Tugboats have always interested me. I mean, who doesn’t love a cute, rugged tugboat? After living within walking distance of the East River for years, I became curious about the history of these hardworking boats. The waterways are the city’s sixth borough, with history, industry and recreation that are largely overlooked by most New Yorkers. Profiling the humble tugboat was my way of showcasing this unheralded part of the city.
Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s busiest harbors, “Tugs” is an ode to the hardest working boats on the waterways and the people who pilot them. Once filled with scallywags and salty dogs—rugged seafarers who virtually lived on the water—the marine towing industry in New York City has matured, but the traditions of family, community and hard work persevere. “Tugs” admires the legacy and longevity of these boats and the strength of their position in the country’s history and future.
Amy Vilela lost her daughter when she couldn’t afford the medical bills. When her Congressman told her he wouldn’t support universal healthcare, Amy said, “I’m running.”
Cori Bush is a registered nurse, a pastor and a mom. After taking to the streets to protest police killings, she looked in the mirror and said, “why not politician, too?”
“The Boss of the Queens Machine” hasn’t faced a primary challenger in 14 years. But an underfunded upstart is suddenly giving him a run for his money.
Paula Jean Swearengin has seen West Virginia’s land exploited, its people fall ill, and its politicians do nothing. So she decided to do something herself.
The coalminer’s daughter. The bartender. The police brutality activist. The grieving mother. Each looked at the man representing her in Congress and said, “I can do better.”
As Mark McKinley puts it, “no collector ever says, ‘I’ve gone too far.'” After 27 years and an official Guinness World Record, he stands by that statement.
Three young Spaniards are reviving the farming tradition that flourished in their grandparents' generation.
“Who would look after him if I wasn’t here?” and other questions this mom asks herself every day.
Meet a teenage actor-singer-comedian with absolutely no doubt that his tumultuous adolescence will soon give way to Hollywood fame.
We humans are far more complex than the news headlines and clickbait would have you believe. Let the Narratively newsletter be your guide.
