Vaughan Piccirillo-Sealey was just a few months old when he was photographed in his mother’s arms in New York, while on the other side of the river smoke covered the site where the Twin Towers had stood minutes before. Taken by photographer Alex Webb on September 11, 2001, the image became one of the most cited postcards of that day and, over the years, a symbol of the generation born alongside the tragedy.
Today, at 25 years old, Piccirillo-Sealey lives in New York and works in the banking sector. From Central Park, hours before the anniversary of the attack, he spoke with La Tercera about the meaning of that photograph, the distrust towards American institutions, and the plans he is considering for his future.
What does this photograph represent to you 25 years after September 11?
A couple of years ago I said something that sums up well what I feel and I think said everything that needed to be said. It is a powerful image, not only for me but for many people, because my mother literally has the tragedy happening on the other side of the river in her sights, but she chooses not to ignore it, to keep it in her periphery while focusing on the new life she had just brought into the world, which was me.
I think that says a lot, not only about my mother but about all parents, whether biological or not. That message remains, but my relationship with the event itself has changed quite a bit over the years.
How has that relationship changed over time?
My generation was always identified as the new babies of the new era. 9/11 was not only a symbolic milestone for global affairs at that moment, but it defined almost every aspect of American life. No one ever told me directly, but I felt an implicit understanding of how I was supposed to move through life for belonging to that generation.
When it happened, we all understood it was something out of the ordinary, something we never expected as Americans. I grew up with the idea that it had been one of the greatest tragedies on American soil and also in the modern world. But as I grew up, especially since high school, alongside the Trump era, I became a more political person, and that perspective changed.
In what way did it change?
Politics was imposed on us as a cultural practice. In my family, politics and money were explicitly not discussed, but that changed, because in the United States politics ended up becoming popular culture. No one wants to be political about everything, but everything is inherently political, so there is no other choice but to get involved. The problem is that now it is expected that every person be an expert in public policies, which ultimately negates the point of having elected representatives or professionals dedicated to that.
How would you describe Americans’ trust in their institutions today?
I think there are three pillars that explain the division in our society. The first is that the class gap became insurmountable because power concentrated too much in too few people. The second is the lack of accountability towards those people and those companies. The third is greed. Social media is the vehicle through which everything polarized, and that greed is what sustains the polarization.
There are actors, whether companies, countries, or individuals, who benefit from both sides and make a comfortable life from it, and they make it evident because they are proud of what they have achieved. Unfortunately, ordinary Americans did not realize the system was rigged until it was too late. And when we found out who was manipulating it, no one seemed willing to do anything about it.
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Have you ever been recognized because of the photograph?
Not by strangers, but yes by schoolmates who saw a Netflix documentary where my last name appeared alongside the image. I never told this story while growing up; I preferred to keep it to myself, I have nothing to boast about.
The most significant thing this photograph has given me is the opportunity to talk with journalists about what is happening in the world, something that has been changing year by year.
Have you had contact with Alex Webb, the photographer?
Yes, I met him and his wife in 2021 for an interview with CBS. They are very kind people, with a lot of knowledge and much world experience. Talking with them about their careers was revealing because I didn’t know it was possible to travel the planet and make a living from photography. They gave me a perspective of a world I didn’t know.
What do you do currently?
I work in the banking sector in New York. When I was in college, my only priority was to find stability, and banking fulfilled that purpose, although it has not been as rewarding as I expected.
Now that I have that security, I plan to dedicate myself to something that fulfills me more. I am resuming studies in data science, an area that connects my interests: sports, storytelling, art, and politics. Having economic security is just the first step toward personal fulfillment.
What is your generation’s responsibility, 25 years after the attack?
I think the greatest indicator of success for our generation will be if we manage to hold accountable those who have acted as aggressors and shown apathy toward the cost of human lives, both in Manhattan and other parts of the world.
The pendulum has swung too far to one side, and that has caused damage that is difficult to repair in our identity as a society.
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