CHASING SANITATION: Falling in Love with New York's Strongest

For the past couple of years, we - writer/producer Lisa Dowda and photographer Liz Ligon - have been CHASING SANITATION’s street crews all over New York with our cameras, questions and pens. We wanted to know who they are -- because of what they do for all of us, for what they are to the City we love. We wanted to talk to them – get to know the friendly face on the street who takes away all that we discard. We want New Yorkers and the World to read the stories that live in their hearts and bodies. These gentle souls and irrepressible comedians – Happy Andy, Holmes, Angel, Jasmine, Aspro, Hathaway, Eddie and Joey – everyone needs to know how vast are their hearts & minds and how strong is their family.

Now we want to go public. With a classic photo exhibit in Manhattan, we want to show the City of New York their Sanitation Workers - larger than life.

Check out what we've been doing at www.ChasingSanitation.com.
We'll go you one better - we’ve been challenged by the Union President Harry Nespoli's generous offer to match whatever YOU donate. So far, the fraternal order Columbia Association of Italian-Americans has pledged $1000. The whole exhibit – prints, frames, production costs, catering, venue rates – costs out at $21K. If we meet our goal with Kickstarter, we’ll have $17K. (So far, $5K of that are Liz and Lisa donating their rates to this Labor of Love/Love of Labor.)
With this photo exhibit for 150+ press, editors and publishers, Sanitation brass, Sanitation workers and their families - we hope to create a buzz big enough to secure a thoughtful publisher for this upscale coffee table book. We want to see the Sanitation Workers of New York on the shelves of local and national bookstores, local real estate offices and public and private sanitation agencies nationwide.
So we're reaching out to you to continue with us on the Chase.

Sanitation Workers - they’re not saints. But they made a choice for their families and for themselves. And they were there after the attacks, and they’ll be there next Monday morning. And through the last century, the fight continues against the stigma of one of our most essential civil service agencies. Still, the job, the snow, the trash – it gets done.
What the world needs now are men and women who get the job done.
You gotta be strong,
Lisa Dowda & Liz Ligon
The below photo is of the first SanMan phone number we snagged.

More information here.