Unmasking Personas

WRITTEN & DESIGNED BY DEAN GRIFFIN ART DIRECTED & PHOTOGRAPHED BY SARITA AHMAD MODEL LUCY LAJTHA

In our current world, we all have masks we chose to wear, whether those be literal or figurative. With most of our time spent on Zoom nowadays, it can be difficult to make meaningful connections with others and can be easy to just make assumptions of one through their social media or the limited interactions we may have with them. But once we are able to dig beneath the surface with others and see what makes them the person they are, it can be easier to find connections to one another and “unmask” the true personas and lives of one another.

Nathan Solivan, a sophomore at UO, spends his days mainly studying and working at Whole Foods. He is also an avid athlete, and loves to spend time working out or playing games like soccer or frisbee with friends. However, one part of him that most people might not know is his love for photography.

Solivan first got involved with photography as a freshman in high school. He initially wanted to take a ceramics class to get his art requirement out of the way, but there were no spots left so he settled on photography. Little did he know he actually had a hidden talent.

“My teacher was telling me how I’ve improved, and I realized that I actually am pretty good at it, so that’s where my love for photography came from since I had skill without realizing before taking the class,” Solivan said. From this point on, he realized he could take photography and apply it to different areas of his life. He started taking photos for family and friend’s graduations, birthdays and other kinds of celebration.

Yet still, it is a part of his identity that most people might not know right off the bat. “For me, I don’t associate photography with how others see myself, but I would say it’s something that I admire, so I would mention it if I was really getting to know someone,” he said. For some, a hobby like photography is behind their metaphorical “mask.” But for others, it may be a club or organization they’re a part of. Megan Weissman, a junior at UO, is very involved with Camp Kesem, a non profit organization that hosts a summer camp every year for kids whose families are impacted by cancer. For her, it was a great community to find after being a camper at another camp for 11 years.

“I had been going to camp my entire life, so looking for that group of people was something I wanted in college because I just think camp people are the best kind of people, and everyone was so welcoming,” Weissman said. Additionally, it was an especially comforting group to join because of her similar experiences to some of the campers.

“My father had been diagnosed with cancer, so that was a connection that really worked for me because it combined camp and cancer, which I think is something that is really difficult for kids to go through. Fortunately my dad made it out fine, but some of these kids have situations that don’t go as well, so being able to provide a camp for them to escape to and have a week away from their lives that are very difficult is something I knew I really wanted to do,” Weissman said.

As a director on the coordinator team, Weissman is in charge of overseeing the camp’s board and assisting them with their positions. Her specific job is being in charge of the treasurers, the alumni marketing and PR team and the development team. When most of the camp has become virtual it can feel like a lot of work, but she says that once she is with the campers, it makes it all worth it.

“When I log onto a zoom with the kids it feels so welcoming and amazing, it makes all of the behind the scenes work worth it,” said Weissman.