Having questions and seeking specific insight into the knowledge needed is very common. Maybe a friend isn’t available, or nobody on the internet is giving an authentic answer. This problem may have first been solved in 1996, and the sentiment still rings true today.
At the Green Market in Union Square, New Yorker Kennedy Moore started thinking about the search engine Ask Jeeves, which was at its peak. It allowed users to ask particular questions and gain particular responses in return. While walking around the market he started thinking to himself, why not ask a New Yorker?
Moore then started his own message board, Ask a New Yorker (AANY), where people all over the world could ask questions, and a bunch of New Yorkers were able to send in genuine responses. “What was great is how New Yorkers jumped in, the generosity of New Yorkers,” he said. “We had a real army of New Yorkers that came and answered, shared with people from around the world who had questions.”
Moore grew up across the river in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. He went to college in Colorado, and later moved to Hawaii. It wasn’t long until he made his official move to New York. “People always said, ‘Why would you move from Hawaii to New York?’” he said. “You can’t get pizza at 2 o’clock in the morning.”
When asked what AANY was, Moore’s response was expansive. “It’s multiple things,” he said. “It’s a question. It’s a statement; it’s also an endorsement. It serves as a stamp of approval for people with real experience.”
On their website, it writes AANY is dedicated to creating a bond between the tourist and the local. “It’s the bewildered vs. the jaded, but the truth is we need each other,” the website says. “Tourists remind locals that New York is a special place, that it’s okay to stop and look at the top of the Chrysler Building every once in a while or see a big, splashy Broadway show. And locals shed light on what is truly unique about the city (and what is merely overpriced and overhyped).”
In its current stage, Moore is hitting the streets and asking New Yorkers on Instagram, @askanewyorker.now, questions relating to the city. From a video of a 100-year-old woman showing off her West Village home, or asking questions at a Mets game, Moore brings a variety to the account.
The biggest challenge Moore faced in creating AANY was that he had no background in web design. He also shares that he struggled with holding onto something for so long.
“I can get emotional because when you really care about something, you’re not going to give up,” Moore said. “Is that a challenge? No, I think it’s more of a blessing.” Moore also credits his wife for his success, sharing her support from the beginning has encouraged him.
In the future, Moore hopes to keep his passion going with AANY, and to meet some “interesting people along the way.” He hopes to take AANY to the next level. “In the meantime, I’m really happy with my curiosity and doing what I’m doing every day,” he said.
Moore shares pride in doing something that can leave his legacy behind in New York, as someone growing up with a strong connection to it. “I’m really proud of walking around the city and being like, ‘I am asking you!’” he said. “Yet at the same time, extremely humbled.”
“I know the level of creativity, the level of hustle and what it takes, I wish I had more, quite frankly,” Moore said. “I feel very lucky. It can be a tough city; we see it every day, people struggling. I feel very proud to be part of the thread, part of this place.”
If you have any questions or want to be featured, you can reach out to Moore @kmoore_11211@yahoo.com.
