HYCIDE the 5 Wards

The series features images by Manuel Acevedo, Cesar Melgar, Tamara Fleming, Colleen Gutwein, Fabian Palencia, Nema Etebar, Stefan Brown and Rhys Valmonte.

HYCIDE magazine explores the diverse landscapes and communities of Newark’s five wards through an online series launching December 16 at thefivewards.com

The 5 Wards, part of Newark Celebration 350, features images from a team of photographers showcasing the multifaceted neighborhoods, businesses, landmarks and green spaces within each ward. The series will also include portraits of 25 Newarkers by acclaimed photographer and HYCIDE Editor-in-Chief, Akintola Hanif.

At a time when the dominant narratives of Newark focus on crime or redevelopment, The 5 Wards, created by Hanif and journalist Carrie Stetler, seeks to present a more nuanced look at the city.

"The dehumanizing clichés surrounding Newark ensure that visitors view the city through a narrow, distorted lens,'' say HYCIDE editors. "The reality of Newark, in all of its dimensions and complexity, and the soul and identity of Newark residents, are endlessly obscured.''

"Newark is 26 square miles, smaller than many cities, but it is incredibly diverse. There are golf courses, mosques, mansions, lofts, immigrants from Peru, Sri Lanka, Africa, and the Ukraine,'' according to the series' introduction. "It’s also home to a thriving art scene, several college campuses, and an ever-growing business district, as well as city and community cultural institutions.''

Interviews with residents and business owners reveal their relationship to their communities and the city-at-large, highlighting the perceptions, realities, and struggles they face. There will also be stories about the city’s street culture, art, and history, including pieces on the original native Newarkers, the Leni Lenape tribe, and the residents of the city’s once-thriving Chinatown. Gentrification, violence, and the city’s burgeoning alternative media will also be explored.