25 May I Finally Met Janille Hill – and It Was Beautiful

In the heart of New York City’s Central Park, I had the privilege of sitting down with someone whose work I’ve admired from afar for quite some time: Janille Hill, the creator of Street Connect NYC.

We met at the end of January 2025 as part of my Global Connection Quest — a personal and public adventure to meet new people around the world, one conversation at a time. I had always hoped our paths would cross, and it was truly heartwarming to finally meet Janille in person.

After following her work for years and being inspired by her thoughtful approach to building human connection, this conversation felt like a meaningful milestone in my journey.

Janille’s Mission: Making Strangers Feel Seen

Janille started Street Connect NYC with a simple yet profound intention — to talk to strangers, listen deeply to their stories, and share those stories with the world. Her project gives voice to people who might otherwise go unheard and reminds all of us that meaningful connection can begin with a single question or compliment on the street.

She doesn’t just interview people — she sees them. Her work is a beautiful reminder that strangers aren’t dangerous, or obstacles to avoid, but untapped sources of wisdom, inspiration, and humanity.

What I learned from our Conversation

One of the most moving parts of our time together was hearing Janille talk about vulnerability. She shared how opening up herself has helped create safe spaces for others to share their own truths — and how that mutual exchange can lead to deep, unexpected connection.

I’ve always believed in the power of approaching strangers with curiosity, and speaking with Janille only strengthened that belief. Her experiences on the streets of New York have taught her that:

• Active listening is a superpower. When someone feels heard, walls fall away.
• Everyone has a story. Every single person you pass by carries a rich inner world.
• One conversation can change everything. For the listener. For the speaker. For the world.

Inspired and Grateful

I walked away from our meeting feeling inspired — not just by what Janille is doing, but by who she is. Her warmth, curiosity, and gentle strength as a facilitator, coach, parent, and kind, caring human are what make Street Connect NYC so impactful. It’s a project rooted in compassion, and I’m honoured that our paths have finally crossed in person. 

If you haven’t seen our full conversation yet, I hope you’ll take a moment to watch it here. Janille is doing incredible work in the field of human connection, and I believe more people need to know about it.

And if it inspires you to strike up a conversation with someone new this week? Even better. After all, meeting new people can change your life.

To learn more about building human connections, visit Talk2MorePeople.com. Check out Tony’s upcoming TEDx talk on the power of human connection at TEDxVictoria.ca

Tony Esteves is a a Solution Focused Coach, keynote speaker and facilitator. Tony is also the author of the book, “Talk2MorePeople: Change Your Life by Meeting people.” He is passionate about spending time in the mountains and creating human connection.