Steinhardt freshman Joe Aboud is a magnet for celebrity encounters. Aboud, a student with a passion for the entertainment business, has an archive of photographs of himself with celebrities including Channing Tatum, Rihanna and Lindsay Lohan from celebrity events. The Media, Culture and Communications student is currently working as a showroom intern for fashion designer Peter Som. With previous internships at Epic Records and PR Revolution already under his belt, and a growing pile of ticket stubs from concerts in and around New York City, Aboud is getting closer to the world he eventually hopes to belong to.
Canon Rebel T1i camera
Although Aboud claims he is not artistic, photography is his outlet for expression. He captures his encounters with Hollywood’s finest with his Canon Rebel T1i camera. Scroll through Aboud’s Kodak moments and you will see photos of him with Lana Del Rey and Adam Levine, to name a few. He has also met Lady Gaga, one of his role models, backstage at concerts.
September 2012 issue of Out Magazine
Out magazine is Aboud’s go-to reading material for his half-hour commute to Chelsea for his internship at Peter Som. This particular issue, from September 2012, features cast members from the film “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” a movie Aboud loves. Out magazine focuses on LGBTQ issues, a topic that hits close to home for Aboud.
“Being a gay man, I have strong opinions when it comes to LGBT equality,” Aboud said. “I don’t like categorizing issues under the heading ‘LGBT rights’ because these rights are human rights. Love is love. Having moved around to nine different places, I’ve gained insight into how ignorant and close-minded many people are and I’d like to play a role in changing that.”
Green maraca
On a recent trip to Puerto Rico with fellow NYU students from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholars Program, a scholarship program for students from diverse ethnic backgrounds, Aboud received a 10-inch neon green maraca at the famous San Sebastian Festival. During the trip, Aboud, who is of Cuban descent, discovered similarities between Cuban and Puerto Rican food and customs while being immersed in Latin American culture. He described his excursion as an opportunity to experience new things in a culturally enlightening way.
A version of this article appeared in the Jan. 28 print edition. Alison Wallach is a staff writer. Email her at [email protected].
