LineSpeakerSt TimeContentEn Time
1LES_int_010.7500So, okay. So, it is, what is the date? October sixteenth.4.0427
2LES_se0_ag2_f_024.4099Two thousand and [eight.]5.5075
3LES_int_015.3538[Two] thousand and eight.6.1177
4 6.2626And we are talking to. Now, tell me your whole name, [/RD-NAME-3/]8.8836
5LES_se0_ag2_f_028.7431[My] whole name? [<laugh>]10.3061
6LES_int_019.6519[Yeah.]9.8758
7 10.3061Cause you got a long one.11.1589
8LES_se0_ag2_f_0211.1589Yes I [do.]11.9025
9LES_int_0111.5820[<laugh>]12.3635
10LES_se0_ag2_f_0212.3722it's /RD-NAME-9/14.4664
12 14.6245[/RD-NAME-1/.]15.0827 
13LES_int_0114.6245[Okay.]15.0827
14 15.6561[/RD-NAME-1/]16.4775
15LES_se0_ag2_f_0216.0293[<laugh>]16.9996
16LES_int_0117.4035Awesome.17.9363
17LES_se0_ag2_f_0218.0373Yeah.18.3095
18LES_int_0118.9329So, um, I normally ask people to kind of start at the beginning.21.6582
20 21.7504So, can you tell me, for instance, when and where you were born?24.6383 
21LES_se0_ag2_f_0225.2222Well,25.9247
23 26.1574I was born in Bellevue Hospital.27.7554 
24LES_int_0127.8696Okay.28.3203
25LES_se0_ag2_f_0228.4607February eighteenth, nineteen seventy-nine.30.9808
26LES_int_0130.9808Okay.31.3100
27LES_se0_ag2_f_0231.5252I believe it was a Thursday.32.8554
29 33.0266I'm just lying, I don't know.34.4432 
31 34.7593[I know though.]35.6373 
32LES_int_0134.9393[It was a- it was a beautiful day, sunny day.]37.2266
33LES_se0_ag2_f_0235.9842[<laugh> I- No, actually,] it was a snow storm.38.4515
34LES_int_0138.5933[Okay.]038.9720
35LES_se0_ag2_f_0238.6855[A very] bad blizzard, [and that it snowed] three feet, and [it was-]41.4447
36LES_int_0139.7585[Oh.]40.2985
38 41.1151[Oh] wow.41.9289 
39LES_se0_ag2_f_0241.9289it was hard because my mom couldn't get a ambulance44.7396
40 45.1918to get her, so she had to get in the cab.47.0648
41LES_int_0147.3721Oh [man.]48.2414
42LES_se0_ag2_f_0248.0043[She thought] I was gonna be a cab baby.49.6232
43 49.7835Like, thank God I wasn't.50.7207
44LES_int_0150.7854Like you were gonna be born in the cab.52.2144
46 52.8861They made it to the hospital54.0479 
47LES_se0_ag2_f_0254.1241Yeah, we made it to the hospital, so <sigh> and then there was me.56.6529
48LES_int_0156.8022Okay.57.2369
49LES_se0_ag2_f_0257.5310And um.58.2422
51 58.4749I was born and raised in Baruch Projects, /RD-ADDRESS-8/62.8816 
53 63.4031Then we moved to [/RD-ADDRESS-8/.]66.1177 
54LES_int_0166.0567[Yeah.]66.2214
55 66.7666[I might need to /check/] with this just a little bit if that's okay.68.9193
56LES_se0_ag2_f_0266.8105[and um.]67.2451
58 67.4998Mm-hm.67.9300 
59 69.2699No problem.69.9474
60LES_int_0169.9474That's better.70.5106
61LES_se0_ag2_f_0271.0851And um.71.4802
62LES_int_0171.9983So, tell me a little bit about your family. You already mentioned, [but your-]75.4578
63LES_se0_ag2_f_0274.5578[A little bit] about my family. Well, my grandmother moved down [here]77.7612
64LES_int_0177.5768[She's from North [Carolina?]78.7710
65LES_se0_ag2_f_0278.6524[She's] from North Carolina originally. She moved up to81.0934
66 81.2208Harlem81.7564
68 82.1866when she was seventeen.83.2913 
70 84.0596She got married, had her kids and she decided she wanted to leave Harlem.87.3238 
71LES_int_0187.3150Mm-hm.87.6311
72LES_se0_ag2_f_0287.7847And she moved down here to Lower East Side. When she first got down here, it was two buildings.91.5955
74 91.7448And there was marshland.92.8401 
75LES_int_0192.9667This is Baruch, was two buildings?94.7009
76LES_se0_ag2_f_0293.8667[This is Baru-] Baruch was two buildings.96.4614
77LES_int_0196.6853[That's amazing.]97.3642
78LES_se0_ag2_f_0296.7847[And she told me] that the um97.9657
79 98.9530the demographics of the area were actually100.8628
81 101.2213Jewish, Chinese, and Italian.103.2144 
82LES_int_01103.8730[Okay.]104.1276
83LES_se0_ag2_f_02104.0047[Very] little Latinos and very few blacks.106.3579
84LES_int_01106.6081Mm-hm.106.8715
85LES_se0_ag2_f_02107.3062So.107.6530
87 108.2676And she said a funny joke. I don't know if this is racist or not, but I wanna share it.111.5246 
88LES_int_01111.5861[<laugh>]112.4993
89LES_se0_ag2_f_02112.2315[She said] before the Chinese moved in, there was a lot cats.114.6637
90LES_int_01114.9447[<laugh>]115.9188
91LES_se0_ag2_f_02115.1818[And after they] came in, there were no more cats. (laughing)118.2368
92 118.8163So, then all of a sudden, there were a bunch of Chinese restaurants. So, you know, she always tells me122.2744
94 122.4017don't eat at no [Chinese food restaurants.]124.0480 
95LES_int_01123.1000[Oh no.]124.2462
96 124.3525[<laugh>]125.0103
97LES_se0_ag2_f_02124.5661That's just my little funny joke to share with- from my grandma.127.0791
98LES_int_01126.1898[That's a good- That's] a good one. [<laugh>]128.0387
99LES_se0_ag2_f_02127.9174[But] my grandma had um129.2464
100 129.3862seven children.130.2782
101LES_int_01130.2782Oh, wow.130.9031
102LES_se0_ag2_f_02130.9917So. It w- it was a crew of them. And back in those days, when they were growing up, they moved here134.8405
104 134.9664for real. I'm like135.6938 
106 135.8757as teenagers.136.9004 
107LES_int_01137.1428Right.137.3433
108LES_se0_ag2_f_02137.3060Preteens, teenagers.138.3645
109 138.7982And at that time,139.6235
111 140.2996Grand Street was still around, but they had a lot of142.1974 
113 142.3746like142.6171 
115 143.1708community events happening. Um. There's144.7562 
117 145.0220actually, in Baruch, it's something called The White House has been shut down forever, since I've ever known.149.5784 
118LES_int_01149.7370Oh. I've seen it. It's a beautiful151.3410
119LES_se0_ag2_f_02152.0566[It used to] be a pool. It used to be after school prog- it used to be a center. Community center.155.6470
120LES_int_01152.0566[building.]152.4623
121LES_se0_ag2_f_02156.2299Pool,157.0133
123 157.1671recreation,157.9027 
125 158.3410um,159.0871 
127 159.4555dance studios, [all of that.]161.1061 
128LES_int_01160.5885[That's a shame.]161.2880
129LES_se0_ag2_f_02161.9548And they closed it down. So, whatever.163.6288
131 164.1918I used to be scared164.9099 
133 165.1664to death of that building.166.2621 
135 166.3778Cause a lot of winos and drug addicts used to hang out over there and it got really dark at night,170.3096 
136LES_int_01166.3871[You did?]166.6991
137 170.4775[Okay.]170.9411
138LES_se0_ag2_f_02170.4961[so.]170.9411
139 171.2115We used to run past172.0415
141 172.1441the White House.172.7596 
142LES_int_01172.7596Okay.173.1280
143LES_se0_ag2_f_02173.4532[But, um.]173.8527
144LES_int_01173.5147[So, yeah.] Ta- talk about your childhood a little bit. Like, tell me what you remember about growing up in Barauch.177.8352
145LES_se0_ag2_f_02177.9582I never thought I lived in the projects.179.6001
146LES_int_01179.7933Okay.180.1313
147LES_se0_ag2_f_02180.1972That might sound crazy.181.3152
148LES_int_01181.6357[Yeah.]181.9071
149LES_se0_ag2_f_02181.8552[But,] I didn't think of it as that.183.2557
150LES_int_01183.4840Yeah.183.7255
151LES_se0_ag2_f_02183.8616It was, um.184.4543
153 184.9463Was a- it was a186.0132 
155 186.7843fantasy land. I don't wanna say it like that. Maybe that sounds corny too.189.5528 
156LES_int_01189.5528[No, that's great.]190.4045
157LES_se0_ag2_f_02189.8162[But I used to climb] the trees.191.3107
158 191.3941My brother and I and my friends used to climb the trees, you know.193.9773
160 194.3197Play freeze tag, manhunt, all those type of games, we had197.1316 
162 197.4873park, was a wonderful place. Like, that was the place to be. Like I201.3041 
164 201.6158my mom used to send me to the store203.1991 
166 203.4318for breakfast204.2879 
168 204.6344and I would never come back.205.8198 
170 206.5954I would stay out until like five o'clock with the milk, and the eggs, and the [Clorox, and everything like that.] She's like211.7671 
171LES_int_01210.1032[<laugh>]211.3984
172LES_se0_ag2_f_02211.8857where were you? I was like, oh. Uh.213.6359
174 214.0705I g- I go- I forgot [something.]215.6203 
175LES_int_01215.0232[<laugh>]216.0461
176LES_se0_ag2_f_02216.1383So.216.5159
177LES_int_01216.5159And was that cool? Like were you able to go out and explore?219.5408
178LES_se0_ag2_f_02219.8964It was so safe.221.1345
179LES_int_01221.3628[It was.]221.8501
180LES_se0_ag2_f_02221.4989[I mean] it was safe, but at the same time if you-223.7759
181 224.3774if you224.7593
183 224.9832if you- if you had negative behaviors, obviously, then228.1618 
185 228.2803you know.228.5817 
187 229.0603But,229.3676 
189 230.1271My family, we weren't big231.6769 
191 231.8744street people, like232.8930 
193 233.1652there were some family members who hung- who hung out in the streets, who got involved in236.5837 
195 236.9086some drugs, and gang stuff like that. As [a whole though,] my family's a really holistic type family.241.0645 
196LES_int_01238.5347[Yeah.]238.7655
197LES_se0_ag2_f_02241.4016Really spiritual.242.2489
199 242.6045You know, I come from, um. My grandmother's Jehovah's Witness, my mama's245.3820 
201 245.7508b- I was raised a Muslim.246.9582 
203 247.3050And at that time there were no Muslims out here. Very few Muslims. So, that was a struggle for me and my si- siblings.251.8167 
204LES_int_01251.8167Right.252.2689
205LES_se0_ag2_f_02252.2689You know, cause young, we253.2260
206 253.5684were- I had scarves, and they would get pulled off, and everything like that, so it was256.8885
207LES_int_01257.2266[Wow.]257.5866
208LES_se0_ag2_f_02257.2793[a bit] of culture shock, because like, inside the home, it was a total different atmosphere than once you stepped outside the doors.263.3232
209LES_int_01263.3232Yeah. Now how did your- your mom ci- come to Islam?265.8900
210LES_se0_ag2_f_02266.3202<ts> In the sixti-267.6684
212 267.7957late seven- early s- late sixties, early seventies, [she became] Muslim, [as well] as my uncle. She moved to um, Atlanta, then she moved to DC where she met my dad.275.7069 
213LES_int_01270.1769[Okay.]270.4271
215 271.2060[Okay.]271.4581 
216 275.8255Wow.276.3102
217LES_se0_ag2_f_02276.3655And,276.8177
219 277.2874that's how all of that went [down.]278.6001 
220LES_int_01278.3718[Wow.]278.7494
221LES_se0_ag2_f_02279.0878So, my family were actually, uh Black Panthers a lot,282.3927
222LES_int_01282.3927Right.282.5991
223LES_se0_ag2_f_02282.5991very282.9892
224 283.1209political283.7757
225LES_int_01283.7757Yeah.284.0435
226LES_se0_ag2_f_02284.1488activists, and um285.2283
227LES_int_01285.4302Right.285.7200
228LES_se0_ag2_f_02285.9132I mean, I'm talking about, they were287.0415
230 287.2478they were making incense in the288.2996 
232 288.4709bathtub.288.9582 
234 289.1821Like,289.4762 
236 290.2182[That's] how serious it was. [My uncle] was still a merchant, and he was actually293.2855 
237LES_int_01290.2182[Right.]290.5372
239 291.1869[Right.]291.5162 
240LES_se0_ag2_f_02293.6148he had one of the first294.5631
242 294.9582stores295.7616 
244 296.3280on Avenue A.297.5162 
246 298.8333Right across the street from Tompkins Square Park, he had a bookstore.301.3270 
248 302.2445[New World.]302.6821 
249LES_int_01302.5020[That's real cool.]303.1474
250LES_se0_ag2_f_02302.9586[W- New] World Trading.304.1133
251 304.6313So, [you know.]305.6235
252LES_int_01305.0572[Cool.]305.4567
253 306.2909And are m- are you still a practicing muslim?308.1304
254LES_se0_ag2_f_02308.1963Yes, I am. [I just,] you know.309.2923
255LES_int_01308.7084[Okay.]309.0201
256LES_se0_ag2_f_02310.4206Got a l- got a little older, [wanted to be a little more, yeah. Wanted] to be a little more-314.7187
257LES_int_01312.1548[No more scarves, right? <laugh>]313.8504
258 314.8504Yeah.315.1738
259LES_se0_ag2_f_02315.2440Do what I g- wanna do kind of thing. [But, my sib-] my sister, you know, everybody else still covers their /?/.319.4915
260LES_int_01316.5678[Yeah.]316.8523
261LES_se0_ag2_f_02319.9438I just [don't.]320.4427
262LES_int_01320.2981[Wow.]320.8624
263LES_se0_ag2_f_02321.1188But, [um.]321.6364
264LES_int_01321.4033[So,] that, yeah, that's unique in this neighborhood, [I think.]323.4864
265LES_se0_ag2_f_02323.1239[Yeah. Very] unique, [cause no-]324.3257
266LES_int_01323.9201[Did you ever] feel?325.1511
267LES_se0_ag2_f_02325.9717Yes. I don't even know what you were gonna say, [but.]328.2053
268LES_int_01327.9908[<laugh> L-] yeah.328.6389
269LES_se0_ag2_f_02328.7229Yes. I mean, it was definitely a struggle, because331.0578
271 331.3516not only that, there weren't-332.3774 
273 332.6199when I was growing up, there was a large population of Latinos.335.9330 
274LES_int_01335.9889Mm-hm.336.3526
275LES_se0_ag2_f_02336.3526Very large, [and] so.337.7690
276LES_int_01337.0742[Mm-hm.]337.4146
277 338.9067Yeah. What was the make up in Baruch? It was Latino, [African Am-]341.7325
278LES_se0_ag2_f_02341.1356[It was Latino,] Africa- very few, like,343.0696
279 343.5125like when my mom was growing up, there were more African American families than there were when I was growing up.347.4993
280LES_int_01347.4993Mm-hm.347.7698
281LES_se0_ag2_f_02348.0216The ones who stayed,349.0742
283 349.2468or the families that350.2679 
285 350.4684I knew.350.9254 
287 351.5835And um,352.0673 
289 352.1839a lot of Latinos, and it was a struggle b- growing up as an African American young lady in the- in this neighborhood, because, you know.357.7549 
290LES_int_01357.7595Yeah.357.9833
291LES_se0_ag2_f_02358.7294Being accepted and things like that, [and um.]360.5573
292LES_int_01360.2835[Right.]360.6285
293LES_se0_ag2_f_02361.1634At the- when I was younger, I had very long hair, extremely long hair.364.0346
295 364.1232You know, I just actually cut my hair like two weeks ago.366.0397 
296LES_int_01366.0863Mm. [Looks good.]366.9070
297LES_se0_ag2_f_02366.4593[And so, /RD-NAME-2/] hasn't even seen it, so she's like gonna probably scream.369.3539
298LES_int_01369.3539[<laugh>]370.2165
299LES_se0_ag2_f_02370.0673[But,] I had very long hair, so the Latino girls were like372.4593
300 373.1261you know, and the black girls were like, so I kind of really didn't fit in, and I was kind of always really political myself. I was a little378.2449
302 378.4920pro-black379.1168 
304 379.6705I used to wear Malcolm X buttons, t-shirts, all of that, you [know.]382.5009 
305LES_int_01382.4030[Because] your family [had]383.6595
306LES_se0_ag2_f_02383.3131[Cause of my] family. [Cause influence from my family.] Exactly, so I was very- very, very, um.387.4471
307LES_int_01384.3836[instilled that /in you/.]385.5699
308LES_se0_ag2_f_02387.8155Political in that way, very militant in that way, so.390.0863
310 390.4967I knew a lot of people were391.3826 
312 391.6426couldn't grap-392.1415 
314 392.4259didn't relate to me on that aspect. [You know] what I mean?394.5569 
315LES_int_01393.9787[Right.]394.2724
316 394.5755Yeah.394.8133
317LES_se0_ag2_f_02394.8133But, I also danced.395.6946
318 396.0257The arts was a big thing for me, so in [elementary] school,398.3746
319LES_int_01397.4580[Cool.]397.8077
320LES_se0_ag2_f_02398.7710I di- b- we were in Shakespearian plays, you know. Thank God Ms. /RD-NAME-2/402.8231
322 403.1541and Ms. /RD-NAME-3/ actually believed in us. (laughing)405.5452 
323LES_int_01405.5452[Yeah.<laugh>]406.3006
324LES_se0_ag2_f_02405.8950[Cause you know,] she- we went all over the country touring.408.2628
325 408.7151[You know,] we did Midsummer Night's Dream at Henry Street Settlement.410.8834
326LES_int_01408.7151[Wow.]409.1208
327LES_se0_ag2_f_02411.6528So, my [childhood, I wou-] I would- I'd like to say I had a good childhood, I mean.415.4239
328LES_int_01412.2511[That's cool.]412.9316
329LES_se0_ag2_f_02416.0254My father passed away. That's the only thing I think418.4303
331 418.5562really effected my childhood, [but other] than that, I had a very good nucleus.422.1233 
332LES_int_01420.1323[Yeah.]420.4820
333LES_se0_ag2_f_02422.4870My mom was the best. She actually worked here424.2574
335 424.9071for fifteen [years.]425.8602 
336LES_int_01425.7204[Oh. That's neat.]426.7222
337LES_se0_ag2_f_02426.1354[But I think] that's why I go- came into this work.428.0052
338LES_int_01428.1171Yeah.428.4901
339LES_se0_ag2_f_02428.5880But, um.429.1010
340LES_int_01430.1641What did you play as a kid?431.3951
342 431.8008<ts> Where did you play? First of all. Because in Baruch, you have [playgrounds.]434.7186 
343LES_se0_ag2_f_02434.5414[Oh.] Yeah. [The park right across the-] yeah. Right next to my house, there was a park in front of my house, a park in the side of my house, and a439.3338
344LES_int_01435.0285[So, you played there in the park?]436.1568
345LES_se0_ag2_f_02439.4830park in the back of my house, and then we had the FDR Drive, [hello.]442.3693
346LES_int_01442.2489[You] guys were so lucky, because a lot of kids444.6772
347 444.7938lived on a block with tenements, and so they just played in the street.447.8386
348LES_se0_ag2_f_02447.9925Exactly.448.6780
349LES_int_01448.6780And you guys have parks everywhere.449.9151
350LES_se0_ag2_f_02449.9151And yeah, we had everywhere. And we were very fortunate in that way.452.8214
351LES_int_01452.6766[Yeah.]453.1973
352LES_se0_ag2_f_02452.9751[I think.]453.5107
353 453.8268But now, a lot of those parks are getting taken away from us, [unfortunately.]457.1442
354LES_int_01456.5866[Yeah.]457.1442
355LES_se0_ag2_f_02457.4515Like, the big park where [we used to frequent,]459.2559
356LES_int_01458.4964[The big park.]459.2340
357LES_se0_ag2_f_02459.6028Now, it's a football field, and it's reserved for Bard462.1388
359 462.3803Early College. It's like, okay, that's all good464.2549 
361 464.3428but,464.5711 
363 464.6764you know.464.9618 
364LES_int_01465.1857I heard [that.]465.8135
365LES_se0_ag2_f_02465.6862[What] about the rest of the day when you guys aren't in session? [Like,] the kids can't.469.8379
366LES_int_01469.0344[Yeah.]469.2496
367LES_se0_ag2_f_02470.1364But, people u- um, use it, like I said, I don't live here anymore, so I don't know how many.474.1740
369 474.5208I don't know if people frequent475.5832 
371 475.7501these places, I don't really know as477.3657 
373 477.5106[much as I] did then. But, I know when I grew up.479.3676 
374LES_int_01477.5106[Yeah.]477.8380
375LES_se0_ag2_f_02479.6793I got scars to prove it.480.9695
376LES_int_01481.2417[Yeah.]481.6676
377LES_se0_ag2_f_02481.4174[We used] to run through everywhere.483.4178
378 483.9227It was.484.3573
379LES_int_01484.4144Yeah.484.7073
380LES_se0_ag2_f_02484.7117And in the middle of Baruch, it's actually, um,486.5569
382 486.8079a shelter487.3559 
384 487.5798called The Castle, they call it.488.7388 
386 489.3578And um.489.9242 
388 490.9032That was a big part of childhood too, because my mom was like, don't go over there to the shelter kids, th- The Castle kids, The Castle. Cause, then they were like, very ostracized, but.497.8252 
390 498.1046It turned out I m- I wound up marrying a Castle Kid.500.2822 
391LES_int_01501.6915Look at that.502.2359
392LES_se0_ag2_f_02502.3325Yeah. So, they weren't that bad. [<laugh>] They weren't so [bad.]505.5885
393LES_int_01503.8412[They weren't so bad.]504.6271
395 505.1802[<laugh>]506.1154 
396LES_se0_ag2_f_02506.3393But, there was um.507.3666
398 507.7134Just a whole racial tension with the Latinos, it was hard510.0469 
400 510.1573fitting in, because511.1363 
402 511.5798You know, [basically.]512.2910 
403LES_int_01511.7510[Was there tension?]512.4754
404LES_se0_ag2_f_02513.2612<ts> Oh yeah. Cause you he- cause it's a lot of things, like, as I grew up,516.4339
406 516.5437I l- I learned Spanish.517.8651 
408 518.2164And you think they're saying something that's very derogatory when they say morena.521.5881 
410 522.2232But they wasn't it's just how they were saying, so.524.6247 
411LES_int_01524.8310[Mm.]525.7293
412LES_se0_ag2_f_02524.8617[Of course you're gonna get] defensive if you hear someone say,526.9388
413 527.0294<ts> /unintelligible/ morena.528.4195
414LES_int_01528.9112In a tone.529.5614
415LES_se0_ag2_f_02529.5614In the [tone, and] it's like, who you talking about? So.532.1804
416LES_int_01530.2259[Right.]530.4586
417 532.1804Yeah.532.4790
418LES_se0_ag2_f_02532.4790Certain words, you can look for like,534.0419
419 534.4142negrita, all of that, you know, [so it was like] what?536.5614
420LES_int_01535.8414[Yeah.]536.1955
421LES_se0_ag2_f_02536.7985Are you talking about me?537.6897
423 538.1580Your mother's-538.7375 
425 538.8429your mother looks like me. Like, that was my thing, cause I knew my history because of my background, I was like542.8161 
427 543.2156do you even know what Puerto Rico544.6951 
429 544.8575k- what i- what Puerto Rico is made out [of?]546.6209 
430LES_int_01546.4804[Yeah.]546.9414
431LES_se0_ag2_f_02546.9414Who- who547.6526
432 547.9161your ancestors were?548.9961
433LES_int_01548.9961Yeah.549.3605
434LES_se0_ag2_f_02549.3605Do you? [You know.]550.2517
435LES_int_01549.9312[Yeah.]550.2517
436LES_se0_ag2_f_02550.4097Even some Dominicans, I just say, you know551.9928
438 552.4933slave ships stopped a-553.5015 
439LES_int_01553.5015Slaves. [Yeah.]554.4015
440LES_se0_ag2_f_02554.3445[they] stopped at- in Dominican Republic [before they came] to America, so.557.6152
441LES_int_01555.9381[Before.]556.6977
442 557.7382[Mm.]558.0718
443LES_se0_ag2_f_02557.7645[<ts>] I kind of think you're a little more African than me.560.0810
444 560.3928[That always] was a big, I mean,562.0435
445LES_int_01560.4279[Okay.]560.8318
446LES_se0_ag2_f_02562.6669always had563.1718
448 563.6591very.563.9269 
450 564.0762Used to call me Sister Souljah.565.1606 
452 565.4943I used to school everybody about their-567.0689 
454 567.3103their culture, like, what? You don't know your people da, da, da, da, da.570.4837 
456 570.6074So,570.8796 
458 570.9894just me being that way572.1776 
460 572.3840in this environment growing up,573.7494 
462 574.0391was difficult, because, you know, kids my age didn't care about that kind of stuff. I mean.577.6743 
464 578.5596they're really, literally reading580.2981 
466 580.4299Malcolm X at eight years old.581.6065 
467LES_int_01583.5557[Who does that?]584.3181
468LES_se0_ag2_f_02583.7562[Who am I] gonna talk [to about that? Like, am I] gonna go talk to my friend Maria about Malcolm X?588.3133
469LES_int_01584.8362[Yeah]585.3630
471 585.5694[yeah.]585.9338 
472LES_se0_ag2_f_02588.6513No. She would- we were playing, um, with the590.6737
474 590.9986<laugh> little pony, My Little Pony, [you know.]592.8908 
475LES_int_01592.4738[Right.]592.7591
476 593.0050[Right.]593.2772
477LES_se0_ag2_f_02593.2025[Cabbage] Patch Kids.594.0543
478 594.2913Who's thinking about that? Be thinking about gym. We were thinking about596.7071
480 596.8256Thunder Cats.597.4359 
481LES_int_01597.9583So you were really politically aware, at a- [even at a-] at a [young age.]602.1671
482LES_se0_ag2_f_02600.0685[Yeah.]600.5075
484 600.9773[Yeah.]601.3856 
486 601.7544[Yeah.] Y- and I thank my mom for that because it opened my eyes about a thing-605.1525 
487 605.2765to a lot of things that I criti- I learned to be a critical thinker.608.0749
488LES_int_01608.2154Yeah.608.5710
489LES_se0_ag2_f_02608.6895You know, and I wish other people had that.610.4456
491 610.6959But, I think being that my mom worked here,612.7446 
493 613.0475she spread that614.0310 
495 615.0451to615.3612 
497 615.6561community [residents.]616.6037 
498LES_int_01616.4939[Yeah.]616.8978
499LES_se0_ag2_f_02617.0339[So I'm thankful] for that.618.0114
500LES_int_01617.0339[Yeah.]617.4802
501LES_se0_ag2_f_02618.3012I'm thankful for that.618.9949
502LES_int_01619.0896I know you talked about some racial [tensions and] I know that, you know, there have been times624.0096
503LES_se0_ag2_f_02620.8754[Mm-hm.]621.3659
504LES_int_01624.1545in-624.8262
506 624.9667in the neighborhood that have been sort of higher crime than others. I mean, was that something that629.7773 
508 630.0115i-630.1037 
510 630.2486you experienced that631.3286 
512 631.8334affected you directly? Did you s- did you see-634.4090 
514 634.8788did you see violence? Was it something you sort of636.6217 
516 637.8159had to deal with?638.5886 
517LES_se0_ag2_f_02638.8783Put it this way, I grew up in crack era.640.4924
519 640.9798The Eighties was [crack era.]642.2705 
520LES_int_01641.8359[Right.]642.2705
521LES_se0_ag2_f_02642.4329You know.642.8061
522LES_int_01642.9290Yeah.643.2803
524 644.6749[It hit hard.]645.4300 
525LES_se0_ag2_f_02644.7027[So, of course it wa-] of course it was violence.646.7778
526 646.9666Of course it was violence, of course there was drugs.649.1530
528 649.7193But,650.0091 
530 651.0320I would say that652.0973 
532 652.4441I didn't f- growing up,653.6690 
534 655.3066talking school age.656.2681 
535LES_int_01656.2681Yeah.656.5974
536LES_se0_ag2_f_02657.6275I didn't see, I didn't, I didn't659.0412
538 659.2432pay attention to it, I guess.660.4738 
540 660.7046I- cause I know it was there, [you know.]662.1583 
541LES_int_01661.7808[Yeah.]662.1539
542LES_se0_ag2_f_02662.2637Cause, you know, after a certain time, when the street lights come on, you go in the house because665.6822
544 665.9851[they're gonna start shooting out. <laugh>]667.4954 
545LES_int_01665.9851[You just sort of knew, you just sort of] knew how to handle.668.6896
546LES_se0_ag2_f_02668.9618Yeah. Definitely. I mean, when you- you're brought up in a situation where many people672.6217
548 672.7842consider at risk,673.6534 
550 674.2198I mean, for you, it's not at risk. It's your life.676.0666 
551LES_int_01676.3871Yeah.676.6944
552LES_se0_ag2_f_02677.1510So, it was like677.6251
554 677.8051no, I just have to f- [wal- go around it.] Yeah. Go around the obstacles, don't681.4516 
555LES_int_01678.7165[So you just live your life.]680.0116
556LES_se0_ag2_f_02681.7156if you know, that in the big park at twelve o'clock, they having a gang meeting,685.1290
558 685.2607a Zulu Nation meeting,686.3831 
560 686.6668you don't go687.4088 
562 687.5317to the big park. <laugh>688.4800 
564 688.6337You go689.0771 
566 689.2044around the big park.690.2888 
567LES_int_01690.3635Hello. [<laugh>]691.6088
568LES_se0_ag2_f_02690.8947[You know what I'm saying,] so.692.0303
569 692.7986[I mean,] it definitely was there, but as a teenager,694.8708
570LES_int_01692.7986[Right.]693.0888
571LES_se0_ag2_f_02695.3098yes, the-695.9640
573 696.1922the violence was there, because, I don't know. For some reason, teenagers like to fight.699.1761 
575 699.8654I don't know what it is about it, at [that age,] I don't know if it's the testosterone, I don't know what it is, [but]704.3507 
576LES_int_01701.5099[Yeah.]701.7470
578 704.1576[Angry.]704.6493 
579LES_se0_ag2_f_02705.0268every day, there was a fight after school.706.4625
581 707.1258Every day. Every day.708.7063 
583 709.1701Every day there [was a fight after school.]710.5267 
584LES_int_01709.8155[Did you get into fights?]710.7243
585LES_se0_ag2_f_02710.9614I wasn't a big fighter. I was more of the peace maker, like712.8492
587 712.9721come on brothers and sisters,714.0960 
589 714.2189<laugh> we don't need to be [doing this.]715.6629 
590LES_int_01715.0615[<laugh>]715.5663
591LES_se0_ag2_f_02715.9790You know, I was more one of those, [but.]717.5771
592LES_int_01717.3971[You] were like the talker.718.6132
593LES_se0_ag2_f_02718.6703[Yeah, like come on.] We don't need to, what-720.0093
594LES_int_01718.7713[<laugh>]719.5000
595LES_se0_ag2_f_02720.1235What do you-720.5274
597 720.7516She don't want your man. You know, I was the mediator.723.0521 
598LES_int_01723.3331Mm-hm.723.8033
599LES_se0_ag2_f_02723.8687So,724.2946
601 725.1316I think that725.6760 
603 726.6024I needed to be that, [because]728.0643 
604LES_int_01727.9721[Yeah.]728.2838
605LES_se0_ag2_f_02730.4351this didn't make sense to me.731.5750
606LES_int_01731.8428[Yeah.]732.2336
607LES_se0_ag2_f_02732.0448[To fight,] like, it just didn't make sense to me.734.0643
608 734.6395If yo- if it's a life and death situation, yeah, I can understand it, but.737.5304
610 737.8904He stepped on your sneaker, wipe it off.739.3202 
611LES_int_01739.3202[<laugh>]740.1894
612LES_se0_ag2_f_02739.7372[Like, that] was my whole [thing, you know what] I mean. But, growing up, I,742.1870
613LES_int_01740.7865[Right.]741.1729
614LES_se0_ag2_f_02742.5693when I got older, as I got older, junior high school, high school age,745.2562
616 745.5388of-745.6846 
618 746.0907I noticed a lot more dru- cause a lot of people who I was hanging out with were selling drugs, and [you know.]750.5430 
619LES_int_01750.2269[Right.]750.5430
620LES_se0_ag2_f_02750.7801Smoking pot, smoking bud, smoking weed, or whatever, [you know,] drinking forties, you know.755.4266
621LES_int_01753.8110[Yeah.]754.0612
622LES_se0_ag2_f_02755.7515And I never really played a part in it. A lot of times, people say, oh you're just a goody-two-shoes. I was called a goody two shoe.760.3071
624 760.8721And I didn't mind being called a goody two shoe. I was like listen, I'm gonna wait until I'm re- for one thing, it was a religious thing for me.765.8101 
625LES_int_01766.0386Right.766.4443
626LES_se0_ag2_f_02766.4722So, I wasn't gonna do it [anyway.]767.8030
627LES_int_01767.4223[Hard time /???/.]768.2010
628LES_se0_ag2_f_02768.3922[But] then, for me, it was like, you know what?770.1315
629LES_int_01768.3922[Mm-hm.]768.7511
630LES_se0_ag2_f_02770.4019For one thing, I don't have money be spending772.2158
632 772.3277on that. <laugh>773.1192 
634 773.1938You know, I could773.7464 
635LES_int_01773.6484[Oh.]774.2546
636LES_se0_ag2_f_02773.9469[buy something else] like774.8328
637 775.0100clothes or cute775.7281
639 775.8773/plin/ or- [for my hair.]777.0803 
640LES_int_01776.5814[Food. <laugh>]778.2059
641LES_se0_ag2_f_02777.3432[Or food. Yeah, exactly.]778.7713
642LES_int_01778.5661[Yeah.]778.9345
643LES_se0_ag2_f_02779.1536And you know, you're destroying yourself, and that's how I [always.]781.7450
644LES_int_01781.5558[Yeah.]782.1294
645LES_se0_ag2_f_02782.8175It's funny, cause now, I'm older784.0858
647 784.2164you know, I have my social785.4649 
649 785.7260life, I [do what I do.]786.9150 
650LES_int_01786.1970[Right.]786.6120
651LES_se0_ag2_f_02787.2554But, at the same time, when I was growing up, I really789.1439
653 789.4610didn't like to see790.3563 
655 790.6360people do it.791.2003 
657 791.5047I- I had-791.8835 
659 792.1389All my friends hanging out, I didn't like to see them drinking, I didn't like to see them smoking. Like, I was-795.6852 
661 796.0162hit cigarette, like they would797.0001 
663 797.1120if I was coming, oh,797.9968 
665 798.2020put it out, /RD-NAME-3/'s coming.799.2511 
666LES_int_01799.3910[<laugh> Okay.]800.7759
667LES_se0_ag2_f_02799.8760[Kind of thing.]800.5101
668 800.8085And then, it was cool.802.3193
670 803.3265But, you know, as I got older, I started partaking in805.3770 
672 805.9133in smoking little bit of807.2235 
674 807.4334cigarettes, [drinking a little] bit of liquor. So they was like <gasp> /RD-NAME-3/? Like, uh, yes, yes, /RD-NAME-3/ but I waited til I was twenty one, like you [were supposed] to. Until I was really ready to deal with it, cause I look back, and I'm like, damn.817.5154 
675LES_int_01808.1876[Yeah.]808.6726
677 813.6754[Yeah.]814.1184 
678LES_se0_ag2_f_02818.5076They must have had a lot of pain.819.6780
679LES_int_01819.8831Well, you're mature enough to make821.5233
680LES_se0_ag2_f_02821.7145[Yeah, but.]822.2461
681LES_int_01821.7145[decisions.]822.8290
682LES_se0_ag2_f_02822.4652[The whole-] the whole thing is so823.7942
683 824.4563I knew that, like825.2956
685 825.5194they had a lot of pain.826.5581 
687 826.6793Like, a lot of people I grew up with, they had a lot of pain, that's why they did [what they did.]830.1625 
688LES_int_01829.5158[Why they turned] to.830.4903
689LES_se0_ag2_f_02830.4903In their family life, you know, they had a lot of addicts in their family, so you know.833.9982
690 834.3106They learned behaviors, you know, so.836.2119
691LES_int_01836.2306Right.836.6036
693 838.4641So, tell me um, quickly, your schooling history. You went to school in the neighborhood?842.7104 
694LES_se0_ag2_f_02845.2395Let's see, I went to /RD-SCHOOL-4/,846.7184
695LES_int_01847.0775Uh-huh.847.3433
696LES_se0_ag2_f_02848.2199/RD-SCHOOL-5/849.2690
697LES_int_01849.5943/??/850.0466
698LES_se0_ag2_f_02850.4802I was in /RD-SCHOOL-3/851.5247
700 851.7485something that /RD-NAME-2/ was very jealous of, cause she was not in the smart class, and I [was.]855.3078 
701LES_int_01854.9767[Uh-oh.]855.9979
702LES_se0_ag2_f_02856.5015And I got skipped in [/RD-SCHOOL-8/ from seventh] to the ninth.859.3827
703LES_int_01858.3662[Uh-huh.]858.8139
704 859.4993Oh, a leap.860.0449
706 860.2314To860.5158 
708 861.0148two grades.861.7375 
709LES_se0_ag2_f_02861.7375Mm-hm.862.3054
710 863.0562[And then, um.]863.9141
711LES_int_01863.0562[Look at you.]863.6950
712LES_se0_ag2_f_02864.2359That don't mean anything girl. [Let me finish.] <laugh>867.0045
713LES_int_01865.4004[<laugh>]866.0113
714LES_se0_ag2_f_02867.6946Then I went to /RD-SCHOOL-6/ for music and art.869.5598
715LES_int_01869.7882Um. Uptown.870.5669
716LES_se0_ag2_f_02870.6882Mm-hm.870.9586
717LES_int_01870.9586Mm-hm.871.2233
718LES_se0_ag2_f_02871.2233/RD-ADDRESS-4/871.9833
719LES_int_01872.1931I literally just interviewed another girl who went there. She's younger than you, you probably didn't know her.875.8535
720LES_se0_ag2_f_02876.0074No.876.3664
721LES_int_01876.6649But, she was [telling me about it.]877.6895
722LES_se0_ag2_f_02877.3119[Even if] she was there at the same time as I.879.0511
723LES_int_01879.0884She said it was huge.880.1049
724LES_se0_ag2_f_02880.2122[Yeah.]880.5572
725LES_int_01880.3287[I didn't] realize how big it was.881.5038
726LES_se0_ag2_f_02881.5038It's881.7043
727 881.8409you have to think about it, it's882.7348
729 882.8747how many different majors? It's vocal music, dance,885.3262 
731 886.7857drama,887.5411 
733 887.8209instrumental.888.4830 
735 888.6649So, it's four different majors.890.1745 
737 890.4262The school had like, eight, nine floors.892.1795 
739 892.6272It took up a whole block, it had like a basement.894.7618 
740LES_int_01894.7618Oh my [God.]895.4566
741LES_se0_ag2_f_02895.3260[It] had a huge theater.896.5046
742 897.0455It had two theaters.898.1366
744 898.9153It had two theaters, a elevator,900.7166 
746 901.5172It was a big902.3393 
748 902.6284school.903.0620 
749LES_int_01903.0620That's so amazing.904.1578
750LES_se0_ag2_f_02904.1578So, if I went to school with her, I wouldn't have known her anyway, unless she was a part of my crew.907.2399
751LES_int_01907.2399[Yeah.]907.7296
752LES_se0_ag2_f_02907.5757[And most] of the time, tha- you stick to your friends who are in the same department.910.5817
753LES_int_01910.8614So, [you did] dance, [right?]912.4876
754LES_se0_ag2_f_02911.0293[So.]911.5189
756 912.0878[I did vocal music.]912.9751 
757LES_int_01912.9331[Oh,] really?913.6347
758LES_se0_ag2_f_02913.6559Mm-hm.913.9704
760 914.1010[I was a singer.]914.9761 
761LES_int_01914.1010[You hav- woman of] many talents.915.7750
762LES_se0_ag2_f_02915.9055Well, this is what they say.916.9360
763LES_int_01916.9360[<laugh>]918.3053
764LES_se0_ag2_f_02918.7669But, you know.919.2892
765LES_int_01920.2831Awesome. [Awesome.]921.4675
766LES_se0_ag2_f_02920.8473[So, yeah. I went] to /RD-SCHOOL-4/, after /RD-SCHOOL-4/, I923.1808
767 923.3207went straight to City College.924.7149
768LES_int_01924.7149Okay.925.0973
769LES_se0_ag2_f_02925.2838Mm-hm.925.7874
771 926.3050And I actually took a long927.8146 
773 928.2482break from it.929.1389 
775 929.3534And [I just graduated] and got my BA930.8688 
776LES_int_01929.5539[Mm-hm.]929.9239
777LES_se0_ag2_f_02931.1027[this year.]931.8302
778LES_int_01931.1027[Oh, congratulations.] That's [awesome.]932.7954
779LES_se0_ag2_f_02932.5249[So.]932.9520
780 933.5208Sometimes, life happens and you gotta step- step back.936.0108
781LES_int_01936.1600[Totally.]936.4445
782LES_se0_ag2_f_02936.2020[But,] if I could redo it, I definitely wouldn't even think about the stuff I was thinking about, and I woulda just been thinking about school, [but]941.6782
783LES_int_01941.4650[Right.]941.8939
784LES_se0_ag2_f_02942.1597you know,942.5561
785LES_int_01942.6551[What was your BA in?]943.5830
786LES_se0_ag2_f_02942.8276[what's done is done.]943.8302
787 944.0726Hm?944.3571
788LES_int_01944.3571What was your degree in?945.2430
789LES_se0_ag2_f_02946.5813Excuse me?946.9963
790LES_int_01947.0382Your degree? Like what did [you]948.1713
791LES_se0_ag2_f_02947.8496[Oh.] Well, by [degree was in Psychology.]950.2687
792LES_int_01948.7542[your major, or whatever.]950.1801
793 950.5951Oh. [Very cool.]951.9726
794LES_se0_ag2_f_02951.1751[Yes.]951.5155
795 952.0693And it's strange, because953.1569
797 953.5579I- I didn't wanna do that.954.4533 
799 955.5304I really didn't wanna956.2931 
801 956.7795<laugh>957.3048 
802LES_int_01957.3903So, why'd you do it?958.3612
803LES_se0_ag2_f_02958.4115I did it because, I always ow-959.9829
805 960.1740cause at the time, I was going through my own little stuff, and I just wanted to learn and figure myself out. [So, I was like,] let me take psychology, maybe I'll965.6425 
806LES_int_01963.9452[Yeah.]964.2483
807LES_se0_ag2_f_02965.7730figure myself [out.]966.6399
808LES_int_01966.4627[Learn] some tools [for]967.6378
809LES_se0_ag2_f_02967.3534[But, I've-] I've noticed that968.5191
810 969.1859it's j- I've become over analytical, and.971.2296
812 971.8778It's, [you know,] it's- it has it's- a- it's a blessing and a curse.975.2992 
813LES_int_01972.5294[Right.]972.9169
814 975.2992Yeah.975.6209
815LES_se0_ag2_f_02975.6209You know what I mean.976.0685
816 976.5069When I first went to school, I wanted to go for film and video.978.7301
818 979.1544Camera- Film and video.980.1896 
819LES_int_01980.1849Mm.980.4227
820LES_se0_ag2_f_02980.4460So.980.8132
822 981.4101But at the time,982.4592 
824 982.6364they had like, all the professors were working, so all the classes were at like, nine o'clock in the evenings.986.9474 
826 987.5023And it's in Harlem and at the time I was living in Brooklyn.990.3036 
828 990.6300So, I was like, yeah, no. I'm gonna drop that, and I'm gonna do [this.]994.2670 
829LES_int_01994.1085[Yeah.] That's really [tough.]995.3647
830LES_se0_ag2_f_02995.2761[So,] that's what happened with that.996.4279
831LES_int_01996.7729So, let me ask you a little bit about um,999.2524
833 999.3737your opinions about1000.6093 
835 1001.4393how the neighborhood has changed in the time that you've1004.1753 
837 1004.3571seen it.1004.9820 
839 1005.6767I know you don't live here anymore, but you obviously come back and you spend your time here.1008.9846 
841 1010.0897How do you sort of see1011.7205 
843 1011.8744what's been happening1012.7930 
844LES_se0_ag2_f_021013.6743It's crazy.1014.3877
845LES_int_011014.3877here?1014.7421
846LES_se0_ag2_f_021014.9379[It's crazy.]1015.7086
847LES_int_011014.9426[I know. <laugh>]1016.2389
848LES_se0_ag2_f_021016.0664[I mean,] I can't even1016.8579
849 1017.0538I'm'a tell you when I knew. The indication that I had that things were changing's when they started paving the streets, and when1022.4569
851 1023.7812Clinton Street1024.5366 
853 1024.7884used to come this way.1025.7209 
855 1026.7887It [didn't come this] way.1027.6327 
856LES_int_011026.9240[Right.]1027.3949
857 1027.8938I remember that. I mean, I wasn't here, but I remember that.1029.6879
858LES_se0_ag2_f_021029.8977But that's w- you know, when they started doing stuff like that, I was like, uh-oh.1033.2783
859LES_int_011033.2783And they came in hard to1034.8918
861 1035.0690get the drug dealers.1036.1232 
863 1036.5941Right? We- well.1037.4334 
864LES_se0_ag2_f_021037.5640Yeah, they did, but you know, they always leave a little bit of crack in the-1040.3326
866 1040.5891in the ghetto.1041.2419 
868 1041.3853You know, you hafta appease the1042.9474 
869LES_int_011043.4510Right. [Right. There] was like a period where they were like, this is now where we're gonna1046.8362
870LES_se0_ag2_f_021043.6655[kids and stuff.]1044.3243
871 1046.9481[Yeah.]1047.5485
872LES_int_011047.1661[you know. /?/]1047.9682
873LES_se0_ag2_f_021047.7303[Yeah.] I mean.1048.8168
874 1049.8566They neighborhood has changed so much to the point that the hou- the building that's right here on this corner,1054.4194
876 1055.2681is now1055.8778 
878 1056.4933condominium lofts, I don't know.1057.9714 
879LES_int_011057.9714Is it really?1058.4051
880LES_se0_ag2_f_021058.6335Yeah.1058.9040
882 1059.1744Used to be the crack1060.4054 
884 1061.0722house. Like, you know what I mean?1062.2135 
886 1062.5073All these, all these buildings along this street right here,1064.8807 
888 1065.3610this whole strip.1066.0324 
890 1066.3448Pitt Street actually was like1067.3964 
892 1067.5316dope fiend1068.2497 
894 1068.4362haven.1068.8327 
896 1069.5588Forget crack. It was dope fiend haven. [You could] get any1072.0022 
897LES_int_011071.3774[Yeah.]1071.6478
898LES_se0_ag2_f_021072.4265And it was like, you would see people leaning, like, you know.1075.0980
900 1075.5363To now, it's like tree lined and everything. You know what I'm saying now, the street is actually, you can actually drive up the street without your car getting into1082.2443 
901LES_int_011082.3749Yeah.1082.6780
902LES_se0_ag2_f_021082.6780the deepest pothole.1083.6385
903 1083.9836So, it's unfortunate that1085.2134
905 1085.6238they started1086.0947 
907 1086.9993cleaning up the neighborhood1088.2443 
909 1088.5940for the people who were coming in the neighborhood1090.3555 
911 1090.6259opposed to cleaning [up the neighborhood for] the people actually live in the neighborhood.1093.7454 
912LES_int_011091.2978[And not for.]1092.0812
913 1093.7454Yeah.1094.0951
914LES_se0_ag2_f_021094.0951But, a lot of people argument is, well, you know. They don't take care of it, so they must not want it.1097.6471
915 1098.9247But if you don't have the1099.8153
917 1099.9925if you're not aware,1100.9344 
919 1101.2655if you don't know,1102.2447 
921 1102.4161then how yo- if you don't think you have the power,1104.3885 
923 1104.6962cause the thing is this, people, i-1106.0112 
925 1106.9298Baruch is one of the largest projects in-1108.7565 
927 1108.9850in Manhattan.1109.4932 
928LES_int_011109.7590I think it is the largest, I think.1111.3118
930 1111.7357[Is it?]1112.0773 
931LES_se0_ag2_f_021111.7874[In Manhattan,] it may be the largest. It might be the largest, [I think it is. It's huge, it's very] big.1116.3286
932LES_int_011114.4352[It's huge. It's huge.]1115.8807
933LES_se0_ag2_f_021116.8272And1117.1676
935 1117.6899these people are coming from1119.1120 
937 1119.3918all types of situations. You know, [some of 'em] are just coming here, to America.1123.2589 
938LES_int_011121.0652[Yeah.]1121.3764
939LES_se0_ag2_f_021123.6739You know what I'm saying, so how do you expect people to1125.4629
941 1126.0784say, hey, I need my street light fixed if they don't know English.1129.2284 
943 1129.9745Your- [or, if they coming] from a domestic violence1131.9517 
944LES_int_011130.2356[Yeah.]1130.8979
945LES_se0_ag2_f_021132.1989situation, or tha- they got burnt out, I mean1134.4328
947 1134.6239people are coming from1135.3840 
948LES_int_011136.0928[Or they may not realize]1137.2492
949LES_se0_ag2_f_021136.2373[horrendous situations.]1137.7434
950LES_int_011137.4403[how to] do that. How to [go about doing] that.1139.4946
951LES_se0_ag2_f_021138.7133[That's my-]1139.1516
952 1139.5040And the people who do know,1140.6939
954 1140.9551it's unfortunate that1142.1534 
956 1142.3213people1142.7456 
958 1143.6316know that1144.1445 
960 1144.5073it's like, people's lives oversee1146.3813 
962 1147.1274politics and it shouldn't be like that. Because, your lives are, you know, directly affected by the politicians and the community board members and the1153.8455 
964 1154.0786even the tenant patrol people.1155.5755 
965LES_int_011155.6921Yeah.1156.0185
966LES_se0_ag2_f_021156.0185You know, [and]1156.6348
967LES_int_011156.5742[Yeah.]1156.9138
968LES_se0_ag2_f_021156.9644And people don't go out to these meetings, people don't go1159.7248
970 1159.9533and make noise about, people don't say hey, I live here and I need this.1163.3381 
971LES_int_011163.3894Yeah.1163.6738
972LES_se0_ag2_f_021163.7018So, it went from mom and pop shops1166.0194
974 1166.8578to all these boutiques that no one here can even shop in.1169.5974 
975LES_int_011169.7839I know.1170.1149
976LES_se0_ag2_f_021170.6605You know, and [it's like]1171.7646
977LES_int_011171.2143[Yeah.]1171.5805
978LES_se0_ag2_f_021172.5106And I don't even wanna make it a race thing.1174.0109
980 1174.2161[Because]1174.7243 
981LES_int_011174.2161[Yeah.]1174.5554
982LES_se0_ag2_f_021174.8596it's more of a1175.5637
984 1175.8015class thing.1176.4263 
985LES_int_011176.4263It's more of a class [thing right?]1177.8065
986LES_se0_ag2_f_021177.4801[More of] a class thing. And it's like, even you see1179.3823
987 1179.5129African Americans who are moving1180.6320
989 1181.0516over here now,1181.8443 
991 1182.1148they're totally like1183.2059 
993 1183.6258disconnected1184.3066 
995 1184.9034to1185.3184 
997 1185.6542like.1185.7987 
999 1186.0085Actually, dang, do I have it in my1188.0196 
1001 1188.2782<ts>1188.4414 
1003 1189.0056I-1189.2574 
1005 1189.4439I'm actually doing a paper myself on- on my program on the need for community centers in- in low income areas.1195.4641 
1006LES_int_011195.5387Yeah.1195.8138
1007LES_se0_ag2_f_021195.8184And1196.1122
1009 1196.4293and I would- looked up1197.5064 
1011 1197.7667Lower East Side, and it happened to be some type of a1200.9188 
1013 1201.5063blog or something.1202.4584 
1015 1202.8081And it was like, oh, the Lower East Side is nice, it's cool, people, if you're single,1206.5229 
1017 1206.9891you can hang out there, da da da da da da da, right. And I'm thinking to myself, is this the same Lower East Side that I lived in? [Because]1212.7453 
1018LES_int_011212.3443[Yeah.]1212.8619
1019LES_se0_ag2_f_021212.9225no.1213.3208
1021 1213.4840Like, you know what I mean?1213.9935 
1022LES_int_011214.1847[Yeah.]1214.5018
1023LES_se0_ag2_f_021214.1894[Oh there's] bars and [clubs and.]1216.0825
1024LES_int_011215.3784[The night life.]1216.2504
1025LES_se0_ag2_f_021216.3296The night life is- this is what the1217.8497
1027 1217.9910this is what the email, the messages are saying,1219.8188 
1029 1220.0380and then one guy had the nerve to say1221.4860 
1031 1221.6725the only downfall is the projects.1223.9272 
1033 1224.1511It's kind of1224.8785 
1035 1225.4660it's kind of, um,1226.7836 
1037 1227.3944dangerous. Or something to that effect.1229.1476 
1039 1229.5160It's kind of dangerous over there, but1231.3598 
1041 1231.6255um,1231.9473 
1043 1232.0778they just generally stay to themselves, it's kind of sad actually. Like they kind of just made it seem like we were the goblins under the bridge.1238.1383 
1045 1239.0802You know,1239.7087 
1047 1239.8906[And I'm] like, well damn.1241.1787 
1048LES_int_011239.8906[Yeah.]1240.3208
1049LES_se0_ag2_f_021241.4119You know, and this is1242.3481
1051 1242.8330I'm- maybe I shouldn't admit this, but1244.3743 
1053 1244.8686at one point, I started telling people the wrong directions. They ask me for directions, [I'm like, oh, where] do you wanna go? You wanna go to Orchard Street?1251.1458 
1054LES_int_011248.0030[<laugh>]1249.2340
1055LES_se0_ag2_f_021251.5608[It's that way. And I point right] to the PJs and they're like,1254.9545
1056LES_int_011251.5608[It's that way. <laugh>]1253.6209
1057LES_se0_ag2_f_021255.4161okay. Like, thanks, I think. Like, you know.1257.6773
1059 1257.9944And then I see them ask somebody else, I'm like yeah, you better ask somebody else, cause I'm'a send you straight to where you're gonna get it.1263.2492 
1060LES_int_011263.3564That's [funny.]1264.5404
1061LES_se0_ag2_f_021263.9016[You know,] but1264.8108
1062 1264.9321I stopped doing that1265.7108
1064 1266.2437cause of the [young lady who got shot.]1267.5909 
1065LES_int_011266.7386[So, let me ask you,] um,1268.4778
1066 1268.6690because I wanna understand, um,1271.0018
1068 1271.1091but first, I have to ask you.1272.2499 
1070 1272.7255what do you think are the boundaries of the Lower East Side? Like geographically.1276.7238 
1072 1276.8497Where1277.1108 
1074 1277.4932the streets.1278.1833 
1075LES_se0_ag2_f_021280.0403[For me?]1280.7120
1076LES_int_011280.0403[How it-]1280.4222
1077 1280.7778Yeah. For you.1281.5198
1079 1282.0862Cause everybody has a different.1283.3885 
1080LES_se0_ag2_f_021283.8276A- aspect of [what it is, yeah.]1285.1578
1081LES_int_011284.4905[Yeah and they] think it's like a di- you know, goes from here to here.1287.2871
1082 1288.0642What is it for you?1288.8149
1083LES_se0_ag2_f_021290.1349I include the-1290.9120
1085 1291.0525I include China Town and I include Little Italy.1293.9501 
1086LES_int_011294.0379Okay.1294.3847
1087LES_se0_ag2_f_021294.4593Because I think it's, you know, [if I could] walk to it1296.6310
1088LES_int_011295.7310[Yeah.]1296.0295
1089LES_se0_ag2_f_021297.5178in [fifteen] minutes, I think that's the Lower [East Side. (laughing) <laugh>]1299.9588
1090LES_int_011297.6978[Yeah.]1297.9832
1092 1299.3486[Yeah. Okay.] Okay.1300.5340 
1093LES_se0_ag2_f_021300.5427So,1300.8588
1095 1301.8276I would say, from, like obviously all the housing projects along the whole1305.6603 
1097 1306.5414<ts>1306.6713 
1099 1307.8276end of the Lower East [Side.]1309.5178 
1100LES_int_011309.3247[Right.]1309.8383
1101LES_se0_ag2_f_021310.0930Up into Smith,1310.9842
1103 1312.0291so, that's like South Street Seaport. Like, [right before] South Street [Seaport.]1315.2676 
1104LES_int_011313.5949[Yeah.]1313.9490
1106 1314.9603[Yup .]1315.2317 
1107 1315.7594[Like Brooklyn Bridge.]1316.8834
1108LES_se0_ag2_f_021315.7988[All-]1316.4047
1110 1316.6681[Yeah.] Brooklyn Bridge all the way up1318.3979 
1111 1318.5735to maybe Fourteenth Street and1320.4175
1113 1323.4673Third.1323.8624 
1115 1324.3453But [people don't] consider that. People consider that the East Village.1326.7073 
1116LES_int_011324.4726[Yeah.]1324.7844
1117 1326.7336Yeah. What's your take on that. Some people think there's- there's1329.3751
1119 1329.5682now two separate neighborhoods, like, the Lower East Side and the East [Village.]1333.9015 
1120LES_se0_ag2_f_021333.2649[That's what- That's] uh, I think that's only because of the new people coming in cause w- I don't think- I think everybody.1337.7314
1121 1338.0826I mean, people who are from here, maybe just from me,1340.2925
1122LES_int_011340.2925Yeah.1340.5955
1123LES_se0_ag2_f_021340.9686the East Village is just an extension [of the Lower East Side, to] me.1344.7619
1124LES_int_011342.7012[East Village is- is like a]1344.3519
1125 1344.9358and that name is like a real estate1346.9334
1127 1347.3944invention.1348.0836 
1128LES_se0_ag2_f_021348.2944[Exactly.]1349.1949
1129LES_int_011348.6988[It's new, you know. Yeah. Okay.]1350.5339
1130LES_se0_ag2_f_021349.3486[Exactly.]1350.2091
1132 1350.3144[So,] it's like.1351.0081 
1133LES_int_011351.0081Okay.1351.2759
1135 1351.4910So, we got this huge neighborhood, right, with these1353.6407 
1137 1354.2334big boundaries.1355.0369 
1139 1355.3837So,1356.0071 
1141 1356.3320do all people that live inside those streets1359.3949 
1143 1359.6188do they form one Lower East Side1362.4944 
1145 1363.0257community?1363.7924 
1147 1364.6398And I guess to- for you to answer that, I have to ask you, like what does1367.5769 
1149 1368.0510community mean to you? Like wha- how do you define that?1370.5113 
1151 1372.3493What does it mean?1373.1693 
1152LES_se0_ag2_f_021380.1388Community means to me1381.2276
1154 1384.1017the clinics,1384.8086 
1156 1385.3090that are in the area.1386.2178 
1157LES_int_011386.3408Yeah.1386.6920
1158LES_se0_ag2_f_021387.1310You know,1387.6447
1160 1387.8774post offices1388.6617 
1161LES_int_011389.2500[Yeah.]1389.6056
1162LES_se0_ag2_f_021389.5134[You] know, the stores, the people, the-1391.6866
1163 1392.0378the culture.1392.7008
1165 1393.9944As many cultures as there are in the Lower East Side.1396.0856 
1166LES_int_011396.4968Yeah.1396.7690
1167LES_se0_ag2_f_021396.8744Cause there are1397.3354
1169 1397.8095I can't even [name.]1398.5954 
1170LES_int_011398.2266[A lot. <laugh>]1399.3418
1171LES_se0_ag2_f_021398.9159[You know] what I'm saying, I can't even name.1400.2973
1172 1400.7407I mean, I think that we are1401.7285
1174 1402.1281in hist- in history, the Lower East Side has been a place for immigrants, for people to start off.1406.3060 
1175LES_int_011406.7669[Yes. Yes.]1407.9013
1176LES_se0_ag2_f_021406.8372[You know what I mean.]1407.6554
1178 1407.8969And I just1408.4369 
1179 1409.2052that's what I think community- community is family.1411.1111
1181 1411.5457Community is1412.5072 
1183 1413.0062I know your mother.1413.8052 
1185 1414.4637<laugh>1414.7491 
1186LES_int_011414.8764[Right.]1415.2871
1187LES_se0_ag2_f_021414.9511[So, I'm'a] tell her when I saw y- y- I saw you cutting.1417.3482
1188LES_int_011417.5413[Right.]1417.8618
1189LES_se0_ag2_f_021417.6160[That's] community1418.4413
1190LES_int_011418.5116Right.1418.9199
1191LES_se0_ag2_f_021418.9682to me, just knowing1420.0071
1193 1420.1213seeing the familiar faces1421.4911 
1194LES_int_011421.6359Okay.1421.9784
1195LES_se0_ag2_f_021421.9784that you've seen since you were a child.1423.6774
1196 1423.8311You know what [I mean.]1424.5818
1197LES_int_011424.2570[Okay.]1424.5818
1198 1424.9023[And what about] all these new people moving in? Are they a part of1428.0200
1199LES_se0_ag2_f_021424.9819[That's community.]1425.6745
1200LES_int_011428.4107The Lower East Side [community?]1430.0219
1201LES_se0_ag2_f_021429.3512[I feel like] they are visiting.1430.9278
1202 1431.2653I think they're visitors.1432.2679
1204 1432.7528I think that in a couple of years, when they're ready to raise their children, or whatever the case may be, I think they're gonna move on up out of here.1437.7197 
1205LES_int_011438.7917Right.1439.0575
1206LES_se0_ag2_f_021439.1601Or,1439.7756
1208 1440.1766the people who are here1441.3303 
1210 1441.9271are gonna be moved out.1443.1348 
1212 1443.5483The people who've been here, are gonna be moved out. I [definitely] know there's a disconnection.1446.7989 
1213LES_int_011445.3435[Right.]1445.6892
1214 1447.0264[Yeah.]1447.3574
1215LES_se0_ag2_f_021447.1709[Once] you hit Clinton Street,1448.3320
1216 1449.5394not even Clinton Street anymore. Pitt Street.1451.5305
1217LES_int_011451.7124[Yeah.]1452.0356
1218LES_se0_ag2_f_021451.7371[Unfortunately,] once you hit Pitt Street,1453.2698
1219 1453.6475it's a whole nother life.1454.5416
1220LES_int_011454.7421[Yeah.]1455.0918
1221LES_se0_ag2_f_021454.7666[It's a who-] cause, I did a study with my, not a study, but my kids did a community survey1458.3092
1222LES_int_011459.0095[Cool.]1459.2942
1223LES_se0_ag2_f_021459.1690[on] gentrification.1459.9337
1224LES_int_011460.4467Cool.1460.7591
1225LES_se0_ag2_f_021461.4285A lot of people didn't know what gentrification even was. [They didn't even] know that they didn't even know that they were being affected by it.1465.4766
1226LES_int_011463.4791[Yeah.]1463.8475
1227 1465.5867Yeah.1465.9178
1228LES_se0_ag2_f_021466.3188But,1466.5333
1230 1467.0733once you hit this street, right here,1468.9308 
1232 1469.2152the answers on this side were totally different than the answers on this side, obviously.1473.0549 
1233LES_int_011473.1948[Interesting.]1473.7637
1234LES_se0_ag2_f_021473.3911[The people] this side were like,1474.5677
1235 1474.9014what?1475.1472
1237 1475.3404Yeah this community's going through gentrification.1477.1641 
1239 1477.4066Da da da da da.1478.1620 
1240LES_int_011478.2879[Yeah.]1478.6609
1241LES_se0_ag2_f_021478.3112[On the] other side,1479.2391
1242 1479.5655No, there's no- there's no [gentrification.]1481.8364
1243LES_int_011481.4820[It's a- everything's great.]1482.9228
1244LES_se0_ag2_f_021482.3353[Everything is great] and you know, we go to- h- you wanna get a drink1485.3837
1245LES_int_011485.5236[<laugh>]1486.5307
1246LES_se0_ag2_f_021485.7194[at the bar?]1486.5541
1247 1486.7592That1486.9597
1249 1487.1276the mini bar that's on this block.1488.6570 
1251 1489.3553So,1489.7656 
1252LES_int_011489.9102Even on Pitt Street, I-1491.3743
1253LES_se0_ag2_f_021492.4701Y- no, you really. It's really, it's mind-boggling. [Like, wha-]1495.5629
1254LES_int_011495.2692[Yeah.]1495.5629
1255LES_se0_ag2_f_021495.8893Cause,1496.1206
1257 1496.2391m- I told you, I lived in Brooklyn.1497.5762 
1259 1497.6974[I live] in the Bronx, it's like, even coming back from Brooklyn, when I was1501.0733 
1260LES_int_011497.6974[Yeah.]1497.9678
1261LES_se0_ag2_f_021501.4604nineteen years old to come to1502.9292
1263 1503.1623get a job at The Beacon,1504.6346 
1264LES_int_011504.8445Yeah.1505.1709
1265LES_se0_ag2_f_021505.8563it was totally different then, and that was1507.4743
1267 1508.7753and, dare I say it, that was ten years ago.1510.7885 
1268LES_int_011511.0450Yeah.1511.4553
1269LES_se0_ag2_f_021511.4833So, when the- within the last ten years,1513.3065
1271 1514.1458forget these buildings going up, this blue building and all tha-1516.5973 
1273 1516.8771it was already changing before that.1518.5278 
1274LES_int_011518.5278Right.1518.8029
1275LES_se0_ag2_f_021518.8588And what people ou- don't realize is all of these things are in plans, in the works. People have been planning this for the last fifteen to twenty years they wanted this cha-1526.2895
1277 1526.6101rezoning and all of these things to happen.1528.5219 
1278LES_int_011528.5965Yeah.1528.8623
1279LES_se0_ag2_f_021528.8623This didn't just ho- happen over night.1530.6202
1280LES_int_011530.6202Yeah.1530.9559
1281LES_se0_ag2_f_021531.0165And the thing is, people didn't get the signs when it was happening.1533.4250
1282LES_int_011533.6488Yeah.1533.8931
1283LES_se0_ag2_f_021534.3256So, if the- is there a big difference between us and them?1536.6664
1285 1536.9042Yes.1537.4357 
1286LES_int_011537.7435Yeah.1537.9957
1287LES_se0_ag2_f_021537.9957It's always gonna be a difference between the poor and the rich. Always.1541.0042
1288LES_int_011541.0835Okay.1541.4379
1289LES_se0_ag2_f_021541.5824[No matter] where you are. You could be in Lower East Side, you could be in Mississippi, you could be (laughing)1545.8004
1290LES_int_011541.7316[Yeah .]1542.0625
1291LES_se0_ag2_f_021546.1548in La- L- Los Angeles, you could be in Chicago, there's always gonna be1549.5064
1293 1549.8981the low1550.4204 
1295 1550.7281and the rich. The low class and the high class. [It's always gonna be there.]1553.4024 
1296LES_int_011552.6105[And could those] two groups]1554.4444
1297LES_se0_ag2_f_021554.5832[Coexist?]1555.3183
1298LES_int_011555.0599[come] together? I'm- not even just coexist. I mean, can they-1558.0244
1299LES_se0_ag2_f_021558.0244Come together?1558.7844
1300LES_int_011558.7844Yeah.1559.2227
1301LES_se0_ag2_f_021559.5072The only way I think for them to- for us1562.3096
1303 1562.4996to come together1563.3902 
1305 1563.8798is, um,1564.5606 
1307 1565.1808we have to have some type of common ground.1567.2325 
1308LES_int_011568.0473Yeah.1568.3317
1309LES_se0_ag2_f_021568.4250You know, and.1569.4135
1311 1570.6352If people who live in the housing projects don't think they have anything in1573.6482 
1313 1573.8368common, or they think that the people who live in the condos are better than them,1576.6632 
1315 1577.1388they're not gonna even think to,1578.7662 
1317 1579.1625you know what I'm saying,1579.8121 
1318LES_int_011579.8344Yeah.1580.0724
1319LES_se0_ag2_f_021580.0724try to come together.1581.3275
1320LES_int_011581.3275Yeah.1581.7658
1321LES_se0_ag2_f_021581.7658You have people coming from two different walks of life.1584.0401
1322LES_int_011584.2546Yeah.1584.6276
1323LES_se0_ag2_f_021585.5322[And if] hopefully, if we can make it- make a I don't know, we could have some type of conference or we could have just a town hall meeting or [whole Lower] East Side meeting and [people] come out and talk,1594.5250
1324LES_int_011585.5322[Yeah.]1585.8469
1326 1592.1143[Right.]1592.4220 
1328 1593.4712[Right.]1593.7510 
1329LES_se0_ag2_f_021595.5719Maybe, we could make moves toward that.1597.7643
1330LES_int_011597.7643Right.1598.1607
1331LES_se0_ag2_f_021598.2679But, I just feel like there's gonna be a lot of tension1600.5447
1333 1601.3188there.1601.8037 
1335 1601.9589You know what I mean.1602.5790 
1336LES_int_011602.6537[Mm-hm.]1603.0313
1337LES_se0_ag2_f_021602.8448[Cause] you have people who lived in the Lower East Side all their lives and1605.2855
1338 1605.5606and feel that the gentrification is1607.3548
1340 1607.5367actually good for us, and [you know.]1609.2853 
1341LES_int_011608.9635[Yeah.]1609.3366
1342LES_se0_ag2_f_021609.7178But at the same time, for organizations like mine, like this organization here, we are getting budget cuts.1614.3480
1344 1614.6045Because1615.0708 
1346 1615.9556they don't see the need anymore.1617.3591 
1348 1617.7694Because the income bracket has gone up.1619.6206 
1350 1620.2175So, if you got all these1621.3074 
1352 1621.6198and they're not counting all the people who still live1623.7974 
1354 1623.9560in the [projects.]1625.1077 
1355LES_int_011624.8326[Yeah.]1625.3502
1356LES_se0_ag2_f_021625.3502You know what I'm saying, who [live in] these tenement houses, [who]1627.5023
1357LES_int_011625.9018[Yeah.]1626.1629
1359 1627.3158[Yeah.]1627.6888 
1360LES_se0_ag2_f_021627.9546They're not counting them, they're counting all these people who live in that blue building who's paying fifteen thousand dollars a month or [whatever they wanna] pay.1634.5095
1361LES_int_011633.3764[Who-]1633.6608
1363 1633.8240[Who]1634.0619 
1364 1634.7287does that? I jus-1635.9363
1365LES_se0_ag2_f_021636.2907People who have money [<laugh> to do that.]1638.5044
1366LES_int_011637.1942[I know. They're so-] I just don't understand where they're coming from. Like, [there's just so ma- seems] to be so many of them.1642.3000
1367LES_se0_ag2_f_021640.7007[They're coming f-]1641.3127
1368 1642.7838they're coming- L- I mean,1643.9775
1370 1644.6537so many of them, it's not- it's1646.0852 
1372 1646.6354it's not- that's not even, that's a understatement.1648.8454 
1373LES_int_011648.8454Yeah.1649.2931
1374LES_se0_ag2_f_021649.2931It's a understatement. I- you- I-1650.6051
1375 1650.8009I'm sure you've hung out here1652.1112
1377 1652.5122on a Friday [night.]1653.4634 
1378LES_int_011653.2338[Yeah.]1653.9193
1379LES_se0_ag2_f_021654.1384I've hung o- I k- I'll just walk through.1656.0502
1381 1656.2647Going to th- t- on my way to the train station, [it's flooded.]1659.6965 
1382LES_int_011658.0413[Yeah.]1658.3583
1384 1659.2350[I know, it's] insane.1660.3851 
1385 1660.5203[It's completely insane.]1661.4622
1386LES_se0_ag2_f_021660.6742[It's flooded.] People throwing up and1662.5727
1387 1662.8851[Like.]1663.2395
1388LES_int_011662.8851[<laugh>]1663.2395
1389LES_se0_ag2_f_021663.6359My kid goes to school right here, and you're.1665.1650
1391 1665.5613You know, one day, um /RD-NAME-2/ told me this one story that she um, was walking and some um,1669.5308 
1393 1669.9225some lady was walking her dog in the school yard on a school day.1672.6516 
1395 1673.9346You know,1674.4511 
1396LES_int_011674.4511[Yeah.]1674.8755
1397LES_se0_ag2_f_021674.5724[the dog] is defecating, [urinating]1676.4795
1398LES_int_011676.3303[Yeah.]1676.7872
1399LES_se0_ag2_f_021676.8758Okay, it's like eleven o'clock, kids1678.5833
1401 1678.7652go [to]1679.2026 
1402LES_int_011678.9415[About] to [play.]1680.3917
1403LES_se0_ag2_f_021679.6969[recess, you] know.1680.8212
1404 1681.0496So, /RD-NAME-2/ started screaming at her.1682.9570
1406 1683.0751<laugh> Some other lady starts screaming at her,1685.3329 
1407LES_int_011685.4028Good [for them.]1685.9978
1408LES_se0_ag2_f_021685.6657[This poor] woman is getting attacked, right.1687.7640
1409 1687.9645She's like, I live here too, I live here too. And oh, and /RD-NAME-2/ was like no, you're a visitor.1692.4709
1411 1692.8307Cause you're [not,] cause if you had any sense that this was your neighborhood,1695.8045 
1412LES_int_011693.0829[Oh.]1693.4140
1413LES_se0_ag2_f_021696.0423I think that that's the issue.1697.1381
1415 1697.3246They don't think of it as their neighborhood.1699.0545 
1416LES_int_011699.2411Right.1699.6561
1417LES_se0_ag2_f_021699.6561They think of it as1700.6213
1418 1700.7612their1701.0316
1420 1701.2554hot s- [this is the hot spot.]1702.7601 
1421LES_int_011701.9860[A cool place to.]1703.5388
1422LES_se0_ag2_f_021703.3103[Oh,] like- like the email stated that I just told you.1706.1490
1423LES_int_011706.1490Yeah.1706.4940
1424LES_se0_ag2_f_021706.4940Oh, you can hang out if you're single, you can have a good time.1709.3164
1425LES_int_011709.4237[Yeah.]1709.8184
1426LES_se0_ag2_f_021709.5729[So what] does that mean?1710.5185
1427LES_int_011710.5838[Yeah.]1711.0967
1428LES_se0_ag2_f_021710.8169[They're] building up hotels too.1712.1598
1429LES_int_011712.5079<ts> I know.1713.1887
1431 1713.5443Okay, so let me ask your opinions about housing and development [and in] particular, because one issue that like, /RD-NAME-2/ and GOALS and me are work- are working on is this um.1722.1953 
1432LES_se0_ag2_f_021716.3300[Mm-hm.]1716.8289
1433LES_int_011722.7082Uh. The parking lots that are just south of Delancey [on- by] the Williamsburg [bridge,] t- you're familiar with [those.]1728.4195
1434LES_se0_ag2_f_021725.8098[Mm-hm.]1726.1455
1436 1726.9647[Mm-hm.]1727.3098 
1438 1728.2703[Mm-hm.]1728.5501 
1439LES_int_011729.0164It's a urban renewal site.1730.5412
1440LES_se0_ag2_f_021730.8396Hm.1731.0634
1441LES_int_011731.4085And1732.2666
1443 1732.4438if you know, it's been vacant for1734.2577 
1444LES_se0_ag2_f_021734.2577Ever.1734.5794
1445LES_int_011734.9058ever. So, forty years.1736.3269
1446LES_se0_ag2_f_021736.3269Mm-hm.1736.7372
1447LES_int_011736.7885Um.1737.0916
1448LES_se0_ag2_f_021737.0916They used to have carnivals there.1738.2293
1449LES_int_011738.7656Really?1739.1992
1451 1740.6711So,1741.2320 
1453 1741.4745uh, I always ask people,1742.9373 
1455 1743.8827it's a huge area of land, I think it's the-1745.8971 
1457 1746.6898the biggest area, undeveloped, you know, in Manhattan, south of Ninety-Sixth Street or something.1751.1370 
1458LES_se0_ag2_f_021751.4954Hm.1751.7670
1459LES_int_011751.8551If it were up to you,1752.9835
1461 1753.7389blank slate.1754.4244 
1463 1755.1191What would you wanna see developed in a big plot of land like that, in the middle of your community? What do you think is needed1760.3078 
1465 1760.7834here.1761.2905 
1466LES_se0_ag2_f_021763.3892Damn straight ain't another boutique.1764.6105
1467LES_int_011765.3239Yeah.1765.6643
1468LES_se0_ag2_f_021765.7762But, um.1766.5736
1470 1769.6359It's hard for me now, because I don't live here.1771.8788 
1471LES_int_011771.8788Yeah.1772.2798
1472LES_se0_ag2_f_021772.5596[You know] but.1773.3977
1473LES_int_011772.5596[Yeah.]1772.9874
1474LES_se0_ag2_f_021776.1395A hospital.1776.8903
1476 1777.2540[Perhaps.]1777.9128 
1477LES_int_011777.3053[Hm.]1777.6503
1478 1777.9128Okay.1778.1959
1479LES_se0_ag2_f_021778.4057Because we don't have any hospitals in this immediate area. [You have] to go up to1781.7852
1480LES_int_011780.9645[Right.]1781.2209
1481LES_se0_ag2_f_021781.9670Fourteenth [Street,] Sixteenth Street, or you have to go South to Beekman [Hospital]1785.2276
1482LES_int_011782.5405[Right.]1782.8110
1484 1785.0690[Right.]1785.4411 
1485LES_se0_ag2_f_021785.5670There's no hospital here. So if somebody needs medical care. <snap>1787.7678
1487 1788.9138That could be a [hospital.] It's right off the bridge.1790.8862 
1488LES_int_011789.6179[Right.]1789.9956
1489 1790.8862Yeah.1791.2359
1490LES_se0_ag2_f_021791.2359You know, but that might be a issue too because of the [traffic.]1793.5580
1491LES_int_011793.3668[Yeah.] It's-1794.1049
1492 1794.2354it's a st- an interesting space. The- A lot of the issues uh that people not being able to agree has been about [housing.] Building housing, [and if]1801.2687
1493LES_se0_ag2_f_021800.3082[Mm-hm.]1800.6439
1495 1800.9190[Mm-hm.]1801.3526 
1496LES_int_011801.6977it were to be built,1802.4801
1497LES_se0_ag2_f_021803.0677Is it gonna be affordable housing?1804.1401
1498LES_int_011804.3313[Exactly.]1804.9002
1499LES_se0_ag2_f_021804.7416[Or is] it gonna be another blue building?1806.0998
1500LES_int_011806.1697Exactly. Exactly. So, what- sort of, what's your take on that?1809.2737
1502 1811.2323Like, do you think there should be- there needs to be housing built1813.8923 
1504 1814.6896in the [community?]1815.7046 
1505LES_se0_ag2_f_021815.3005[Of course.]1815.8553
1506 1816.1491[Of course.]1816.8299
1507LES_int_011816.1771[And then, if] so, for who?1817.6645
1508LES_se0_ag2_f_021817.7718Low income.1818.5540
1510 1818.7219Mid income.1819.3653 
1512 1819.5006People who can, you know, people who work every day1821.5476 
1513LES_int_011821.5476Yeah.1821.8040
1514LES_se0_ag2_f_021821.9812people who don't have1822.7133
1516 1822.8532private jet services, people who don't have1824.6193 
1518 1825.1602you know,1825.7477 
1520 1825.8829Mercedes Benzes, like four of five of them, [you know what I] mean.1828.7040 
1521LES_int_011828.0652[Yeah.]1828.3757
1522 1828.7914Yeah.1829.1318
1523LES_se0_ag2_f_021829.3801Working people.1830.1996
1524LES_int_011830.1996Yeah.1830.5493
1525LES_se0_ag2_f_021830.5493People who live in the community so they don't have to co-1832.7269
1526 1833.1326people who moved out of the community because of necessity, because they couldn't find anything here, who work here, like myself.1838.2326
1527LES_int_011838.3679Right.1838.7129
1528LES_se0_ag2_f_021838.7782I live all the way in East New York.1840.1911
1529LES_int_011840.5408Yeah.1840.8672
1531 1841.2589[Because you- because] you weren't able [to]1842.9178 
1532LES_se0_ag2_f_021841.2868[You know.]1841.8791
1534 1842.7734[Cause] I wasn't able to find1843.8865 
1535 1844.3040um, housing over here.1845.3625
1536LES_int_011845.3625Yeah.1845.6143
1537LES_se0_ag2_f_021845.9127And if I- and the housing that I did find was1847.7872
1539 1848.2861above my income.1849.0963 
1540LES_int_011849.2176Yeah.1849.5486
1542 1849.9916Now, do you like, um, models that are-1851.8428 
1544 1851.9966are all low income? or like mi- a mix- like mixed housing. That's sort of a newer1856.4476 
1546 1856.6248concept. Like, you put low, moderate, and middle,1859.2113 
1548 1859.7382all in the same complex.1861.2676 
1550 1861.6453Which one of those, like strikes you better?1863.2529 
1551LES_se0_ag2_f_021865.7429I would say mixed.1866.6848
1553 1867.1418But we have to st- be careful with that because sometime,1869.5420 
1555 1869.9057those upper class1870.8523 
1557 1871.4584people get up in there and1872.8806 
1559 1874.0230a lot of times, when even when you apply for subsidized housing, it says only four units are available.1878.3211 
1561 1879.0345It should be reversed. [It should only] be four units available for the [upper income] and more of the units available1884.1346 
1562LES_int_011879.8277[It should.]1880.2863
1564 1881.8747[Right.]1882.2291 
1566 1883.7072[Right. Right. It's got to be distributed] in the right way.1886.5173 
1567LES_se0_ag2_f_021884.4253[for low income.]1885.3668
1568 1886.8916[For low] income, I mean, I think I'm low income.1888.9468
1569LES_int_011886.8916[Yeah.]1887.2065
1570 1889.3804Yeah.1889.6276
1571LES_se0_ag2_f_021889.9120I have a job, I have a an- annual salary, but I [still,] I'm not making a thousand1894.0247
1572LES_int_011892.3927[Yeah.]1892.8263
1573 1894.2380[Yeah.]1894.6810
1574LES_se0_ag2_f_021894.5271[hundred] thousand, million [dollars a year either.]1896.7466
1575LES_int_011895.8047[Yeah. Yeah.]1896.7466
1576LES_se0_ag2_f_021897.1523You know so.1897.9963
1577LES_int_011898.5465Yeah. I'm a student. I'm definitely low income (laughing). <laugh>1901.1363
1579 1901.7472Um.1902.3161 
1581 1902.4186What about building height?1903.5039 
1583 1903.6951Also something people really opinionated about. Do you think that there's something that's too tall for this community? Like, do you- do you,1910.6230 
1585 1911.3691think if like, for instance, if that site were gonna be developed, would you1914.6956 
1587 1915.4825think there is a ca- there should be a cap1917.4082 
1588LES_se0_ag2_f_021917.8652[Well, the building] that's right on the same block, both of the build- all the buildings that are on the same block at least1922.1306
1589LES_int_011917.8652[on how high it goes?]1918.8910
1590LES_se0_ag2_f_021922.3777they're over fifteen stories.1923.7813
1591LES_int_011923.7813Yeah.1924.1450
1593 1924.2942Like [all the bars and clubs. Yeah] and [yeah and The Extension.]1927.2831 
1594LES_se0_ag2_f_021924.4518[The Seward Park Extension,]1926.1127
1596 1926.6350[Yeah, they're over-] they're over fifty, so, I wouldn't.1928.8627 
1597 1929.1704I wouldn't- I would say that1930.5833
1599 1930.9004it doesn't make1931.4692 
1601 1931.9309sense that they're1932.9147 
1603 1933.8741above1934.3591 
1605 1934.9280the highest build- you know, [highest floor.]1936.8118 
1606LES_int_011936.1356[Right.]1936.5072
1607 1936.9703But [something] like that would be okay with [you.]1938.9241
1608LES_se0_ag2_f_021937.1195[It could.]1937.3667
1610 1938.7329[If it's] housing.1939.4416 
1611LES_int_011939.7016Yeah.1940.0327
1612LES_se0_ag2_f_021940.0886Not if it's a hotel.1940.9466
1613LES_int_011941.1844Yeah.1941.5574
1614LES_se0_ag2_f_021941.7207We don't need that.1942.3781
1615LES_int_011942.5413[Yeah.]1942.9097
1616LES_se0_ag2_f_021942.6392[We don't] need hotels. We need housing.1944.2899
1617LES_int_011944.2899[Yes.]1944.8414
1618LES_se0_ag2_f_021944.5604[So, if] it's housing,1945.4743
1619 1945.9581yes.1946.4710
1621 1947.2870Or housing for people who actually need it,1949.2454 
1622LES_int_011949.4646Yeah.1949.8003
1623LES_se0_ag2_f_021949.8003yes.1950.3179
1624LES_int_011950.3179And you'd be willing to go a-1951.7389
1626 1951.9254higher, if it meant more1953.5775 
1627LES_se0_ag2_f_021953.7460Yeah.1954.0398
1628LES_int_011954.3175affordable [housing.]1955.8842
1629LES_se0_ag2_f_021955.2055[But, at the same] time, it might-1956.5510
1630 1957.2551it might perpetuate the whole1958.6109
1632 1958.8394project mentality, or whatever the case may be. So, it just depends on how high you go.1962.9334 
1633LES_int_011963.1712[Yeah.]1963.4825
1634LES_se0_ag2_f_021963.2773[Like,] maybe in my opinion, maybe no higher than ten flights.1966.2522
1635LES_int_011966.3548Yeah.1966.7372
1636LES_se0_ag2_f_021966.9050You know what I mean, cause ten, that- that- that'll1968.8075
1638 1969.0546do enough people, [but it's] not gonna be like1971.1285 
1639LES_int_011970.0607[Yeah.]1970.3591
1640LES_se0_ag2_f_021972.0284You could see that building above all the buildings in the whole skyline, [like you shouldn't] <laugh> see.1975.9721
1641LES_int_011974.8036[Yeah.]1975.2699
1642 1975.9721Some of 'em just stick out.1977.5015
1643LES_se0_ag2_f_021977.5015Yeah.1977.9864
1644 1978.1170Like [that odd]1978.9890
1645LES_int_011978.3072[And it's]1978.9890
1646LES_se0_ag2_f_021979.1522blue [building.]1979.7956
1647LES_int_011979.5998[The] blue [building. Everyone talks about the blue building.]1981.7710
1648LES_se0_ag2_f_021980.3365[Doesn't even- doesn't even look] like it's sturdy, like I wouldn't wanna live there, [cause I would think it]1984.3504
1649LES_int_011983.6369[<laugh>]1984.3524
1650 1984.8353It's about [to tip over (laughing).]1986.6900
1651LES_se0_ag2_f_021985.2258[gonna lean over or something.] Like, lean back. For real, [like, I'm good.]1988.5458
1652LES_int_011987.8884[<laugh>]1988.5458
1653LES_se0_ag2_f_021989.0972But no, housing, definitely. But if it's for [anything, any] type of commercial business, anything like that,1993.8070
1654LES_int_011991.1904[Yeah.]1991.6294
1655LES_se0_ag2_f_021994.2182I don't think it's necessary. Like if they decide to put a movie theater there or something like that, like we don't need another.1998.5294
1657 1998.8499What you tryna blind us from what's really going on? Like2001.6055 
1659 2001.8733give me what I need. Don't give me what you think I want.2003.9894 
1660LES_int_012004.1782Yeah. [Yeah.]2005.0608
1661LES_se0_ag2_f_022004.6919[And don't] give me what you think I need.2006.0573
1662 2006.2109Give me what I need.2007.2367
1663LES_int_012007.2367Yeah.2007.5923
1664LES_se0_ag2_f_022007.8865So, housing. Definitely.2009.0894
1665LES_int_012009.2914Okay.2009.6031
1667 2010.0202So, you already mentioned this. Um. That the2012.3207 
1669 2012.4085in the history of the Lower East Side,2013.8206 
1671 2013.9655it's really been a place where a lot of people move to start2017.8421 
1673 2018.1495over.2018.5534 
1675 2018.8592Start fresh, start a new life.2020.2245 
1677 2020.5626And I'm wondering if you still think it's a place where people can do that.2023.3153 
1678LES_se0_ag2_f_022032.3211Hm.2032.6855
1680 2034.2221Yes and no.2034.9333 
1682 2036.2329Cause I would think that a lot of the people who are moving in now,2038.6416 
1684 2039.3924I think, I guess they think they're starting over, it's- th- they're starting over for them.2042.7465 
1685LES_int_012043.0710Yeah.2043.3788
1686LES_se0_ag2_f_022043.4161You know what I mean.2044.0021
1688 2044.3841But, if you're already coming from affluent families, if you already have money, you really2048.1641 
1690 2048.4363are just looking for different locations, where's hot. You know.2050.8948 
1691LES_int_012051.0485Right.2051.3558
1692LES_se0_ag2_f_022051.5314It's not like2051.8783
1694 2052.8617you just came off a boat2053.8890 
1696 2054.3280and <laugh> you left all your family behind, and you need to send them money.2057.7904 
1697LES_int_012057.7904Right.2058.2339
1698LES_se0_ag2_f_022058.3656You know, it's not the same type of situation.2060.3401
1699LES_int_012060.5069[Yeah.]2060.7484
1700LES_se0_ag2_f_022060.5947[So,] I wouldn't say- if- I would say, if you're coming form a higher income bracket,2064.1845
1701 2064.6586this isn't a starting over place for you.2066.4455
1702LES_int_012066.7396[Yeah.]2067.0586
1703LES_se0_ag2_f_022066.9284[This] is a starting over place for people who need to start over.2070.2942
1704LES_int_012070.2942Right.2070.6718
1705LES_se0_ag2_f_022070.8781Who need a clean slate.2072.1162
1707 2072.3796Who need that second chance.2073.7942 
1708LES_int_012073.7942Yeah.2074.1605
1709LES_se0_ag2_f_022074.1605You don't, if you don't need a second chance, then, you know, you're [just here] because2077.6684
1710LES_int_012076.8065[Yeah.]2077.2186
1711LES_se0_ag2_f_022078.2303the boutiques.2078.9108
1712LES_int_012078.9108And the people who do need the second chance [are-]2081.4557
1713LES_se0_ag2_f_022080.9081[Don't get it.]2081.4381
1714LES_int_012081.7674they're not-2082.2328
1715LES_se0_ag2_f_022082.4786They get shipped out to where I live in2083.9933
1717 2084.1381East New York or Staton Island, [or]2086.2001 
1718LES_int_012085.8488[Yeah.]2086.2001
1719LES_se0_ag2_f_022086.6391any other other2087.4469
1721 2087.6137developments that they're building up now, the low income,2089.9186 
1722LES_int_012090.2391[Yeah.]2090.5903
1723LES_se0_ag2_f_022090.3138[by Bloomberg] you know.2091.3630
1724 2091.5386Or, if you notice, a lot of them in the Bronx and in East New York, Brooklyn.2094.9176
1725LES_int_012095.0713Yeah.2095.4620
1726LES_se0_ag2_f_022095.5059Then, you know, they're never here. And if they, when they are down here or something like that,2099.2230
1728 2099.6576It's like I said before, it's four units for low income2102.3928 
1729LES_int_012103.0425Right.2103.3630
1730LES_se0_ag2_f_022103.6528available, nine units i- a- available.2106.3337
1732 2106.6542You know, [so.]2107.4840 
1733LES_int_012107.0625[Right.]2107.4840
1734 2108.1820Do you think it's important for2109.3132
1736 2109.5152uh,2110.0552 
1738 2110.5162people who move into the neighborhood or even the East, like you were just talking about some of your youth.2115.1260 
1739LES_se0_ag2_f_022115.1523Mm-hm.2115.5869
1740LES_int_012115.8796Do you think it's important for people to know something about the, like the rich history of this neighborhood?2121.2361
1742 2121.8591And does it affect kind of how they relate to their2124.2995 
1744 2124.4786community?2125.1372 
1746 2125.8791[Cause it] really is such a, you know, the2128.9320 
1747LES_se0_ag2_f_022126.0503[Definitely.]2126.6562
1748LES_int_012129.2393kind of the [birthplace of activism.]2131.3188
1749LES_se0_ag2_f_022129.6081[My kids, my participants don't] know. [My participants] don't know. And I try to do my best to let them know, to educate them.2135.1427
1750LES_int_012131.7622[Yeah.]2132.0520
1751 2135.2174Yeah.2135.5203
1752LES_se0_ag2_f_022135.5944Because once you get2136.3661
1754 2136.7129you get a sense of pride.2137.7183 
1756 2137.9115Like, really? That happened here? You [know?]2140.0715 
1757LES_int_012139.7263[Yeah.]2140.0715
1758LES_se0_ag2_f_022140.1900[It's like] it just2140.8398
1759LES_int_012140.1900[Yeah.]2140.5282
1760LES_se0_ag2_f_022141.1208connects you2141.7471
1761LES_int_012142.6427[Right.]2143.0534
1762LES_se0_ag2_f_022142.6722[to your] community even more, [you're m- you're] even more indebted because it's like wow.2146.8486
1763LES_int_012144.3637[Right.]2144.8585
1764LES_se0_ag2_f_022147.0066All of this history came form2148.1563
1766 2148.9237this- this project?2150.1661 
1767LES_int_012150.2232[Yeah.]2150.5525
1768LES_se0_ag2_f_022150.3900[Really?] Like that used to happen here?2152.3218
1769LES_int_012152.5457Yeah.2152.9232
1770LES_se0_ag2_f_022153.8568And I think that2154.6427
1772 2155.9247if you don't know where you come from,2157.4349 
1774 2159.2218[You know,] you don't know where you're going.2160.7106 
1775LES_int_012159.2218[Right.]2159.7491
1776 2160.7106Yeah, [totally. Totally]2162.2282
1777LES_se0_ag2_f_022161.5974[You know, so] it's like2162.8970
1778 2163.1764and you could take that with you, well, I'm from the I- I'm2165.1433
1780 2165.4198proud when I say I'm from the Lower East [Side.]2167.2023 
1781LES_int_012167.1365[Yeah.]2167.5272
1782LES_se0_ag2_f_022167.6150When I was in high school, nobody even knew where the Lower East Side was.2170.2476
1784 2170.7437You know how you say, ohh yeah, I live in the Lower East Side.2172.2084 
1786 2172.4472Where's that?2173.0874 
1788 2173.2366That's what I used to get. I- and then I used to have to sing the song, Delancey [Street (singing).]2176.9263 
1789LES_int_012176.4302[<laugh>]2177.5541
1790LES_se0_ag2_f_022177.2468[But I-] you know.2178.0151
1791 2178.5507Slick Rick or whoever it was, but I can't [remember.]2180.8805
1792LES_int_012180.4283[<laugh>]2181.5609
1793LES_se0_ag2_f_022181.1614[So people knew] where I was talking about. Now everybody knows what Delancey Street is. Now, everybody knows what Ou- Orchard Street is. [Now people google] stores that are on2188.6232
1794LES_int_012186.6260[Yeah.]2187.0900
1795LES_se0_ag2_f_022188.9130Stanton and, you know what I [mean, now it's like,] oh you live in the Lower East Side?2192.3286
1796LES_int_012190.2828[I know.]2190.9237
1797LES_se0_ag2_f_022192.6667Then, when I take them to the projects, they're like, oh, you live on the Lower East Side.2195.5540
1798LES_int_012195.5540[<laugh>]2196.9896
1799LES_se0_ag2_f_022196.3311[Like, no, I don't live] over here. My grandmother lives over here. You [know, so] it's like that whole2199.6967
1800LES_int_012198.4367[Yeah.]2198.8055
1801LES_se0_ag2_f_022201.1543It's like that whole thing of2202.3792
1803 2202.8446Now, the name is so hyped up that everybody wants to be out here.2205.7538 
1804LES_int_012205.8284Yeah.2206.2236
1805LES_se0_ag2_f_022206.6319[Like] why- why is it so hyped up?2208.3880
1806LES_int_012206.6319[Yeah.]2206.8514
1807LES_se0_ag2_f_022208.6470Is it because of the people who are moving in now? Or is it j-2211.2587
1809 2211.3729or- or should it be hyped up because of the people who've been here?2214.1070 
1810LES_int_012214.1992Yeah.2214.5811
1811LES_se0_ag2_f_022215.0494The- the- the rich2216.2216
1813 2216.5728the rich histories that we have here. Like if you interview2219.3255 
1815 2219.7645any of the elderly people you see walking down the street, [they're gonna] give you a whole nother side of it.2224.0160 
1816LES_int_012222.0157[Right.]2222.3569
1817 2224.1608Completely.2224.7326
1818LES_se0_ag2_f_022224.7930You know, like my grandma, when she told me, oh, don't eat that, don't2227.8437
1820 2228.4891I mean, that's [serious.]2229.5246