The photo exhibition has been available to the public at City College’s Chinatown campus since Feb. 2, and will remain on display until March 18, 2026.
By Kiyoka Valdes
Zackery Ormonde is displaying his solo exhibit at City College’s Chinatown campus. “Outsider” is a compilation of photographs that hold a deep sense of appreciation for San Francisco's Chinatown.
Ormonde, 28, is a photographer and a student at City College. He grew up in a town called Lathrop, California, and shared that spending over 20 years growing up in Lathrop limited his exposure to new experiences.
As life took its course, so did Zackery's. He was offered a job testing new Waymo vehicles, which are used around San Francisco as an alternative transportation method. Because of this position, Ormonde was able to tour the city and explore its neighborhoods.
Many areas of San Francisco caught his interest, and Chinatown stood out to him. “The main part of the city that interested me the most was Chinatown,” Ormonde said. “It’s the closest thing I’ve gotten to being out of the country.”
Ormonde reflected on what aspects of the neighborhood caught his attention. “Just the people, the food, the colors compared to what I was used to … completely different,” he said. “ I still find it interesting. That’s why I’m still coming here almost twice, three times a month.”
Photos by Zackery Ormonde
His appreciation for Chinatown inspired him to create a project influenced by the culture and way of life in the neighborhood.
“Originally, I started this because when I was taking my documentary class, I was already taking a lot of pictures of Chinatown,” Ormonde said. “I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll make a project on Chinatown,’ and at first, that seemed very self-centered. Then eventually, I started to change it.”
Ormonde connected with photography director Erika Gentry, who encouraged him to dig deeper into his intentions while working on the project. The more Ormonde became aware of the streets and the interactions he had with the community, the more he wanted to highlight the neighborhood’s uniqueness and originality.
“There’s many of them in the country,” Ormonde said, referring to Chinatowns. “This is one of the staple ones — probably the staple one. Chinatown in this city is very important. It’s a very big population, and at this point I want to do justice by using this project to highlight Chinatown and show it in its best light.”
The title of the exhibit reflects Ormonde’s personal experience. “I chose ‘Outsider’ because that’s how I feel when I’m walking around here,” he said.
Photos by Zackery Ormonde
Ormonde also recognizes the depth and history of Chinatown and believes the project is still evolving. “I don’t feel like the project is complete yet until I get more personal stories of the people around here,” he said, “to make it more personal and not as much outside looking in.”
Like many who are drawn to the community and structure of Chinatown, Ormonde seeks to capture the heart of the neighborhood and its people, believing that it is the people, not the place, who make a community.
