Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityRaquel Marhaba and her son Uri Marhaba, 2, have an emotional moment during her sister in law Litle Liberia’s owner Ameneh Marhaba’s brand pitch at the Hatch Detroit’s pitch competition at the Wayne State University Industry Innovation Center. Five businesses Colfetarie, Detroit Farm and Cider, Gajiza Dumplins, Lily’s & Elise, and Little Liberia pitched their brands for a chance to win a $100,000 grant and Little Liberia was announced the winner.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityIoana Walter of Ypsilanti passes a strawberry to her daughter Mercy Walter, 4, during the strawberry pick session at Rowe’s Produce Farm in Ypsilanti.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityCorning, Ohio a small coal mining town with population around 400 residents nestled among the foothills of Appalachians. In the past, it was a prosperous town with coal mines, train hub, and oil industry. The trains stopped, then the mines shut down and now the last oil company is soon to be closed. With a gas station, hair salon, bakery and a flower shop the towns residents have limited employment opportunities and travel for work. The town is primarily quiet, the residents find ways to spend their time when not commuting out for work. The residents stop their cars in the middle of the street to have a conversation. Because there is no traffic and everyone knows everyone in tiny towns, stopping and chatting in the street is fairly usual.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityFor many traveling along the Ohio State Route 13, Corning is a stop, but never a destination. Once a land of relative prosperity as a result of "extractive industries" in Southeastern Ohio, Corning seems to be in a time capsule. Years went by after most coal mines closed, few economic opportunities left. Yet, the resilience and close bond within the community manifest in locals who chose to stay where they call home for generations.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityThe Corning Eagles, a non-profit organization, holds an annual 4-wheeler side-by-side ride to raise funds for local charities. It is one of the largest festivals in the area, attracting residents from Shawnee, New Lexington, New Straitsville, Hemlock, and Glouster.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityFrom left, Lana Isham, 63, of Baltimore looks at the smiling hair stylist Annette Cox, 41, while she works on the hair of Jennifer Beal, 49, of Corning while Tre Mccoy, 18, and his mother Dusti Mccoy, 40, of Shawnee wait at the Hair factory saloon in Corning. The hair saloon is one of the places people catch up with other residents.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityZoie Tesner, 1, looks outside of the main door as her father Clinton Tesner, 42, moving the snow from the sidewalks. Clinton works for the Corning village council. Not lot of employment opportunities are left in town.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityThe Corning veterans regularly organize events and give the residents an opportunity to meet and greet each other following up on each others lives.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityBethany United Methodist Church has a smaller following and less funding, with roughly 20 individuals attending the weekly service, the majority of whom are 60 and older. St. Bernard Catholic Church is one of Corning's most important churches. Many churches have closed as the population of neighboring "Little Cities of Black Diamond" villages declines.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityLandon Park, 13, (center) aims and shoots the BB gun while his father John C. Park Jr, 40, (left) watches him shoot. " He is really mature for his age, takes care of his brothers." says John.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityCorning is known for its abandon houses and trailer houses. Many long-time inhabitants have had difficulty identifying their neighbors and town-mates in recent years. People come and go, renting homes and then leaving them after a few months to pursue greater chances. The building in the photo is been safely taken down as it was a hazard being old, on the verge of falling down.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityAside from John's place and Altier Brothers Oil Company, there are no other job options in the village. The village's primary enterprises are owned by the Altier family. Susan Altier is in charge of the accounts for the Altier Brothers Oil company, which is about to shut down soon.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityOn a Monday evening, Jerald Forgrave, a graduate of Miller High School, speeds through Corning's main streets. There isn't much else to do in town for teenagers or young children. Many leave town searching for work or go to college right after high school graduation.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityAs the sun sets, downtown Corning comes to a halt. For the most part, the village is deafeningly quiet. People get up early for bed and go to bed early in order to be on time for work the next day.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityIndian Americans are second largest immigrant population in the United States. 4.8 million Indian Americans reside in the U.S and play a significant role in the society. Telugu is a south Indian language which is the fastest-growing language in the United States in the last 10 years, with a growth rate of a whopping 150%. Keerthi Sanivarapu, Ridhay Vemuri and Pavan Vemuri celebrate Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights) by lighting fireworks at their residence in Novi, Michigan.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityRidhay Vemuri, 2, and his mother Keerthi Sanivarapu, 35, pray to the Indian deities in their prayer room at their residence in Novi, Michigan.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityKeerthi Sanivarapu, 35, feeds her son Ridhay Vemuri, 2, with her own hands at their residence in Novi, Michigan. Feeding a child with the hand is normal gesture in Indian tradition and part of the culture.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityPavan Vemuri, 37, and Keerthi Sanivarapu, 35, along with their son Ridhay Vemuri, 2, shop at the Pandey Indian store for monthly groceries. “Raising a kid with dual identity, we are not the first people to come to the US and experiment with it. Many people have already done it and it is our turn right now in our life. It is not easy. We are trying our way let us see how successful we get at it.” says Keerthi.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityKeerthi Sanivarapu, 35, bathes her son Ridhay Vemuri, 2, at their residence in Novi, Michigan Keerthi sings and makes her son recite some Telugu songs during the shower time. “We make a conscious effort of talking to him in Telugu. Hopefully it will last long. If we are a little easy on not showing our culture, that’s right, and it’s totally switched off and we just don’t want that to happen. Surprisingly we don’t have to put in a lot of effort to teach them a language but must put in a lot of effort to continue to talk in that language,” says Pavan.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityRidhay Vemuri, 2, closes his eyes as his swim instructor Kylie Modreski, 15, holds him during his swimming class at the British swimming school. According to Ridhay’s parents, once he is at a conscious age to make his own decisions, they want him to embrace both the cultures and respect them. When he is outside of home, he is exposed to American culture but at home it is going to stay Indian.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityImmigrant parents make sure their kids participate and follow few aspects in the household recognizing and respecting their roots dating to India. It is inevitable that they would pick up western things from school and other social environments, but they would also learn Indian way of things at home. The second generation kids are always on the line as they are not accepted completely as Americans nor Indians.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityRidhay Vemuri, 2, and his parents share moments at home, from around the dinner table as photos of family back in India hang in their living room wall. “Our generation is like the only generation which is neither here nor there. We are the bridge between the kids and folks in India. It is lot tougher for us to balance upbringing with two cultures. If you take my family or her family, we are the last generation who can follow and pass our Indian culture to the next and that is a huge burden and responsibility,” says Pavan.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityRidhay Vemuri, 2, rests on his mother's lap at their dinner table in Novi, Michigan on Oct. 15. “He might adapt things from the American culture or other cultures and feel a little different compared to the other kids but should not receive it in a negative aspect but embrace his dual identity,” says Keerthi.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityRidhay Vemuri and his mother Keerthi look at the passing fall colors on their way to the Indian store in Novi, Michigan. “We are so rooted to our culture our things and do not want to change things. We do not want him to totally go away from our culture and our roots but have a good balance,” says Keerthi.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityThe Andhra-style platter is neatly arranged with an assortment of curries, fried vegetables, pappu (lentils), sambar (a lentils-based spicy stew), rasam (a tangy spiced broth), perugu (yoghurt), pickles, chutneys and spicy 'gun powder'. And of course, the unmissable ghee, clarified butter that can be found in most South Asian cuisines.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityRagi Sangati is a popular and traditional finger millet ball made using ragi flour, rice, cooked and shaped into a ball. It is served with chicken curry. It is high in protein, contains high antioxidant content, completely gluten-free, good for diabetics, good for heart health, a rich source for Calcium and helps keep the digestive system healthy.
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityPortrait of Sandhya Atmakuri (center) a Kuchipudi dance teacher from Rochester Hills, Michigan. She moved to the U.S in 1996 by marriage on dependent visa (H4 visa). She was not allowed to work on the visa status and wanted to go to law school, but it was not financially viable. She received her green card in 2001 and started her dance school in 2002 after observing parents wanting to teach their kids dance to keep them culturally connected to their homeland. Through her school Natyadharmi Foundation of Performing Arts, she has been teaching Michigan kids Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dance art forms).
Student Photographer of the Year - First Place, Akash Pamarthy / Ohio UniversityAparajitha Pamarthy, 32, moved to the United States in 2012 to pursue her master's in engineering for better career opportunities. She was the first child in her family to move abroad and laid a path for her younger siblings and cousins to study abroad. Her dream since childhood has been to move to the U.S, secure a job, and give her family a better standard of living. She stayed in touch with her parents regularly via phone. One day, she received an unexpected call from her family about her father's critical health condition and was asked to catch a flight back home immediately. By the time she reached home, she had lost her father.
