutionary electric vehicle transportation system on the small, secluded island. Volkswagen has described Astypalea as “a future lab for decarbonization in Europe.” For centuries, the livelihood of island residents lay in fishing and agriculture, but since VW’s changes, the island has seen increased tourism. I interviewed local people and those involved in the project and wrote a fictional story about a secluded island that becomes the blueprint for green transportation devised by an international corporation with a complicated past."