HEART OF ROCK
The town of Chimney Rock, NC lies enveloped by dust, dirt and debris in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The river bank has become a canyon filled with the remains of the homes and businesses destroyed by the flooding.
Once a bustling tourist community, the town has been closed off to the public for the past eight months to rebuild.
Joan Schneider, a disaster relief volunteer with the organization Spokes of Hope, has been in Chimney Rock since the hurricane aiding the reconstruction efforts.
“I think the biggest thing that helps people heal is other people,” Schneider says.
As a chef for the volunteer workers and a key organizer of the reconstruction, Schneider has been invaluable to the restoration efforts. But the work she finds most valuable is connecting with the people of Chimney Rock.
Schneider has met almost every member of the community and through her work she has not just helped but has become a part of this small town’s community.
“There’s no politics, there’s no anger, there’s just love,” says Schneider.
CREATED FOR THE PROJECT FLOODLINES | CAROLINA PHOTOJOURNALISM WORKSHOP 2025. CPOY FINALIST IN THE ONLINE MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS CATEGORY
THE DAILY TAR HEEL
Produced multiple works of short and long-form content amplifying the voices of students at UNC-Chapel Hill as a staff member of the Audio-Visual Desk. Helped spearhead “Editor’s Notes,” a series inspired by NPR’s Tiny Desk. Clicking any image will bring you to the respective content.
Role: Full production. Cinematography, interviews, editing.
EDITORS NOTES
Inspired by NPR’s “Tiny Desk” Series. Features bands from the University of North Carolina.
ROLE: Director of live production and additional cinematography.
Role: Cinematography and additional editing.
Role: Cinematography.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Dr. Afroz Taj is a professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He teaches courses on Hindi/Urdu and South Asian politics and culture. Taj discusses his experience with the Indian partition and the hatred that has pervaded South Asian society since British Independence.