For the launch of the new Citizen DJ project, the LC Labs team requested a portrait of creator Brian Foo to accompany the news release. Rather than a standard headshot, I wanted a dynamic photo to match the creativity of the new project that merged hip hop and the Library's vast collections for anyone who wanted to remix tracks. Foo mentioned he was a former break dancer, so what better way to make a photo than lighting up the hallowed halls of the Library and dropping a b-boy move on the mosaic floor?

The photo, and the project, proved to be enormously successful. The image above was used across many national media outlets including The New York Times and Washington Post to tell the story of the new program. After the Citizen DJ site test launch in April 2020, more than 100,000 user tests were made by the time the app officially launched at the 2020 National Book Festival in September. The project also helped fulfill the Library's goal of making sure all Americans can connect and engage with its collections.