NYC Communities: Flatbush Junction to Little India

English 173 Journal: Vol. 1, No. 1 (Fall 2008)

2008-12-15T11:45:00.000-08:00

English 173, Writing in the Community, is a course offered in the Writing and Rhetoric Concentration of the English Department at the Brooklyn campus of Long Island University. Students this semester investigated and wrote about communities outside the University, including neighborhoods, a block association, a historic church, the "party scene," public schools, a restaurant, and a non-profit organization. Their essays emerged from research into a particular community's character, history, uses, and social structures and relations. Utilizing a range of methods from oral history to interviews, close observation, and archival research, some writers explored their own communities while others discovered new, unexpected "homeplaces" or researched the impact of large scale development plans on existing neighborhoods.

Battalion’s Community * Anthony Welcome

2008-12-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

English 173
Anthony Welcome
Essay #3: Site Specific

Battalion’s Community

The sale of a building, located at 661 Linden Blvd. in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn, would blindly usher in a community landmark. In years the building would become known as ‘The God’s Battalion of Prayer Church.’ Founded in 1959 by Alva Clarke of Barbados, this church has been uplifting the hearts of its parishioners as well as the surrounding community for nearly half a century. The church is now over seen by its distinguished senior pastor Rev. Dr. Alfred Cockfield, who is paving the way for a new level of community service. His vision of “Building a healthy community” will be realized through the success of the church’s mission, which is “to transform the community by helping its members to grow in faith, fellowship, character and commitment, ministry and missions.”

Following the almost year long renovation of the church in 1996 there was a spike in church membership as well as a sigh of relief from existing parishioners at the marvel of the completed building. As it stands, the first and second floors are devoted to a private school for children ages 5-11 called the “Battalion Christian Academy.” I have personally been a witness to students who’ve graduated from Battalions program and have gone on to first-rate junior high and high school programs. Two of my younger cousins have been proud graduates of the Academy. They both credit their enrollment into gifted programs for junior high and high schools to the life lessons instilled into them by Battalion’s Academy.

Situated in the basement is the cafeteria, shared by the students on school days, and on Sunday mornings and afternoons by the attendees of the church’s 8, 11, and 5 o’clock services. Between the cafeteria and the ground floor is the church’s “Love Center.” The center distributes brand name food items and clothing to community members in need twice a week, all year round. The top floor is the Sanctuary, where church services are held, and it’s equipped with a balcony.

God’s Battalion not only benefits the surrounding community but also aids the international community through its association with a group of churches called “The Assemblies of God.” This organization has instituted missionary services in countries such as St. Vincent and Guyana of the Caribbean and South Africa to name a few.

In keeping with the holiday spirit, every year members, as well as anyone who is willing to provide, brings bags of rice, canned goods, flour and other items which is to be donated to the less fortunate members of the local and the international communities. This is all done on the Sunday preceding Thanksgiving. Piles of food items can be seen lined neatly across the front of the 30 to 40 ft stage by the attendees of the services, with growing numbers every year.

Thanksgiving Sunday would be the first time I’ve been back at church in 9 months. In the past, I’d always prefer to attend the 11:30 a.m. service so I made my way over to the church at 11 a.m. What struck me as strange were the faces of the parishioners because there were genuine smiles and not just the same old regular “I’m at church on Sunday” smiles. As I held the door open for an elderly women and what seemed like her granddaughter, I noticed something different about the lobby. There were four yellow cuts of a silk like fabric that were pinned under exposed vents which made them move in a wave like motion. The elevator behind me made a ping sound and the next group of people stepped on to take the ride up to the sanctuary.

I took a seat in the back to avoid disturbing anyone during the service which began with the “worship service” or the singing of psalms and hymns. After the conclusion of every song there was a brief period were everyone lifts theirs hands to “praise the name of the lord,” before the choir started the next one. During this portion of the service there is something or rather some form of harmonious force circulating amongst the worshippers that can only be described as supernatural. I felt encapsulated by the energy flowing to and through myself as well as everyone in attendance. As I looked on the faces of the congregation at the end of their worship, it was as if their prayer removed some form of emotional baggage. Everyone looked stress-free and attentive, readily awaiting the sermon.

Post worship service included a prayer for blessing, an acknowledgment of first time attendees and the collection of tides and offerings; the act of giving 10% of your monthly earnings to the church or sometimes just giving some of the money you have on you at the time to designated groups of the church such as the youth choir. With the collection aside it was time to hear the “reading of the word” or bible scriptures.

A special occasion called for a special speaker and the position was given to Rev. Prince Hampel, a Nigerian pastor from London. The name of his sermon was ‘Thankful and Grateful’ and it was taken from the 16th chapter of 1st Book of Samuel in the Old Testament portion of the King James Bible. This chapter was focused on the acknowledgment of the next king of Jerusalem by the Lord through his prophet Samuel. This king was chosen to rule because, as Rev. Hampel put it “God seen that he had a thankful heart.” The young man at the time was David who was made famous for killing the giant philistine Goliath with just a sling and a rock.

As Rev. Hampel read the passages aloud, faint whispers of “yes lord,” “preach,” and even some “uummm hhmmm’s” could be heard all around me. There were several other books and chapters read from the Old Testament and two books from the New Testament. All these passages were in context related to the idea of being thankful and grateful for what you have.

After the sermon there was a concluding prayer in which the non-baptized were invited up by pastor Cockfield to the altar to accept Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of their lives. With all heads bowed and all eyes closed, a few people went up and were prayed over. The ushers escorted them as well as the first time attendees to a room where they would be encouraged to pay another visit to the church and also be told the steps needed in order to become better Christians and how to change their lives and the lives of the people around them for the better. There was a final prayer and everyone stood up, clapped and made their way to the exits. Gods Battalion of Prayer Church offers to fill the whole that some people have in their lives, so when the members become whole they will help others do as well.

A Home Away from Home * Sanum Saleem

2008-12-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

Sanum Saleem
English 173

I always wondered why my parents had decided to live in Jackson Heights, Queens. My first years in the United States were spent there. I can remember Jackson Heights back to nineteen years ago and not much has changed. It is still dominated by the South Asian community, as it was nineteen years ago. I asked my father what Jackson Heights was like years ago and he said it has always been the same. My father said that it was always dominated by South Asians. I wanted to know how a few streets full of South Asian stores attracted so many immigrants and their families. After visiting Pakistan four years ago I was finally able to comprehend why my parents had decided to live in Jackson Heights. I was surprised to see how closely Jackson Heights resembled Pakistan. South Asians in New York had used Jackson Heights to preserve their culture. For my parents and other South Asian immigrants, Jackson Heights brought them closer to home in a foreign land.

I remember visiting Jackson Heights numerous times, even after my family had moved out of the neighborhood. I never fully understood what the importance of this neighborhood was but as a teenager it occurred to me that every South Asian in New York had ties to it. It was easy to relate to other South Asian teenagers because we had Jackson Heights in common. At some point in our lives we had visited the area, and our parents went shopping there almost every weekend. Jackson Heights is usually known for its commercialized area. Johanna Lessinger, in Ganges to the Hudson states, "'The borough of Queens was home to 56,601 Indians in 1990-the single largest concentration of Indians in the city'"(Doyle and Khandelwal 1994:2)- so it is not surprising that the largest Indian shopping area is located there as well”(Lessinger,28). I rarely visit the area these days, but when I do I consider myself fortunate. I've grown to appreciate Jackson Heights because it identifies with me too. My family had introduced me to the South Asian culture and Jackson Heights helped me understand it better.

As I step off the F train, I am directly across the street from what I like to consider, "Desi Town." South Asians refer to themselves as desi. The term desi comes from the sanskrit word des or desh, which means native. Desis include people of Indian, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani origin. This term can be seen on many stores in Jackson Height, as well. I cross the street and I can already smell samosas. Samosas are fried patties that have spices with beef or vegetables in them. They are usually served as snacks. I am besides a snack shop, which also carries various sweets. Sweets we call "mithai" are generally sweeter than any cake, truffle or candy I've ever tasted. They are usually covered in syrup for a rich taste. This snack shop highlights a significant aspect of the South Asian culture, which is flavorful food.

Flavorful food can be found in numerous restaurants on the few streets Jackson Heights inhibits. A lot of them read "desi cuisine." Most of them carry various dishes that appeal to every South Asian. They vary from vegetarian to non vegetarian dishes. South Asian cuisines consist of food with many spices and herbs. Some of the famous dishes include biryani and kababs. Biryani is a dish that includes rice with beef, chicken, or mutton. The dish is rich with spices and usually very flavorful. Kababs are beef, lamb or chicken meat grilled on a skewer or stick. They have spices such as garlic, onions and green peppers in them. In my South Asian home having biryani or kababs for dinner was a privilege. These foods are considered very special and are served on special occasions. Even today when my friends and I desire some home-made spicy food, we immediately think of Jackson Heights. It reminds us of the food we have have grown up around.

Another South Asian concept I have grown up with is the significance of beauty. Beauty as defined by South Asians isn't simple. It deals with a lot of colors and gold. Jackson Heights does justice in displaying this as a significant factor. Many of the times that I visited Jackson Heights was to buy ethnic clothes and jewelry. I usually went shopping in Jackson Heights for special occasions, since that was the only time I wore traditional clothes. There are three types of traditional clothes South Asian women wear. The first is shalwar kameez, which is a pair of trousers and a long blouse. The blouse is usually up to the knees but the length can vary depending on preference. The next is the lengha. A lengha is usually a party wear. It is a long skirt that is paired with a blouse. The length of the blouse varies, although most blouses for lenghas don't exceed the waist. The last is a sari. A sari is a long piece of cloth that is wrapped around an under skirt and a short blouse. Sari blouses don't exceed the waist. There is a special art to wrapping a sari and takes a lot of practice. All three of these ethnic wears come in all types of colors and designs. There are a lot of sequences, beading and embroidery on them because detail defines beauty in South Asia. South Asians encourage their children and families to wear traditional wear, but very few South Asians wear it on a daily basis. The clothes on display in Jackson Heights are categorized as party wears, because most first generation South Asians wear traditional wears only on special occasions.

Gold is also seen worn on special occasions and defines beauty in South Asia. I learned this at a very young age. My parents would take me to Jackson Heights to pick out jewelry for my birthday gift. Most of the jewelry in Jackson Heights is 22 karat gold. 22 karat gold is about 90% pure gold and a deep yellow in color. It is the most expensive form of gold. I remember purchasing a pair of small hoops for my 15th birthday that cost over a hundred dollars. The South Asian culture believes the more gold a person has the higher in status they are. My mother always insists on buying gold for me, even though I personally dislike it. Women that wear the most gold are often considered the most beautiful, in the South Asian culture. This can be seen by looking at a South Asian bride. A South Asian bride is covered in gold. She wears a couple of gold necklaces, bracelets, bangles, earrings and rings. Her status and beauty is determined by the amount of gold she wears.

The South Asian culture is most clearly defined through Bollywood movies. Eagle Theater, that only plays Bollywood movies, is usually packed with eager South Asians desiring to view the new Bollywood release. Bollywood movies are in Hindi/Urdu language, which is the most common language among South Asians. This language can be heard at every corner in Jackson Heights. Majority of the people prefer to communicate in Hindi/Urdu in Jackson Heights. Bollywood movies are musicals. They are about two to three hours long and have at least five to six songs in them. Bollywood’s actors lip-sync and dance on the songs. The storyline of the movie commonly revolves around love. The actors wear traditional clothes and heavy jewelry during wedding and special occasion scenes. These movies show the significance of family and culture. Perhaps that's why Jackson Heights is always filled with families, eating, shopping and watching movies together. South Asians believe in keeping their families close. As a child I had developed a habit of watching these movies with my family. Most South Asians can relate to this and have found a special liking to Bollywood movies. Bollywood movies influenced me a lot, as well. The movies are in Hindi/Urdu, and that would encourage me to speak and understand the language more fluently. The movies would also display ethnic wears so beautifully; I started understanding how essential colors and gold is in the South Asian culture.

As I'm ready to leave, I notice a huge billboard across Eagle Theater, of Shahrukh Khan. Shahrukh Khan is a famous Bollywood actor. I know most people would love to see this because Shahrukh khan has a lot of fans. Walking to the subway station is always fun in Jackson Heights. I hear different sounds of music coming from stores and cars. A lot of these songs are from Bollywood movies. The sound of Indian drums or dhol is an important element in these songs. They sound beautiful. I walk down to the subway station feeling great. I experienced the South Asian culture in these few streets of Jackson Heights.

Works Cited

Lessinger, Johanna. Ganges to the Hudson: "Indian Immigrants in New York City", Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1995.

Midwood: Then and Now * Barbara Joseph

2008-12-01T16:44:00.000-08:00

Barbara Joseph
Writing in the Community
Site Specific Project
Final Paper
Midwood: Then and Now

Walking to School

I live only 296 footsteps away from my alma mater, Midwood High School. It sounds like a journey when you simply focus on the number of footsteps. I walked this short, two-block distance every day (with the exception of holidays, and occasional sick days) for four years. Aside from the fact that it only took me five minutes or even less to get there, the walk to school was always a pleasant one. Occasionally, my sister and I would meet up with my close friend, Stephanie, on the corner of Ave H. and Ocean Avenue. From there, we would cross the street onto Campus Road, passing the Brooklyn College Heating Plant, and then the college’s track field. Since a majority of Midwood’s students were zoned kids, it was common for us to bump into someone from school. That was one of the special things about going to a school so near; we were able to form deeper relationships with the students living within the community. Looking back on my years in Midwood, one of the things that I remember most is the special bond I was able to create not simply with the students, but with the teachers.

Midwood Then

I remember the fall semester of my junior year in high school as if it were yesterday. I remember having to rush out of my bed at about six in the morning in order to prepare my things, to dress my younger brother, and to quickly drop him off to the elementary school directly across the street from Midwood before I headed to my 7:45am English class. As I hurried down the steps to class one morning, I remember being fearful of my teacher’s comment, afraid that he would once again announce my repeated lateness to the class, and remark how lateness was crucial to our overall performance. I was surprise to have come into class and have nothing said to me. At the end of the class, however, my teacher, Mr. Tupone, pulled me aside and said “Barbara, you need to see me during the week about your paper. It was very poor work” As my eyes fell on the C+ which was boldly written on the last page of my report paper, I remember a deep sadness coming over me. I thought to myself, “Wow Barbara, how can you say that you love to write but do such poor work?” Being too ashamed to confront him about my paper, I chose not to go see Mr. Tupone. Instead I vowed to myself that from that point on I would work extra harder. Indeed, I did. I became very punctual and very attentive and engaging in class discussions. I made sure to practice my vocabulary words, and to pay careful attention to grammar in all my papers. I began making outlines, paying attention also to both the structure and content of my paper. Eventually Mr. Tupone started complimenting me on my progress in the class, and he even started meeting me before class, helping me prepare for the NYS English regents exam. Mr.Tupone was amongst the many teachers at Midwood who genuinely cared about the progress of their students. He was amongst those who dedicated their time and resources in order to see their students succeed. Teachers like Mr. Tupone really encouraged me by giving me the confident that I needed to pursue my goals in life. In some sense I can say that it was at Midwood where I found my academic strengths, my desire to study English in college.

It has been three years since I last entered Midwood. However, as I now approach my final semester in college, I am reminded of my days there, the students I once knew, and the teachers who have pushed me to come thus far. I have realized how much I miss Midwood, how much I long to sit at those desks, and be taught by some of the most wonderful teachers that Brooklyn has to offer. As I leave my home now on some mornings to catch the Manhattan bound 2 train on the Flatbush junction, watching the teenage boys and girls make haste to school, I begin to remember my experiences there, and I am suddenly reminded of time; its power to create then and now, today and tomorrow.

Midwood’s History

I imagine Midwood High School when it was first built in the 1930s as being not too different from the school I attended. Perhaps then the off-white pillars were actually white, and the dirty red bricks, were a lighter shade. Developed under a project of the New Deal, the building was designed by Eric Kebbon, a government architect, who was instructed by Franklin D. Roosevelt to use Old Dutch structural blueprints. It was Roosevelt’s intent to build buildings that did not necessarily adapt to the “whims of the moment” but rather reflected” the historical background of the locality” and were essentially “very attractive to the eye [[1]].” One who passes by Midwood High School today cannot deny the fine quality of its architectural intricacy. As a student, I remember being proud to walk into the building. Walking past the six pillars, and then up the stairs leading to the main door, and then into the lobby on whose walls hung paintings of late principals, and whose shelves bore record of academic excellence through plaques and trophies, made me feel lucky to have had the opportunity to attend such a beautiful school, whose name highlighted intelligence and honor. The school which has been ranked as a “School of excellence,” and chosen as a “Blue Ribbon Secondary School of Excellence” by the U.S Department of Education, has always been acknowledged by both parents and students as a place which both focuses on higher learning, and on preparing its students to become better citizens for the real world [[2]].

One of the greatest things about Midwood High School is its diverse student body. Midwood’s population is made up of “25% W, 43% B, 9% H, 25% A [[3]]. “ The School has been known not simply for its dedication in increasing its student’s academic strength, but also for its ethnically diverse community, which has helped students to recognize and understand the different sets of ideas, values, cultures, and even social classes which are held by their classmates and the world around them. Jon Iuzzini remembered her interracial experience at Midwood as being very positive. “It was also at Midwood that I first experienced what it meant to be an ethnic minority. Until then I was able to hide behind my last name, but at Midwood I was truly in the minority: there was a significant population of African American, Latino, and Asian American students… My mind was suddenly opened to the experiences of people I never would have thought existed [[4]].” Iuzzini’s experience at Midwood represents that of countless students who left the school with a greater appreciation for the community that was provided.

Since I left Midwood in 2005, I can say that much has changed. While structurally nothing much has changed about the H-shaped building, and for the most part, most of the teachers that I had still remain, there is a different atmosphere. As I walk into the building for the first time in three years, I am instantly aware of this change. The place is the same, but the community is not.

Midwood Now

Asked what they think about the school, Emily Fortune and Jovelle Joseph had differing opinions.

Fortune, a sophomore at Midwood, explained, “I really think that Midwood High School is one of the better schools out there. It just has so much to offer. The teachers here are great! Plus the library is always open for you after school to do your homework.”

Joseph, a junior, disagreed with Fortune. He said that the school still needs to improve in certain areas. “The school is okay, but it still needs some changing. It’s a tight squeeze. The hallways still get crowded after each period. They got kids sneaking and hanging out in the north and south wings. I think our security needs to be tighter. These security guards just sit all day long in chairs and try to make friends with students. But aside from all that, I think Midwood is okay.”
While Midwood High School has been named “one of the better schools in the country” by the New York Times [[5]], there is no doubt that the issue of its overcrowded hallways has caused many to reconsider their former opinions about the school. In PTA (Parent Teacher Association) minutes, parents mentioned that while Midwood offered their children an opportunity to excel in both Math and Science, the “overcrowded classrooms [were] a detriment to both teachers and students [[6]].” According to a 1995 issue of the New York Metro, as many as 4,000 students are packed in a building designated for 2,300. Although time has elapsed from the time this article was written, the situation in Midwood now is still no different. About 1100 students are enrolled into the school each year; hence, if we add to this number the rest of the student body we will see that its population is quite large [[7]]. If that’s not a “tight squeeze” then what is? On the issue of overcrowded classrooms and hallways, Fortune agreed that it did pose a problem to the students. “Because the hallways get so crowded in between periods, it makes it hard for a lot of us to get to class on time. And because the cafeteria gets so crowded during lunch periods, it makes it easier for students to sneak out and hang out in the back staircases,” says Fortune.

Maintaining control over students congregating in the hallways has always been a challenge for Midwood. As more and more students enroll in the school each year, Midwood’s classrooms are becoming increasingly overcrowded, resources are becoming limited, and many more parents are beginning to realize that there are not enough staff to supervise and attend to their kids when needed. Nevertheless, each year parents continue to send their kids there. Why? Midwood offers a longstanding tradition of academic excellence. Moreover, its student population reflects the urban community which surrounds it; thus, for a lot of students, the school represents a place whereby they may familiarize themselves with, and appreciate, diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. For them, Midwood High is their own community away from home.

In regards to her thoughts concerning Midwood’s community, Fortune stated that “one thing I like about this school is that you can meet people from all over. There’s Russian, Asians, Blacks, Whites. Basically you can meet all sorts of people here. I think that’s really cool because in Canarsie, where I live, you don’t get that kind of diversity. Since coming to this school, I’ve made many friends… I like coming here.” Like Fortune, many students are attracted to the school because it offers them the opportunity to be surrounded by an environment which is much different from the ones they are surrounded by at home. It gives them an opportunity to meet different people, to essentially appreciate human diversity, and “to grow in both mind and body [[8]],” preparing themselves to be major participants and contributors to their respective communities.

Looking back today on my experiences in Midwood, I realize that Midwood has functioned as the foreground to my development as not simply a student, but as a citizen as well. It is because of Midwood High School that I am now the person that I am today, a determined college student whose main goal is to grow in both mind and body.

[1] Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Presidential Library and Museum— http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/frdcsb1.html
[2] http://schools.nycenet.edu/region6/midwood/default.asp
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwood_High_School#Statistics
[4] http://web.utk.edu/~jiuzzini/joniuzziniautobio.html
[5] February 18, 1995—New York Times---“In America: Where Schools Come Last”
[6] http://schools.nycenet.edu/region6/midwood
[7] This information was provided by Dr. Ernest Pysher, Midwood’s Assistant Principal Administration
[8] http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/22/K405/AboutUs/Overview/Our+Mission.htm

A Community Grows in Brooklyn * Carmelle Momperousse

2008-12-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

Carmelle Momperousse
December 1, 2008
English 173

A Community Grows in Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden was founded in 1910 by Dr. Charles Gager. The garden contains 52 acres of more than 10,000 different kinds of plants from all over the world. Within these 52 acres are various gardens to display each class of plants. There’s the rose garden which has 1600 kinds of roses such as Gallicas, Portlands, and Noisettes. The fragrance garden which was added for the visually impaired, there are plants where you can rub on your wrist that it leaves you smelling like lavender or peppermint geranium. There is also the Japanese garden which people find tranquil because of the lake and Japanese architecture. The best feature of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to me is the Children’s Garden Program. It is very special to me because I used to be a Junior and paid instructor when I was in high school. I was involved with the garden for two years and it was a great experience.
The actual name for the children’s garden is “Miss Shaw’s Garden,” named after its founder Ellen Shaw in 1914. Ellen Shaw was a strong minded school teacher who wanted all children in Brooklyn to have a garden. From the beginning the program goal has been to expose city children and teens to the environment. The program teaches them plant-care techniques, pollution reduction, composting and other forms of recycling. Almost everything in the garden is done by the children. Each group gets its own flower bed where the children can plant seeds, take care of them and eventually harvest them. I was able to speak with director of the children’s garden and learn that the program varies depending on the season. During the Spring the program runs for 8-10 weeks, summer is
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3 times per week in July and August, fall is 6 weeks and during the winter it’s 4 weeks. The sessions are 1 ½ hours for the 4-6 year olds and 3 ½ hours for the 7-13 year olds. There is also the kinder gardeners program, which is an expansion of the children garden program for younger kids between the ages of four to six. These are the youngest gardeners who are usually in pre-school. They learn basic gardening skills, simple arts & crafts, how to share and work in groups.
The garden offers volunteer and employment opportunities for high school and college students. It accepts 50- 65 students. I’ve learned that the volunteering program has now changed in the last five years. It is no longer called the Junior Instructor’s program it is called he Garden Apprentice program. Teens now start volunteering as 8th or 9th graders. There are apprentices who work in different departments of the garden, like in horticulture or science research. Other apprentices create discovery cart activity stations about plants in the garden and lead activities for visitors. The garden is able to recruit students by sending out fliers to Brooklyn and lower Manhattan public and private middle and high schools. Brooklyn Botanic Garden also holds an open house so families can learn more about the program.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is across Prospect Park and near Grand Army Plaza. I always enter through the main entrance where you pay admissions on Empire Blvd. Upon entering, there is a brick pathway, a wooden seat that can fit three people and the Discovery garden to your right. The discovery garden is where kids can hike through nature trails under the weeping willow tree, and find hidden animals placed in corners. Next to the discovery garden is the children’s garden. The garden hasn’t changed much
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of its features since I was there. The children’s house is still beige with a green roof top. It is storage for the arts & crafts and garden supplies. The large compost bin remains at the far end of the garden. The planting area has signs made by the children; signs for lettuce, basil, and tomatoes. There’s the pavilion next to the children’s house, which is mostly used for shade during the summer but also as a snack area for the kids.
As a junior instructor, along with my head instructor, I was in charge of 10-12 children in the program for the summer. Three days out of the week we had to come up with different activities to do with the kids. We would take walks to various sections of the garden like the cherry esplanade, the rock garden, and the conservatory, and have the kids look around themselves. These walks allowed the kids to experience the many sections that the garden has to offer. They would mostly run around at first because to the walk time was “play time”. After a while the kids would eventually ask questions about the section they were in. For example if we were in the fragrance garden one child would ask “what is peppermint for”? or “can I eat these plants”? I’d tell them that peppermint is used to make tea and not all plants in the fragrance garden are edible. Sometimes on rainy days there are worms or slugs on the ground and the bravest child would pick it up and ask me “why are the worms out now”? I would tell them that worms live beneath the soil and come out on rainy days because they like wet and moist areas. They would put the worm down and continue walking. All of the children learned that it is important to respect the garden because we share it with animals as well.
In the children’s house we would create dishes with ingredients that came from the garden. For example, my instructor made pasta with pesto that consisted of basil and
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thyme. The most important activity that had to be done everyday was to have the kids walk around the flower beds and decide what kind of seeds they wanted to grow. They could plant sunflower or tomato seeds. They also had the choice to plant mint or rosemary in the herb garden .The kids were taught how to cultivate their seeds and wait to harvest them by next season. They were also allowed to harvest crops that were planted by the instructors.

BBG and the community
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a great way to bring a community together because it offers so many programs to get people involved. For example there is GreenBridge which is horticulture community program designed to share knowledge and resources of the garden with the neighborhoods of the borough. There are also classes for adults that offer gardening & landscaping, certificates in horticulture or in floral design and herb, health & cooking. The garden provides internships for students who are starting just starting college. There the students are introduced to career opportunities in environmental science, botany and horticulture. There’s the children’s program where city kids are encouraged to get their hands dirty and get a chance to learn about the environment. They are able to plant their seeds, watch it grow and produce something that they can eat. The kids also make friends with others from different backgrounds.
A green garden in an urban community is important because it can be used as an education tool. Nowadays kids believe that food comes from factories and stores. By having a green garden in the community kids get hands on experience that food comes
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from the ground. Community gardens are also a way to lively up the neighborhood. For example Liz Christy the founder of Green Guerillas (a community garden organization) decided to clean up her lower east side area by getting volunteers to remove garbage, add top soil and install fencing therefore beautifying the lot on Houston and Bower street.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden extends to the community by holding workshops such as “Making Brooklyn Bloom”, there people are able to learn about neighborhood greening and growing local fruits and vegetables. People are educated on the health benefits of growing fresh and organic foods. The garden offers weekend classes for adults and the children’s garden program for the kids.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden to me is a place for learning and having fun. During my two years as an instructor, I attained many skills that help me out today. By dealing with numerous children taught me how to be patient and multitask. I learned the proper way to plant and grow my own food. I made friends with the instructors as well as the kids in the program.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is important to the children because it is an escape from the noisy and crowded places they face in the city. In the garden they are able to cultivate their minds as well as their flower beds. Doing activities in the garden doesn’t seem like work to them because they can touch and feel the plants in the garden. They are allowed to ask as many questions as they can. The kids are visually stimulated when they plant a seed one day and after a couple of weeks, they see something growing from the soil. It gives them a sense of accomplishment because they planted the seed and was responsible for it.

The Social Community * Shari Seraneau

2008-12-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

Shari Seraneau
English 173
Site Specific Project
December 1, 2008
The Social Community

The Flatbush community is very upbeat and lively. It is also known as the Junction. The West Indian culture is very prominent in this community, which reflects its vibrancy and urban lifestyle. Urban meaning a more inner city cultural diversity that is attached to the West Indian people, the tangible and intangible aspects of the community. The word is attached to the buildings as being crowded, grimy, sooty, and polluted. It is also set as a marker to code an area as being “poor,” “minority,” or “underserved”. It is a combination of common trends, fads, and way of thinking of a metro area. Flatbush has a very rich history and is an up and coming community. The Junction contains many stores, fast food places, bodegas, banks, hair salons, nail salons, markets, and MTA buses and subways. Above the stores are little apartments where little faces peek through their windows in order to see the action down below on the street. The Junction is always crowded no matter what day or time. In mornings, the Junction is filled with commuters and school children rushing to get to their destination. In afternoons school kids talk loudly and run around making mischief. A foul smell encompasses the area, reminding everyone they are in Brooklyn. The cars zoom up and down famous Flatbush and Nostrand avenues. On that block is a little nail salon that might not appear to have much value but it has created its own sense of community.
The name of it is “Perfect Nail Salon” and it is own by Joy. Joy moved to the United States from China around 1990 with the dream of opening her own business. Equipped with her certificate to become a nail technician, Joy sought to make her dream become reality. She is a nail technician nearly twenty years later and her business is booming in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. Joy believes that she is not just doing nails but also is building up the self appreciation and character of her customers. Joy left China because her family was not doing well there and they needed to find another source for living. It was very difficult for her to move from China to Brooklyn because she was leaving her family and her culture. She was embarking on a new journey to which she did not speak the language and was not familiar with the culture. Joy knew that she was destined for a greater future, and her future was in America. Joy came to open the salon on the Junction because she needed a cheaper place to start up her business and she found this quaint little space for rent and decided to turn it into a salon. There were already a lot of other Asian owned nail salons in the area, so she was not in such a culture shock. One of her friends from a near by nail salon told her about the area and Joy decided to take a chance, and ever since then she has been able to call the Junction her home. She was also able to send money back to China to help support her family.
The nail salon is located on Glenwood road and Nostrand Avenue. It is a store front property and the salon faces the Glenwood side of the street. The front door of the salon is transparent with a wooden frame and the word 'Nail' glued to the center of it. The door is always left open and Joy always greets customers before they enter the salon because she can see them walking up the hallway. The color of the walls is a pale white. The nail stations are shiny, sparkly green and white tables. The floor is a light tan wood. The chairs are big and black comfy business chairs. The waiting chairs are wooden with an old fashioned cushion on the seat. The couch is black and looks very comfy. The decor looks like it is more for function that fashion. On the right side of the salon are the nail stations and the first station is Joy's acrylic station. The acrylic station is where ladies only get acrylic powder hardened onto their natural nails in order to make them look just perfect. Toward the end of the right side is the television to which everyone is glued if their not too busy talking about their lives or events. To the left side are the pedicure stations and towards the back of the salon are the drying stations and the couch. There is no real sense of decor to the nail salon, but rather an effortless pursuit of trying to put together a decent nail salon.
The salon is not the most modern building on the block. It looks like it has a lot of history and many stories to tell. It is located in a big brick building which contains many different stores. On the bottom floor, a guy is selling watches and little weird items. Upstairs on the second floor is Joy's salon and next door is an African hair braiding place. Also located on that floor is a tailor. The shop is not the easiest to find and I think that a lot of ladies are referred there rather than stumbling upon it themselves. The shop is a big square room that it has been sectioned off by Joy's bare hands. Toward the back of the room are the drying stations, enviably positioned right in front of two large windows that give a great view to the busy community of Flatbush. I love to sit there looking out the window at all the busy people walking, talking, and trying to get what they need done. Usually, everyone is glued to the television and it sparks the most conversation in the room.
When I was there on Saturday, the news was on and we all found out that the singer Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother got shot to death. Jennifer Hudson is the famous singer who turned actress who won the famous show “American Idol”. She was best known for her part in the motion picture “Dream Girls”. A lot of people in this community looked up to her as a role model because she came from a regular urban lifestyle into a famous star. She exudes all the parts of a regular person before she hit stardom. Hudson is not the normal size and did not come from a normal background. Many of the people in this community can assimilate with her life and that is why her misfortune was a misfortune for the community. There was a moment of shocked silence, but then after everyone broke out with their reactions. Joy could not believe the news and was glued to the set while simultaneously filing away at a lady's nails. Another woman in the shop said that we are in harsh times in the world. The lady drying said that she couldn’t imagine what the singer was going through at that moment. Everyone had a different reaction to the same event, but it was interesting to be part of the nail salon community. It was interesting to see everyone's ideas towards the misfortune. Being in a nail salon can allow a person to see many perspectives in one space.
Joy is very friendly and seems to have a sharp memory because she knows every customer by name. She even remembers people who were recommended to her by her usual customers. As soon as I walk in, I hear, “Hi! Shari, How are you? What are you getting done today?” This is her catch, which she constantly repeats throughout the day, with a different name each time. Joy is very talkative and she gets to know her customers on a deeper personal level. I do not know if she is generally nice or if it is a ploy to get returning customers. Either way, it is working because she has a huge clientele.
The nail salon functions as a community because there is a variety of women that come together for a shared goal and not only enrich others but themselves. They enrich the salon community through communication and stories. These women have their own ideas to share, and are very opinionated women. They share their opinions and ideas through story narrative, which helps express their characters. Some people might not think that a nail salon is a community, but it is diverse, rich, and abundant in this idea of community. All the ladies have their own opinions, ideas, and stories to share with one another. A lady might not come into the salon wanting to talk, but then she gets pulled into debating her ideas on the upcoming elections or other hot topics. Ideas such as supporting Obama in his ventures to the presidency. The older women talk about the younger generation and how life has changed. Just as the older women get the more conservative nail colors with a simple French white line, the younger ladies get bright colors with bursts of designs. The younger ladies talk about the drama in their upbeat lives, revolving around their boyfriends, their best friends, and the latest gossip.
A seemingly shy girl named Krystal was sitting next to me while I got my pedicure done and we began an interesting conversation. The conversation started from the news coverage about the singer's dead family members. We agreed how sad the event was, but then she told me about her own sibling. Krystal's older sister is not the nicest person. She always argues with Krystal and always wins the arguments. Krystal began to cry because she feels that she could not get along with her and because her voice was never heard. But I was listening to her voice, and what she said to me was important at the moment. I see could the emotional side of the young lady and I could see that this was a real issue for her. The nail salon is not just a nail salon. It brings you out of your self character so you can be the teller, the receiver, or just a simple customer trying to get your nails done. The nail salon morphs these women into different positions within this community. They can be the one telling the story or they can be the one listening to all the stories in the salon. I am the receiver. The simple customer is just unplugged from the nail salon and is totally engulfed in their personal affairs or drowning out this community through their music. The beauty of the nail shop lies behind the people and the experience that they make of it or do not. They create their own sense of a community.
The nail salon is a type of sociable community in which everyone is open to sharing and receiving personal information. Basically, the ladies are sharing their business. Women love to talk about their lives, beliefs, and children. A lot of hot topics that came up were about the elections, Jennifer Hudson's tragic family misfortune, men, how somebody’s children are doing, and what's on their agenda. These topics shed more light into the minds of the women. Jennifer Hudson and Krystal reflect how regular women react to events. Hudson is a famous icon and all the women reacted in the same tone but had different reactions. The community spoke as a whole. Krystal's story showed a personal story and it showed that these women have their own personal stories and real life situations. Although the community is a whole, the individuals have their own defining moments and stories. These women are separate but they make up the whole. This idea parallels to the idea of a community.
The customers noted that the nail salon holds greater meaning than just an ordinary space to get their nails done. It is an outlet where they can relieve their stress and just relax. They can talk freely and openly with one another. They can build friendships and many of them have built close friendships with Joy. Although the women view the salon as having deeper meaning, they do not view it was a defining community. They assimilate the idea of a community more with neighborhoods and local areas. They feel the salon does not function as a community because of the term ‘community’. When they hear that word they connect it with the dictionary definition of the word and automatically tag it onto neighborhoods.
These women are coming together around communal problems while they are sitting, chatting, and getting their nails done. They pass news through oral networks and use their prior knowledge and that of the current events in order to communicate with one another. This shows that their interactions are more than social, and their incessant need for this contact with each other dates back to their personal history and life story. The women have this need to share stories because of their history from their black ancestors, in which they all communicated with one another. Back in the slavery days, black people had everything taken away from them, but what they still had was their ability to share their knowledge and stories. Telling stories was their form of independence. So as women pass on their stories in this social community, they got this need from the past.
This social setting is not just a space to these ladies, but is a place where they collectively share interests and ideas for small moments out of their day. This place helps them navigate through the world of national politics and their own local community. These women also use this place to help them navigate through their local Flatbush community. It can help them function in the Flatbush community and allow them to better citizens. The customers noted that if they see someone from the nail salon, they do say hello to one another. The nail salon community spills out into the Flatbush community. It builds this sense of community outside the walls of the salon. The women are more enriched with knowledge that they get from the salon, and they can use that to conduct themselves differently in Flatbush. They can build friendships and network with one another, and take those relationships outside of the salon into the existing community. It is their escape zone, where they can leave the salon feeling like a new person and be bale to function better in their regular lives. The nail salon is adding its own history to the Junction because years from now people will know that there was a salon on that block where women exchanged nail colors and stories. The nail salon might look like an ordinary space but it provides a framework for understanding what these women think, how they act, and how they develop their attitudes toward society.

Party * Termaine Garden

2008-12-01T16:29:00.000-08:00

Termaine Garden
Professor Mutnick
English 173
November 29, 2008

The party atmosphere is a product of hard work, time and effort. Party planning is a process that most times starts several months before the actual date of the party. A successful party can not be planned overnight. This is because various aspects have to be addressed. These issues include things such as the venue, age requirements, dj’s, among other things. The party scene is a diverse scene. It does not discriminate based on race, religion, creed or genre of music. Who doesn’t like a good party?

It is a process that requires time. You have to find a club at which throw your party at. The club has to be big enough as well safe enough to throw your party. In case because if an unforeseen event such as a fire, fight, or other situation arises. You, the party promoter or planner, could be held financially liable in a court of law. For example, early in his highly successfully career, Sean Combs was a party promoter. A fight broke out at his party and injuries were sustained by several party goers. He was found financially liable. Parties sometimes have altercations that lead to fights. In this case you have to stay away from one way in and one way out clubs. This is because as a party promoter, you have to ensure the safely of the party goers. One would think the club owner would be held responsible, but in many cases if somebody gets hurts. The party promoter would be held liable. Therefore it is in their best interest to have insure.

The sound and lighting system plays a major role in a party. The sound system has to be strong, loud, and clear to help feel party goers the vibe of the party. If you can not hear the music clearly, that means that you can not vibe to it. The lighting has to be right. The lights can not be on. This is because you have to flow in the dark. The imagery of the music and lights contributes to the inviting element of the party. It helps make the mood mellow.

Many young people like to party because it gives them a chance to meet new,exciting, and different people. It allows them to showcase themselves in fashion and style. At most parties today, it allows them to take memorable photos at no charge. With the pictures aspect, all you have to do is go to their website and copy the picture. Young people like to party to have fun and release stress. However, this is only a phase. Eventually, you come of age and grow up. You can not be a party person for your whole life. The primarily age of party goers tend to be in the 18 to 24 years old range.

The process of renting out a club for five hours costs from $2000 to as much as $3500 in New York City. In most cases, the party promoter has to make the bar guarantee. Most times that you go to parties, you will hear the DJ will continuously say “Support the Bar.” Alcohol helps to set the mood in a party. Party goers tend to relax more and let it flow. However, this comes at a risk. If party goers become too drunk and reckless. They will tend to put other party goers at risk. Their actions may result in fights. Fights are never a good thing. Fights do happen at parties, it is part of the risk of going to a party. Young people are told many times by the DJ to act “Grown and Sexy.”

The DJ plays the most vital role at the actual party. He must be able to get party goers stay on their feet dancing, while keeping the dance floor full. The DJ controls the party atmosphere. It can be whether he starts playing a slow dance song or fast vibrant dance song. He is master of ceremony. The DJ has to be able to feel the crowd in order to know what he is dealing with. It is easier today being a DJ, we use laptops now rather than compact discs. Technology has helped advance the life of a DJ.

The promotion of the party is essential to the parties’ success. Today, there are various ways to do so. Through flyers, my space, face book, the internet, the newspaper, text messages, emails and radio. You are able to be reached today. It requires time to reach the target audience. Party promotion is very stressful. It is not a career, more of a hobby. There is no real money in party promotion. It is just more for like an activity if anything.

Parties are meant to be fun but there are no guarantees. Nothing is certain in life. Parties are a form of entertainment. I go to parties quite often and I observe things. People tend to party more when they are younger in age, I very rarely see an older person in a club. Older people tend to go to bars and lounges. The younger crowds are more rowdy and the older crowds are more laid back. I hope one day that life can be a party, but its safe to say only in a dream world.

The party community constitute as community because it brings all types of people together in one spot. People are busy nowadays, you hardly ever see them. So when you party it kind of a way brings people together. Our parties we dj tend to be the same crowd. That crowd which is southeast queens as well as we have a large fan base in St. John’s University. It is the reality of it.

Many people are not party people. This is because of various reasons such as not being their style, expenses, and responsibilities at home just to name several. So the few people that party is the same people you tend to see regularly. It is the fact of the matter. Partying is not for everyone. I feel that there comes a certain age in life, when you have to stop partying. It is a depressing to me to see a 50 year old person in club, partying among young adults. At a certain age in life, you should be established in life. Partying to me a phase

The party community is for the most part is an young adult crowd. Don’t get me wrong there are clubs for older people. The age requirements for entry are sometimes 23 and or 25 years or older. However, their clubs tend to be calmer, more controlled and less crowded. It is more of a laid back environment.

I can tell by looking at party, I recently went to. That most women go to parties to escape their realities, and most guys go to parties to meet women. It is what it is. The party scene is slowly steady scene right now. I feel this is because of the state of the economy. Many people
have to decide whether to go to this party or not be able to buy a metro card for the week. The economy has certainly hurt the party scene as it has hurt. Clubs are less crowded.

The party community main characteristic is that it a loose and free one. It is very easy to trace the history of partying. It goes without question. Partying is used as a form relaxation, celebration, releasing of stress to name some. Partying has no social structures or economic status. It helps to build and or create new relationships. Party goers sometimes reconnect with people they went to school with, old friends they lose touch with, and people they had a falling out with.

Other dj’s, promoters, and party goers that I posed the question how do they view the scene have said similar things. Dj’s, party goers and promoters know that this lifestyle is temporarily phase. This is not a career at no extent. Of course, a rarity occurs and somebody makes it big. The money is ok, but you cant live off it. Sometimes with stress involved with a party. I question is it really worth it.

The party scene tells me about youth culture is that it is a coming of age. They have a care free world view at times. I can honestly say the things I did 6 years ago, when I was 18. I wouldn’t do know. You have to live to learn. My advice to any young person who likes to party. You don’t have to pop bottles at any and every party you go to. Because the four hours at most you are at that party, you do not have to impress anybody.

The party scene has taught me about life. I had my things broken, lost money, clothes ruined and have been pepper sprayed. I have said once I turn 25 which is in a matter of months. I’m focusing on other things in my life. I have learned valuable lessons through the partying community. It has helped me grow as an individual.

Community Controversy * Kelly Carter

2008-12-01T16:19:00.000-08:00

For my workout one sunny day, I decided to go for a run down Flatbush Avenue. As I run I always take notice of my surroundings whether its people, buildings, cars, or nature. I love running outside because then I can see all the beautiful things that make up the community I live in or near by. While running I constantly need to weave in and out of large crowds of people walking on the sidewalk. This area is always busy with people hanging out, shopping, working, or traveling. As I start to approach Atlantic Avenue I find myself gazing at shopping complexes that have stores that I love to shop at. Also, there are some delicious restaurants too. A main subway stop for several trains is Atlantic Terminal because many people come to this area to shop, go home, or take the LI Rail Road. When I turn left off Flatbush and onto Atlantic Avenue the shopping center continues showing some more amazing stores. As I continue running I can see a lot of apartment buildings, which make me realize this is also a residential area too. I love running in this area because I feel I get to see part of Downtown Brooklyn and some unique residential areas at the same time.

However as I turn my head to the other side of Atlantic Avenue I see a large gated, messy construction area. This area starts at Flatbush Avenue and ends at Vanderbilt Avenue. I cross the street so I can run along the fence to try and see what is going on behind it. I can see some rail road tracks with some MTA workers and security guards walking around, but as I come closer to Vanderbilt I can see construction workers and equipment digging up the ground. Eventually as I keep running I see a sign posted on the fence, which says “Atlantic Yards.”

The Flatbush and Atlantic Avenue intersection is a very booming place. This location is very busy with pedestrians and vehicular traffic at all different times throughout the entire day. Behind the shopping center is the Williamsburg Savings Bank building, which can be seen from all throughout Brooklyn because it is the tallest building in the area. It may be taller than all the other buildings in the area, but it still blends in to this location because of its architecture. The Atlantic Terminal subway station is underneath the Flatbush and Atlantic Avenue intersection. About fifty percent of all subway trains stop at Atlantic Terminal. There are also smaller businesses across from the Atlantic Center, which have been located there for years such as bodegas, a computer repair store, and a few clothes stores.

The apartment buildings that are part of the residential area by Atlantic Avenue house all different classes of people. The majority of people who reside in this area are middle and lower middle classes. New apartment studio buildings are being constructed all along Flatbush Avenue and they are making their way down towards Atlantic Avenue too. Very few people in this area will be able to afford such housing. For more than a decade gentrification has been taking place throughout Brooklyn and is now especially occurring along Flatbush and Atlantic Avenue. The Atlantic Yards project is a very controversial issue within this Brooklyn community and there are two major groups in dispute about what should be done with the property, Forest City Ratner Companies and Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn.

Forest City Ratner Companies:

In the middle of all these different communities along Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues is a large amount of land that is gated and referred to as “Atlantic Yards.” Currently the area looks like an eyesore because of the gated fence, graffiti, trash, and mounds of dirt surrounding it. Inside the gate are some railroad tracks, cars, and some MTA workers walking around; on the other half of the lot is the beginning of some form of construction. Construction workers with heavy duty equipment are digging into the ground to lay the foundation for the Atlantic Yards project.

The Atlantic Yards project is supposed to bring a new vision to downtown Brooklyn and create a home for Brooklyn’s NBA franchise, the Brooklyn Nets. This project is said to be one of the most important developments in Brooklyn’s history. Not only does it consist of an entertainment arena, but also a mix of affordable, middle-income and market rate housing, commercial offices, retail establishments, a hotel, and a beautiful landscape of public accessible open space according to Forest City Ratner Companies. This project will greatly benefit the thriving borough of Brooklyn. The Atlantic Yards is a project of the developer of Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC). There are two different people overseeing the designs of this development project, architect Frank Gehry and landscape architect Lauise Olin (FCRC).

The Atlantic Yards project is located at the intersection of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenue and is bounded by Pacific and Dean Streets and Vanderbilt Avenue. This area is on top of the MTA and LI RR’s Vanderbilt rail yards. This project is a $4 billion investment in Brooklyn’s future. The developers say that it should open many opportunities to the people of Brooklyn, such as new homes, jobs, community resources, and an entertainment site (FCRC). These twenty-two acres are going to become filled with seventeen different buildings including the basketball arena. The breakdown of development is, mostly residential space, and then the next largest amount of space is reserved for a sports and entertainment arena, and half of the amount of space will be used for offices. The remainder of the space will be used for retail, a hotel, and open space for the public (FCRC). These buildings are going to be designed to fit in with the surrounding communities. They are supposed to fit in scale with the low rise majority of buildings in the nearby neighborhoods.

Forest City Ratner Companies say that this development project will spur a lot of economic growth for the borough and city because there will be union construction jobs and permanent jobs available. It is estimated that $5.6 billion will be generated in tax revenue for the city and state over about thirty years (FCRC). Also, they say that the project will create opportunities for new business and encourage economic growth for the existing local businesses. The project is promised to not only be an investment for today, but also for Brooklyn’s future (FCRC).

The population of Brooklyn is growing rapidly and Atlantic Yards addresses this issue of the need for housing. It will help solve this problem by adding over 6,000 units of mixed-income housing, so that all different classes of people will be able to afford a unit. The housing will be divided into market rate condominiums and rental units. Of these rental units, 50 percent will be reserved for middle and low-income families (FCRC). The non profit group, Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is responsible for the housing division plan. They agreed to help build a percentage of affordable ownership units that would be for low income families located on or off the site (FCRC). Atlantic Yards development promises to bring together different Brooklyn communities. Forest City Ratner Companies say that they are working closely with local community organizations and leaders to discuss any community concerns about this upcoming development. This company has attended several community hearings and meetings to try and answer any questions or concerns from community members. Forest City Ratner Companies promises to continue to support local community events, non profit cultural organizations, and amateur athletics throughout Brooklyn (FCRC).

Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn:

The Atlantic Yards development project designed by Forest City Ratner Companies is opposed by a group called Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB). They were founded in February of 2004 and are a volunteer run and community funded non-profit corporation (DDDB). This group leads a community partnership fighting for development that will bring the communities of Brooklyn together instead of dividing and destroying them. They oppose the “Atlantic Yards” development proposal for the Nets arena and high rise apartments throughout Brooklyn by Forest City Ratner Companies. Fifty-one community organizations are opposed to Atlantic Yards and twenty-one of those organizations are fighting against Ratner’s plan (DDDB). They all feel that Brooklyn needs change, but it needs to be achieved in a way that will show the borough as a diverse, exciting city with pride.

This organization says that the Atlantic Yards project will use at least $1.6 billion in public money and would use the state’s power of eminent domain, which will take private property from one owner to give a private entity for a private use, instead of public. Atlantic Yards is going to use eminent domain to take private properties, houses, and businesses to give them to Forest City Ratner Companies to destroy and build upon. It is said that eminent domain has been called unconstitutional and is being challenged in the New York Supreme Court (DDDB). They feel that development deals that give the developer all power of everything should not be agreed upon because then the communities’ input will not be taken into consideration. They say that the Ratner plan is 90 percent skyscraper construction that will rise up at least fifty three stories high, which is higher than the Williamsburg Savings Bank. This would create a tremendous problem for Brooklyn because a gigantic shadow would be cast over Dekalb Avenue and Fort Greene. This project will crowd up this location even more and make it extremely dense with loads of traffic all day long. Atlantic and Flatbush Avenue is already a crowded area. Instead of this development schools, hospitals, police and fire stations should be built or the public transportation should be improved. Only 12 percent of the housing will be for people making less than $31,000 per year (DDDB).

The Atlantic Yards project is one of the biggest developments ever proposed in Brooklyn and there is absolutely no input from the local community and there will be no oversight from the city council, community boards, or any state legislature because the majority disagree with Ratner’s project. This organization is going to fight against this development because it does not support the growth of MTA’s Vanderbilt Rail Yards, affordable housing, and career creation. Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn wants development projects to respect the surrounding quality of life of the neighborhoods, existing businesses, scale of local architecture and health of nearby residents, and input of affected communities by the project (DDDB). They will not support Atlantic Yards because they want responsible development in Brooklyn to benefit the communities. This organization says that there are other groups who wanted and offered to build over the rails; however, Ratner was the only company to hand over hundreds of millions of dollars in cash, massive subsidies, and guaranteed zoning (DDDB). Forest City Ratner Companies is said to be selling Atlantic Yards as an affordable housing project, but it is only accelerating the process of gentrification.

Community’s Opinion:

These two groups have completely different perspectives on the plans to develop the Atlantic Yards, so I wanted to see what local people in Brooklyn think of it. A woman who lives close by the Flatbush and Atlantic Avenue intersection had many concerns about the Atlantic Yards Project. She explained to me that she visits this area quite often either while shopping for clothes or food, traveling by public transportation, or car, walking or hanging around, or while running. She comes here because she enjoys it and feels that it gives off a pleasant and welcoming vibe. She feels there is already a lot of traffic and overcrowding in this area and that if the Atlantic Yards Project is followed through with it is only going to get ten times worse. The project makes her think that there will be an influx of people causing more traffic and pollution problems. She feels that this area needs development such as more schools or a hospital, but not big businesses to take over the existing local smaller businesses. She thinks money is being put towards something that will not better any community, except for the company building it. She feels that if the Atlantic Yards Project is completed, communities will be negatively affected and will take years to recover. She has lived in Brooklyn for four years and has noticed how the development has drastically changed the borough over the years.

Also, I have several friends who live in the communities surrounding Atlantic Yards and they explained to me how they are scared they will not be able to afford rent and be kicked out of their apartment in the next few years. They have noticed how their community has been changing because people in other apartment buildings have already been removed and new residents have been moving in who can afford the monthly rent. My friends stressed the idea that they wish their community would go back to the way it was because everything is becoming different and unaffordable.

My Opinion:

The Flatbush and Atlantic Avenue community is already an amazing place that does not need the Atlantic Yards Project to create a new identity of Brooklyn. If this project is completed then the Brooklyn that once was will be forgotten and lost because of this development. Brooklyn is such a unique place because of all the diverse and exceptional communities that make it up. This area is already full of businesses, retail stores, and restaurants that help boost economic growth that it does not need any more businesses. The Atlantic and Flatbush Avenue intersection is a place that brings diverse people together and creates neighborhoods that better community life. The people are always content and are happy that they are able to support their families in this community.

If people do not join the fight against the Ratner Project with Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn then they will regret it later after Atlantic Yards is complete. They will realize that from this project their community will now be dark and gloomy from the shadow that is cast over them from all the skyscrapers that are going to be built, they will have to leave earlier for work because of all the traffic of cars and public transportation, there will be an overcrowding issue from all the new apartments being built, and their community will be forced to change and be different and lost forever from the Atlantic Yards project. The community will change from all the development taken place and their daily lives will be affected. This area will be unrecognizable after this project is completed and every thing in the area will revolve around Atlantic Yards and not any local communities. Also, many people will be kicked out of their houses because they will be taken away from them through Ratner’s exercise of eminent domain. They may not know it, but their houses are going to be destroyed. Many people’s rents will skyrocket because of all the construction in their community, too. The communities of Brooklyn need to come together and protest Ratner’s plan of “Atlantic Yards.”

I am a newcomer to Brooklyn from Exton, Pennsylvania. I moved to Brooklyn to study and play Division One soccer at Long Island University. Brooklyn has been my new home for about three semesters now and I have loved every second of it. When I moved to downtown Brooklyn I realized how convenient the area was because everything that I needed was in walking distance or only a subway trip away. The area was not too big and overwhelming for a suburban girl, but it felt just right. I did not learn the area overnight; it took me about a year. However if Brooklyn continues to develop so quickly it will be difficult for newcomers to become used to the location and maybe even push them away. Coming from a fairly newcomer to Brooklyn I feel that the Atlantic Yards project is a bad idea because it will make downtown too intimidating.

Also with being a student at Long Island University I disagree with Ratner’s plan of “Atlantic Yards.” First, the shadows cast from all the gigantic skyscrapers will fall directly on the LIU campus. This will directly affect me as a soccer player because my team trains at the turf field on campus and these shadows will cause the field to be dark and depressing. As a student walking from class to class on campus the area will not be bright and exciting, but make me dread going to class because it will always seem like a dim and cloudy day. I make a decision to study in Brooklyn because I enjoyed the community and felt comfortable, but now the community is transforming into a 34^th Street and Madison Square Garden type of place. If I wanted to study in that type of community then I would have gone to a university in Manhattan. Overall, I miss the community I lived in about a year ago and if Ratner’s “Atlantic Yards” is completed the community will continue to change negatively.

Works Citied

"About DDDB/Ratner Plan." Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn. 13 Nov 2008. Develop

Don't Destroy Brooklyn. 03 Nov 2008 .

"Overview." Atlantic Yards. 13 Nov 2008. Forest City Ratner Companies. 03 Nov 2008

My Experience at Arts & Letters * Ricardo Acosta

2008-12-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

Ricardo Acosta
Prof: Mutnick
English: 173
12/08/08

My Experience at Arts & Letters

The Citizen Schools Apprenticeship program was founded in 1990, in Boston MA. John Werner and Anita Price were the first directors of the program. The Urban Assembly Academy of Arts & Letters aims to help students expand communication and creativity in order to succeed in college and in the real world. Citizen Schools is currently operating in six states, including New York. Ms Thompson is the coordinator for the Citizen School after school program. The program is focused on middle school students because of well documented problems with this age group’s precipitous decline in grades and test scores, leading to poor high school performance and higher dropout rates. I’m a student currently studying to be a teacher at Long Island University. When I found out about the program at Long Island University I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to help middle school students create a digital story. I wanted to have the experience of working with middle school students. As of October 15, 2008 I started working with a group of students every Wednesday from 4:30 to 6pm helping them learn how to create a digital story.
Arts & Letters is located in Fort Greene at 225 Adelphi Street between DeKalb, and Willoughby. A few teachers participating in this program are Ms. Fullerton, Mr. Simon, and Ms. Mutnick. Ms. Fullerton is a staff member of citizen schools. Nelson Simon is a freelance writer and film maker. Deborah Mutnick is a professor at Long Island University. Mr. Simon, and MS. Mutnick have been involved in a three year project at Art & Letters called “Making a Legacy: The Story of a New Urban Public School,” which documents the experience of the school’s founding and its pioneering class of 2009. At Arts & Letters students participating in the Citizen Schools after school program will learn how to make a digital story through iMovie combining narrative voiceovers, music, and visual images. Students will also learn oral history, digital photography, crafting a narrative, making a voiceover. Along with digital story telling other apprenticeships are taking place Monday, and Wednesday afternoons, these include Alice computer animation, personal memoirs, and the credit crisis.
The group of students I have been working with includes Gibron, Kyle, and Mheri. These students each have different attitude. They have their own personalities, and behaviors. Gibron is a quite student who does not like to be bothered. Mheri is a sweet young girl who follows directions when told. Kyle is a student who follows directions but at times can be loud and disturbing. Kyle sometimes makes fun of people, but there is no harm done. I can see that the kids work as a team and make group decisions that will help them succeed in the creation of their digital story.
Each student has a goal in life, and I think Arts & Letters will help them prepare for the real world. For example, Kyle wants to become a professional basketball player. In order for him to reach his goal, he will have to study hard academically, and be able to listen to his team members. The chances of Kyle becoming a pro-ball player are very little, but I see Kyle succeeding in whatever career he desires just as long as he becomes a leader, and not a follower. Arts & Letter teaches students about team work. Gibron, Kyle, and Mheri have begun to live life in the sense of working together to meet deadlines. They have begun to know what it is to compromise with each other. I see them as very young students who have their whole lives ahead of them to do whatever they desire? As they get older, they will change their career goals, or stay with the same ones. Working with Kyle I notice he can be easily influenced by his friends, but when I talk with him, he knows when he is wrong. For example, on my first day working with these students I notice he was one the loudest student acting up in class. When I and another volunteer spoke to him about his rude behavior we asked him what he wanted to be when he got older. Kyle responded he wanted to become a pro-ball player. I responded, do you think acting like that you are going to accomplish anything in life. Kyle responded no. I asked him why he acts like that. Kyle did not know. I was thinking to show off. Kyle knew that his behavior was not acceptable. Throughout the rest of the program that I was working with him he behaved appropriately. Gibron and Mheri are learning to be leaders as they get older they will learn the meaning of leadership. Arts & Letters is teaching them to be leaders through digital story. Students are working together as leaders helping each other out in the creation of their digital story. They began their digital story by interviewing a teacher named Ms. Thompson. They each picked out questions they wanted to ask Ms. Thompson. Such as:
1. Where do you live?
2. How long have you been teaching?
3. What influenced you to be a teacher?
When the students finished interviewing Ms. Thompson, they gathered their answers, and started putting together ideas for their digital story. As a team they chose to write about Ms. Thompson life. Gibron wanted to write about Ms. Thomson being a baseball fan. Kyle and Mheri chose to write an autobiography of Ms. Thomson based on the answers they received from their interview with her. In order to be fair, I suggested they include Gibron’s idea of her being a Yankee fan as part of their digital story.
On November 5th the students started finding and putting generic pictures from the internet for their digital story. Gibron downloaded a few Yankees pictures like a Yankees symbol with “Born to be a Yankees fan” on it. He also found a picture with Roger Clemens on it. Kyle located a card that said “To teach is to touch a life forever.” Kyle liked this statement because Ms. Thompson told them she enjoys teaching. She wants to see students succeed. Another picture Kyle selected is of graduating high school students in black caps and gowns. Kyle chose a symbol with the name “Brooklyn” on it because it symbolizes where Ms. Thomson lives in Brooklyn. These pictures are just the initial photos of their digital story in order for students to get the hang of the program they are learning are learning to operate. The students’ story will refer to every picture in order for them to cohere as an iMovie. Voices of students will be recorded and followed by a slide show. As a team students were exploring which photos they were going to use.
One afternoon, I spoke with Kyle and Gibron about their aspirations. Gibron wants to learn how to make exciting stories, with lots of action, perhaps about history, for young people. He imagines creating a digital story about sports, but he also says he has some sad stories to tell. He told me he just wants to go to high school because people say it’s cool. Gibron says, “I think Arts & Letters puts us on track to go there.”
Kyle wants to learn everything there is to learn. He’s not sure he will do that in three years, but if he pays attention he can learn a lot. Kyle continues “When I do, I will have more knowledge to bring into high school, and then into college.” He says he would like to create a digital story about comedy. “Stuff like that. My friends would agree I’m kind of a funny person.” Kyle found out about Arts & Letters when the Dean of Students, Mr. Robinson, visited his elementary school and spoke when the Dean of Students, Mr. Robinson, visited his elementary “He was kind of funny with his jokes,” Kyle remembers. “He told us what the school would be about. This was around 2006 I believe. I can’t remember because it has been that long. Since I have been here Arts & Letters has been really good to me.”
What I notice about these three students —Gibron, Kyle, and Mheri—are that as long as they have something interesting to do they are focused and eager to learn. When Gibron did not get his way in creating a digital story about Ms. Thompson becoming a Yankee fan, he did not want to participate with the group in creating a digital story. When I asked Kyle and Mheri how each of them would feel if we included a reference to Ms. Thompson being a Yankees fan in the digital story, they each agreed, it would be fair to include it. This motivated Gibron to work again with his team on the digital story. Having gotten to know Gibron better, I understand why he was so insistent about including an image of the Yankees in the story about Ms. Thompson that refused to participate unless his group members agreed. He really wanted to write a digital story on sports, something he really likes.
Citizen School started in Boston MA in 1990. Arts & Letter an Urban Assembly public school started in Brooklyn in 2006. This fall, Citizen Schools expanded to New York State and is serving three NYC schools, one of which is Arts & Letters. Principal Allison Gaines Pell went to Harvard University, and is the founder of Arts & Letters. She thought Arts & Letter would bring a good learning environment to her school.
Arts & Letters is a school that gives students a good learning environment and helps them prepare for the real world. From experience I had working with young teens I have seen them work as a team. They learn the value of team work at an early age. Students learn how to be leaders of their own work. They learn how to make a video in the process of crafting their own narrative story. As a prospective teacher it is of great experience for me to work with young teens. I would want to participate in afterschool programs where I can make a difference in student learning. I would want to give to a community, by keeping students off the streets, and by helping students become team leaders, where in their near future it will help them in whatever they desire to do. I would teach students to be everything they can be as long as they put their mind to it, they will become professionals. I want to teach students to always be leaders, and not followers. I notice that students have the opportunity to learn different creative activities like creating a digital story. On November 19, I spoke with Ms. Thompson about Citizen Schools. She told me she thinks the program is serving the students. It benefits the community by helping students become leaders. The program also helps students with their grades and their academic studies so they can become professionals. Ms. Thompson thinks Arts & Letters will improve student learning because students have the opportunity to work with different age groups. Students can learn how to work with students older, and younger than themselves. Students can also learn from each other to accomplish assignments. Arts & Letters is designed to reach out to students. Ms. Thompson states it is not all about reading, and writing. It’s about reaching out to those who are not interested in school. Ms. Thompson wants students to learn about different career options that will benefit their future. Students learn how to work together with other people, and make a connection with their own skills. I notice Ms. Thompson is dedicated to this program. As I took pictures with her, Gibron, Mheri, and Kyle one could see how much she really enjoys her job, and the students.
I really enjoyed participating in this wonderful program at Arts & Letters. At first I was a little nervous because it was my first time working with young teens. As a prospective teacher, having only worked with younger children, this age group is a challenge. As I got to know each individual student, I found it easier to help them stay on task. At first I thought to myself, “These students are going to be bad, and I’m not going to want to stay in Arts & Letters,” but I was wrong. These young teens do not know where life is going to take them. They are just acting their age, but given the structures of the school and the after school program, they are also learning what it means to be a leader. Fort Green is a quiet community for the students to be a part of. There are a lot of brownstones and houses around the area. Most of the students live either in the area or in different parts of Brooklyn.
Arts & Letters is an excellent program that will teach students how to be leaders. The school is preparing them for college and the real world. I hope as a prospective teacher to make a difference in students’ lives. I hope to help them reach their future goals and become team players. I also hope as a teacher I can put those on the wrong path on the right path because as Ms. Thompson mentions, it is not about reading, and writing it is about reaching out to those who are not interested in school. I agree with her because before you could teach a student you have to show their life ahead. What will you be without an education? You have to show to the students the kind of job they would have without an education. Dead end jobs, retail jobs that do not pay, if you are lucky you may get by without an education, but what are the chances of that happening. Students have to learn that without an education they will not succeed in life. Arts & Letters is a fun program that reaches out to students, and teaches them how to become team players and leaders.

A Walk Through Fort Greene * Felicia Reynolds

2008-12-01T16:08:00.000-08:00

I came upon Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church early in the semester one Saturday while walking with my roommate Danielle through Fort Greene. My roommate informed me she had been to the church before as part of her Social Science class at Long Island University. The outside of the church was so unappealing that I just wanted to keep walking. Blue boards extended from the exterior of the building to the sidewalk, hiding and securing the remains of the building that was in need of construction and left little room to walk. Large nets hung down from the chapel protecting pedestrians passing by from construction debris. Only the two large wooden doors of the main entrance were visible to those passing by. Despite my attempts to keep walking and ignore the building, my roommate persuaded me to enter the church.
It was mid-afternoon and no sermon was being conducted so we looked around. Immediately after we entered the church, I forgot how ugly the outside was. To the back, directly in front of me, lay a massive organ that exposed large brass pipes. Typically I find organs a cliché church instrument, but this one seems different, more significant. Pews encircled a podium in an arena like manner making the formation seem more inviting and less intimidating than the ridged stacks of pews I’ve always known. A balcony was above us on the second floor. On the wall of the balcony were the most captivating and interesting part of the interior: a giant mural displaying people of all cultural backgrounds and ages was painted haphazardly. Women, children and men were painted everywhere. The images seemed to depict the people of Brooklyn, perhaps even the in the Fort Greene area. I have seen the frescos of the Sistine Chapel in person, but this seemed more real and more meaningful to me. Our trance was immediately broken by a large black woman who informed us that we were breaking and entering and we would have to come back some other time. Because I could benefit in class, but mainly out of my own interest, Danielle, my roommate, and I decided to come back the following Sunday for David W. Dyson, the Pastor’s, sermon. I was intrigued by the church and felt there was more to it than its rough exterior and charming interior.
When we returned to the church the following Sunday, we were welcomed with open arms and allowed to sit where ever we pleased. We chose “safe seats” to the far right that offered a view of the pastors podium yet hid us newcomers appropriately. People began to leisurely stroll into the church oblivious to the fact that they were a few minutes late. The pastor did not seem to mind however, and waited for everyone to arrive then started his sermon. I looked around and noticed every couple I saw was biracial, just like the depiction of people on the mural, The Cloud of Witness, above us. Whether I looked at the people in front of me or at the people in the mural it made no difference, the people of Fort Greene were culturally diverse and came in different shapes and sizes.
I’ve never been to a Presbyterian Church before because I am Catholic. Because Presbyterianism is a denomination of Christianity I assumed the service would be almost identical to that of the Catholic Church. I was dead wrong. The Pastor, Reverend David W. Dyson, spoke to the congregation as his equals. He spoke of the community and the value of friendships and family. During prayers, he prayed for the economy and soldiers fighting in Iraq. Not only did he incorporate his values and prayers into his sermon, but also the congregations. He walked around with pen and paper asking those who were in need of healing and those who would like to give thanks to do so. He listens to every individual who chose to speak and wrote down their concerns, prayers, and thanksgivings. He later prayed out loud and acknowledges what each person said individually. The service was very personal, unlike that of my church at home. It made me question not my faith, but my own church’s community.
What I found most surprising about the sermon was the fact that the pastor put community, family, and friends before religion. Yes, he preached the gospel and to follow God, but only after he stressed how important it is to be part of the community. He preached that “all of us have a calling” and to have a calling is “to be in motion towards something... It is our responsibility as humans, as well as Presbyterians, to answer our own calling and collectively form a cohesive, functioning community.” The pastor spoke of productivity, of “defining a place,” and of “home place.” Like that of any Catholic church, the passing of peace is symbolic at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church. But this passing of peace was unlike any I’ve ever experienced. I started off with Danielle who sat next to me. I turned to her giggled, grabbed her hand and said “Peace be with you.” The act seemed childish to me. I turned to those sitting behind and in front of me as well and offered them peace. Before I knew it, I was shaking hands of all textures and colors that belong to all ages and genders. It was as if Danielle and I had an arrow above our heads that read: COME SHAKE OUR HANDS. WE’RE NEW TO THIS CHURCH! The passing of peace took twenty minutes and when it was over Danielle and I were no longer outsiders to the congregation. I no longer think the act of passing peace as childish.
While at the service, Danielle and I were able to witness numerous accounts of family and community. That day we witnessed a baptism. A couple who have been life members of the church, the Anderson’s, met, had marriage counseling and married each other at LAPC. They grew up in the Fort Greene area and decided to stay and raise their family here. The price of Fort Greene real estate was not in their budget so they were unable to buy a home in the area, however they commute every weekend to attend the church and stay part of the community. On that specific day they brought their newborn son, Jacob Malcolm Anderson, to be baptized into the church. The pastor called up the family and their entourage to help in the baptism. When he called up the entourage the entire right section of the church, where Danielle and I were sitting, stood up and moved to the front. Apparently, the entire congregation knew each other. The pastor ushered everyone around, acknowledged and even seemed to know most of the people by name. The pastor spoke of how important it was that family, friends, and the community witness the baptism. When it was over the pastor spoke of raising a child in a safe and positive environment and how it was not only the parents’ responsibility to steer the child, but also that of the congregation and communities. “In a community we have responsibilities to one another, and this child has become one of ours.”
After the baptism the pastor brought the sermon to a closing. It had begun with singing so it had ended with singing. Peaceful music brought to us by the choir that ranged of women and men of all different ages and races. They sang not only of the gospel, but of giving thanks and preaching love. The sermon was over and the congregation relocated to the Sunday school building for a “social hour”. Danielle and I were invited to attend. Not wanting to be rude we accepted our invitation. The informal gathering reminded me of Christmas at my grandma’s house. Too many people and not enough room, tons of children and too much food a combination that Danielle and I did not mind being around. Once again we were embraced by all the members of the congregation. Those in the Anderson’s entourage came up and talked to us. They wondered how we came to visit the church, if we were members of the community, and if we were interested in becoming members of the church. We discussed politics, the recent election, and of course Long Island University’s sports teams. Once the ice was broken with the congregation we were comfortable enough to be introduced to the pastor Reverend Dyson. He was an older Caucasian man with a wiry mustache. He had a commanding voice that drew attention and unified the people in the room. The Reverend asked us both if we were interested in becoming members of the church. I informed him that I was Catholic and Danielle was a Quaker and we were here “having a look.” The Rev. replied, “I did not ask your denominations my dears. I merely asked if you would like to look into being apart of our community.” I never thought of it that way. I always thought a church was a community that was dominated by religion and to be apart of it you had to believe in the church’s standards of what it thought religion was. Once again, I was wrong about Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church.
The Pastor and I continue talking for sometime. He informed me that LAPC had a long history in establishing and making a community that was diverse yet welcoming. It was part of the Underground Railroad, and helped slaves in their search for freedom. The church implemented educational programs, helped the local shelter, and created activities that bring together the congregation and locals to form a solid community. LAPC not only reached out to those in search of religion, but to the Fort Greene community as a whole.
The pastor spoke of community in such a personal and spiritual way. He had no desires to rule or lead a community, rather he just wanted to be apart of a wholesome one. “Caring makes a community,” said the pastor. “People, I assume, turn to faith because it means they care. A community must have faith. Not religion, but faith there is a difference. That is what is so important to me about LAPC, we all care, we all have faith.” I took from the discussion with the pastor and developed my own ideas on community. A community, specifically LAPC, is not only a place where people can claim and identify with their religion, but also a unified structure that has common interests and values, looks out for one another and takes responsibility for one another. To be apart of the LAPC community is to care for all and “understand that it is something that is bigger than you and me,” (Rev. Dyson). I left that day not with a new found desire to practice religion, but to better understand the simplicity of community.

Ibrahim's Little India * Zamir Khan

2008-12-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

Zamir Khan

Writing in the Community

Essay 3 Draft

New York City is unlike any other city in the world. People from all walks of life and from places all around the world adopt New York as their home. When they arrive in New York they bring with them their customs, their culture, and the values that are so important to them in their respective countries. They must adapt to a new land and new life in the Big Apple. Places like Little Italy and Chinatown were communities created by people looking for a way to bridge their past with their many times uncertain futures. 74^th Street and 37^th Avenue in Queens, or “Little India” gives South Asian people the same comfort and feeling of familiarity that an Italian would enjoy in Little Italy. Adults from countries in South Asia have children here and rely on these communities to help them raise their children with some knowledge of the culture and customs in their native lands. Little India is the community in Queens that helps these people make the transition to their futures America by being able to connect with their past in South Asia.

When I say “South Asian people,” I’m talking about people from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. For them Little India is a safe haven. I am from Pakistan myself and I frequented the area throughout my life. Sometimes my mother would drag me along to buy groceries or my father would bring me to his favorite barber shop. Being born in America, I didn’t have a strong connection to the area and the things going on there. I would have much rather been in the park playing basketball than walking around Little India shopping for Indian movies.

I couldn’t stand the smells, the noise, and the people in general. A part of me felt like I didn’t belong there because I couldn’t speak the language and because I never really had many friends that were from my country. I couldn’t understand why my parents and my uncles liked to go there so much. They knew most of the people working in the stores and shops in the area. I avoided the area for most of my teenage life, until recently. A few years ago I became more immersed and interested in my culture after I visited Pakistan. It helped me form a connection with my family overseas and to become more comfortable speaking my native language, Pashto. I visit the area a lot now and I finally feel like I belong. I can carry on conversations with shopkeepers and try to bargain with them for items the way I used to see my father do. I can purchase the movies and finally understand what they’re saying.

Though it is in the heart of Queens, the way the people of the community interact with each other reminds me more of the markets in my native country Pakistan. It seems like there is constant chattering and there are always people to be seen outside. Some people come to shop, others to eat, and others just to hang out. I’ve visited Pakistan only four times in my life, New York is my home and it is comforting to have a place like 74^th Street to enjoy. It serves as a portal back to my native country.

There are stores like Today’s Music who sell Bollywood flicks and Indian and Pakistani music. Bollywood is the term used for the very popular film industry in India. I walked in and saw young kids searching through shelves full of DVD’s and music hoping to find what they were looking for. You will see street vendors selling everything from books about Islam, to incense, to native hats and garments. Women look for clothing in Sari stores in the area. Saris are traditional; Indian clothes worn by women. India Sari Palace is one of the popular stores in 74^th street. The fabric is customized by a local tailor; the average cost is about $50 to have your measurements taken and have the clothes sewn. In my country, people buy fabrics and give them to a tailor to have them sewn in the right measurements. The people of Little India make it easy for someone in New York to purchase clothes as if they were standing in a market in India. My sister frequents these stores, so I am familiar with how the system works.

Women also love the section of 74th Street that glows from all the gold jewelry shops. The jewelers show off beautiful necklaces, chains, and bracelets in the windows of the storefronts. You can see women dragging their husbands inside to try and splurge on something nice. In South Asian culture, the amount of gold a woman has on is a symbol of status. The more she has on; people assume that her husband must be someone important. Many times in weddings you see women draped in gold jewelry, many times their just trying to show up the other girls in the wedding. The gold is more than baubles for these women, for them it is a mark of their status.

There are plenty of specialty stores like halal butcher shops because they cater to the Muslim population in the area. Muslims eat meat that has been slaughtered a certain way. Butchers say certain prayers while slaughtering the animal. The concept is similar to Jewish concept of kosher foods. Many of the butcher shops have been there for a very long time because they have a lot of clientele. Some travel from very far away just to get their meat from this area.

I have an uncle who drives all the way from Yonkers to Queens to pick up food from a butcher shop in Little India. He could probably find halal food elsewhere, but he prefers to visit this butcher shop every other Saturday. There is something about that butcher shop that appeals to my uncle; it could be the staff that treats him with high regard and respect or the quality of the food. I’m betting on the former. He enjoys being able to converse with the workers in our native language. They discuss politics and the goings on in their respective villages and towns back home. I remember when he used to bring me along with him when I was younger. He used to leave the butcher shop with a wide smile on his face. He would come out the place refreshed, the camaraderie he felt with those men made him feel like he was in Pakistan with his old friends. Even though they lasted only for about a half hour or forty five minutes, my uncle cherished those trips to the butcher shop.

My uncle has been in America for the last 22 years, when he does visit Pakistan it is for only a few months at a time. He’d much rather be in Pakistan, relaxing somewhere in the fields. But he works a job as a cab driver here to support his family and pay for his son’s schooling in Pakistan. Whether he likes it or not, America is his home. America is where he is building his future for himself and his family, and Little India is where he can reconnect with his past, even if it is only for an hour or so every other week.

Little India is also renowned for the great cuisine available there. There are many small competing restaurants there, but Kabab King and Jackson Diner are two of the more well known restaurants in the area. Besides the fact that the food is top notch, the prices are also relatively cheap compared to places in Manhattan and other boroughs. The restaurants stay open until very late at night. At night the restaurants serve as cultural centers for the residents of the area. In a way, these small stores and businesses become communities because of the way they interact with their customers. The relationship between customers and store owners is very personal. Shopkeepers are often familiar with their clientele. They know each other’s names and families and show much hospitality to one another.

During my observation, I saw a group of men huddled in front of Jackson Diner. It reminded me of Mengestu’s writing in Brooklyn Was Mine. Some smoked cigarettes, others were sipping from Styrofoam cups of tea, but they were there together. I don’t think the subjects they were discussing were as important to them as the fact that they were amongst their own people. The same camaraderie my uncle enjoyed in the butcher shop is the same feeling these men enjoyed here in front of this restaurant. They found comfort in speaking their native language, discussing topics that interest them with people who share common ideas, customs, and ways of life. Many of them are uncomfortable speaking English. They have heavy accents and are sometimes ridiculed for the way they speak. They find comfort in coming to an area where the people are much more accepting of who they are.

It is no secret that being an immigrant in America takes adjustment to a new language, culture, and lifestyle. That can be a tough task for someone who comes from a third world country with very little education. My cousin introduced me to one of his friends recently. His name is Ibrahim Afridi, he’s 24 years-old and he came to America from Pakistan six months ago. He works as a food vendor on 74^th street. He lives with his uncle and helps him run the business five days a week. When I met him, one of the first questions I asked was what he thought of America so far. He told me that his uncle didn’t let him come to work for his first week in America and encouraging him instead to walk around during the day time and get accustomed to life in New York City. His uncle would leave Ibrahim the keys to the house in the morning and leave for work.

Ibrahim told me that first week was one of the worst times in his life. He told me that when he came here he was very uncertain how he would survive. His uncle is his only family in New York City; he came here to work to support his parents and his two younger sisters. Ibrahim was all alone for that first week, when his uncle would return from work late at night, Ibrahim would be asleep. He saw him for about twenty minutes in the morning before his uncle would go back off to work. He was by himself for that first week and he hated it.

Ibrahim doesn’t speak English very well, so he was afraid to approach anyone outside. He simply didn’t know what kind of reaction he’d get, so he kept to himself. He said his favorite thing to do was watch kids play basketball in the neighborhood park. He would go to the park at around 4 o clock and watch the kids play until night fell. He used to love playing cricket, but he didn’t see anyone who played cricket anywhere. Cricket is not very popular in most parts of New York. He spent his first week calling his parents and his sister’s everyday. Like some part of him wished he could transport back to Pakistan through the telephone.

After the first week his uncle took him to learn to work with him as a vendor. His uncle’s business is located across the street from Eagle Theatre, a movie theatre that showcases Bollywood movies. When people exit the theatre, they usually visit Ibrahim’s cart and purchase plates of food. He told me that on his first day working with his uncle he talked to more people in an hour than the whole first week he spent alone. His uncle let him work for half of the day. Instead of going home he spent the rest of the night in Little India. As time passed, he got more and more comfortable in his surroundings and met more people who he could relate to. He made friends while working with his uncle and even learned about a park where people play cricket on Sundays. He met my cousin when they faced off in a cricket game in Flushing Meadow Park.

Being in Little India made it easier for Ibrahim to adjust to life in New York. Now imagine if Little India did not exist and Ibrahim came here with the same intent to provide for his family. He wouldn’t have met with those same people who finally made New York bearable for him in the first place.

Because of the community in Little India he never felt like he was throwing away his life in Pakistan and starting something completely new in America. His friends that he made in the area helped the transition to life in this country a lot smoother. He brought his experiences, his culture, and his values to a new place. Rather than having to reject or forget his culture, he found a community where people spoke his language, shared his religion, and understood his customs in Pakistan.

Little Italy, Chinatown, and Little India represent people from different cultures forcing their areas of New York to adjust to them rather than them adjusting to New York. These ethnic communities represent something different for people from all walks of life. For my uncle, Little India is a place where he can forget the troubles of his regular 9 to 5 work week and relax with old friends. For Ibrahim, it’s a place where he makes his living and provides for his family. For me it is a place here I can learn more about my culture and so I can hopefully one day pass down the things I learn down to another generation. For all of us, it’s a place where can come together with our own people to salute our past while working together to build a bright new future.