Chris’s 2019 book, “Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America,” combines gripping photography with raw commentary and story-telling, to reveal the overlooked parts of the United States hardest hit by the forces of modern capitalism, global trade, and what he calls the competitive credentialism of “front row” elites.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Arnade recounted numerous stories from the five years and 450,000 miles he put on his mini-van, rear seats removed for the many nights spent in Walmart parking lots. A project that began as lunch-time walking breaks from his job as a bond-trader on Wall Street to Hunts Point in the Bronx, gradually evolved into a deep passion for capturing the images and stories of drug dealers, addicts and prostitutes in forgotten parts of the country, many he would come to see as friends.

At one point in the conversation, a Nuance Forum member pointed out that Arnade sounded like he was describing a third-world country, which he affirmed, describing a small group of wealthy elites (his “front row”) congregating in a few coastal enclaves, with extreme poverty and ubiquitous social dysfunction in vast parts of the rest.

Arnade paints a grim picture, and says he is often asked about solutions or any reasons for hope. While not particularly optimistic, he feels strongly that these stories need to be told and the elites who wield the power, influence and resources have an obligation to address the profound inequalities in our society.

Chris Arnade joined Nuance Forum as guest speaker on July 2, 2020.
Watch the recorded conversation below.