"Faces of Hope" Subjects Visit 9/11 Memorial & Museum
On July 19, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum welcomed 17 visiting teenagers affiliated with the “Faces of Hope” project, which tracks the unfolding lives of children born on Sept. 11, 2001, in all 50 U.S. states. The teenagers and their caregivers placed flowers at the names on the North Pool before touring the Museum.
Faces of Hope is an ongoing documentary project conceptualized by Christine Pisera Naman, whose own son, Trevor Sami Naman, was born on Sept. 11, 2001.
Following the 9/11 attacks, Naman grew concerned about the fates of all newborns emerging into the world that Tuesday, knowing that their birthdays would be linked forever to the attacks. Burdened with a notorious birthday, how would they navigate forward with optimism in a world marred by terrorist extremism and mass violence?
The resulting profile took form as a book titled "Faces of Hope," which was published on the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, in 2002. "Faces of Hope, Ten Years Later," featured updated portraits, drawings, reflections and aspirations of the children, who were then third and fourth graders.
Several of the teenagers and their families had visited the 9/11 Memorial previously for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, which had been newly dedicated. Now on the cusp of adulthood, the "Faces of Hope" portraits were updated once more with selections of original poetry, essays and letters by the teenagers expressing their views about 9/11 and other musings about life.
Earlier this summer, Christine Naman donated the full longitudinal archive of Faces of Hope, including the portraits, essays and artwork, to the permanent collection of the 9/11 Memorial Museum.
By 9/11 Memorial Staff
The Memorials Registry tracks the creation of public 9/11 memorials around the world, effectively documenting both the enduring global impact of the attacks and the diverse ways in which communities across the world have come together in a display of resilience in the face of tragedy and aching tribute to those lost.
Beau Wilson, a senior museum interpretive guide at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, sat down to tell us about his experience leading this intimate morning tour of the museum space.