dong sicheng
22 Oct 28, 1997
Photographer/Cafe Owner
Sicheng was given to the foster system just after birth, his parents claiming to be financially unstable and unprepared to care for a child with special needs. While there may not have been anything wrong during his birth, in their bloodline, nor while in the womb— he was born completely deaf. It seemed to the doctors to be a scientific mystery and yet to Sicheng it was completely normal. He was raised in an Orphanage for the Deaf and Mute, homeschooled and taught how to speak in sign language as well as the normal national language. While growing, Sicheng discovered his adoration for photography. He found himself moved by the ability to capture emotion, feeling, and a moment in time with a simple click of a button. As he grew elder he made many relationships, some of which didn’t end up working out so well— others that seemed as though they would last forever. Then he turned 20, and the orphanage was no longer his home. Unsure of how to move on in life, Sicheng was given the opportunity to take ownership of a cafe one of his friends parents could no longer handle running. The only setback? It was across the country, in an urban town he had only dreamed of visiting. So Sicheng packed up his things and left to Neo City.