Ariana Faye
Allensworth

Staying Power

ROLE(S)

Creative Director
Producer
Photographer
Researcher
Oral History Facilitator
Community Engagement Lead

YEAR2019-2023

Amplifying a People’s History of Public Housing Through Print and Digital Publishing

New York City is home to the largest public housing authority in the United States with over 600,000 New Yorkers residing in NYCHA’s 325 public housing developments. Frequent media portrayals highlight substandard living conditions and contribute to a pervasive narrative of failure, which has been leveraged by policymakers and developers to advocate for the downsizing and dismantling of public housing nationwide.
THE
CHALLENGEWhile these narratives paint a grim picture, they often miss the resilience, community, and systemic challenges intertwined with the everyday lives of NYCHA residents. The real story extends beyond disrepair and neglect, delving into the historical policies and present-day struggles that shape the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. Central to revising this story is putting resident voices at the forefront—ensuring their experiences and insights are the foundation of any discussion and decision-making about their homes.

Rather than framing public housing as fundamentally unworkable—how might we dismantle these stereotypes and reposition public housing as a positive social good worth fighting for?  
FIG.¹
























FIG.¹
LAGUARDIA HOUSES, LOWER EAST SIDE
THE
SOLUTION
As a Create Change Artist-in-Residence at The Laundromat Project, I conceived and designed the first edition of, Staying Power, a print and online publishing platform that amplifies a people’s history of public housing.

Over several years, I collaborated with residents of all ages from NYCHA communities to produce the inaugural edition of the project. Together, we documented their stories through photography, oral history interviews, and community workshops. I then brought these narratives to life through various formats—limited edition posters, zines, booklets, public activations, and an interactive online presence at stayingpower.zone.

This partnership enabled us to unearth and document the wealth of resources, skills, and knowledge embedded within NYCHA communities, crafting a powerful counternarrative that challenges mainstream misconceptions and highlights the intrinsic value and resilience of public housing communities.
FIG.²
FIG.³
FIG.⁴
FIG.⁵
FIG.⁶
FIG.⁷
FIG.⁸

PHOTOGRAPHY
FIG.²
STAYING POWER POSTER FEATURING A PORTRAIT OF LIFELONG LAGUARDIA RESIDENT MICHAEL CASIANO, WHOSE STORY IS FEATURED IN THE PROJECT
FIG.³
VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH THE LAUNDROMAT PROJECT, IN WHICH I REFLECT ON THE THEMES AND MOTIVATIONS BEHIND STAYING POWER
FIG.⁴
STAYING POWER POSTER FEATURING A CITYWIDE MAP OF NYCHA DEVELOPMENTS
 FIG.⁵
VIEW OF LAUGARDIA HOUSES, LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
FIG.⁶
PORTRAIT OF THOMAS GONZALEZ FOR STAYING POWER
FIG.⁷
STAYING POWER VOLUME I ZINE FEATURING AN ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW WITH LONG-TIME VLADECK HOUSES RESIDENT LEADER NANCY ORTIZ
FIG.⁸
STAYING POWER MAD-LIB POSTER DESIGNED FOR NYC OPEN STREETS ACTIVATION
BACK TO HOME