Jay Li

My name is Jiaer — Jay — Li. I'm a senior at Brooklyn Technical High School, a photographer, and someone who pays close attention to how cities actually work.

I was born in Fuzhou, China and moved to the US about 12 years ago. I live in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and growing up between my block and the rest of the city taught me to read a neighborhood fast: who lives there, what they need, and what the official story leaves out.

This summer I joined EcoPower '26 through Brooklyn Level Up, working across two tracks — Community & Civic and Tech & AI. I interviewed residents, mapped infrastructure, designed a community-needs survey and built FridgeFind, a side quest app that helps people locate food resources in The Flats.

I love exploring photography and videography as a way to document memories with my community — and I'm always down for good food recommendations. Outside of research, I'm usually shooting photos or video, traveling when I can, grabbing food with friends across the city, or at the gym. My gym bro keeps me accountable on harder days. I like work that is vibrant, calculated and quietly sharp — just like the people I photograph.