The Faith Issue: Issue VII

Working Class is happy to present to you our seventh issue, The Faith Issue. In order to create something, and even to get by in life, it seems necessary to have some faith. It could be in a higher being or the beings that surround you in every day life. It’s as simple as knowing that the subways will still run and the coffee will still be hot. Sometimes we all have to just close our eyes and leap, isn’t that what got most of us to this city anyway?

Going through every step of this project has been a test of faith and yet, it’s always come together at deadline (or a few days after). We can only cross our fingers and hope that everyone shows up for us each time around, because we do it all for free. Nobody gets paid, and yet we’re all down for the cause. From our subjects who graciously take time out to chat with us, sit for us, model for us and inspire us to our amazing contributors who take out even more time to build something worth paying attention to.

I still can’t take my eyes off of The Class Supper photograph, which graces the desktop of my computer, taken by Bryce Ward. If anything, that shoot was a true testament to the spirit and faith behind Working Class Magazine – as small or big as it seems.

We spent the first part of the Supper shoot calling people to be disciples, members of the table. It was already 7 pm and we only had Jesus and a few buddies. It wasn’t easy considering it was a rainy, cold night in the far depths of Greenpoint and we needed 12 people to trek out and sit for some free beer and hopefully a good time. But somehow it all worked out, friends called friends and friends showed up – tattooed and all. Half the people realized they already knew each other from the past, a few of them even went to high school together. It turned into a real supper of catching up and drinking, and it was really fun.

For this issue,we touched on a lot of different aspects of faith and spirituality. My Very Own Guru presents one man’s guru in a beautiful light, shot by Naho Kubota. We talked to a number of New Yorkers about what animal represents their god for our New Bohemians section. We even included a little something for you video game nerds with Faith Fighters. And of course, we made it as beautiful as we could.

Without a little faith, nothing is possible. It isn’t about a structured system of rules and guidelines, if anyone knows us, we would hardly say that’s how we roll. But it is about helping each other out.

We hope you enjoy every aspect of this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. It’s just like George Michael said, you gotta have faith-uh-faith-uh-faith. See you on the streets.

Much love,
WC