The New York City taxi driver is an iconic character. Appreciated or feared, these drivers are known for their aggressive driving tactics and liberal use of the car horn (and in the case of my colleague, Protima, quite a few marriage proposals), but they are not generally known for their humor or muscular good looks. NYC-based writer and filmmaker Phil Kirkman and photographer Shannon McLaughlin sought to break through some of these stereotypes while also drawing attention to the vast working immigrant population in New York City by presenting the NYC Taxi Drivers 2014 Calendar. In this calendar, Kirkman and McLaughlin put a face (actually, twelve) to one of the most diverse and dedicated work forces in New York City.
With 82% of taxi drivers born in a country other than the U.S., it’s fitting that 100% of the calendar's net sales will go to University Settlement, an organization founded in 1886 on New York City’s Lower East Side serving over 30,000 immigrant and working individuals and families every year with basic services such as quality education, housing, and literacy programs. The calendar can be purchased here. Or else (at your own risk) you can just ask your next male cab driver to take his shirt off.