Adventure Blog 4: The Fourth (but definitely not final) Adventure!

Two Sunday's ago (I think it was Sunday) my friend asked if I would come with her to this party (or something) that she was asked to take pictured at. My first thought was "heck no" because I'm up to my eyeballs in work, but I asked her for the details of the party anyway. "It's at The Crown on friday", she says and then I said "of course" because my I needed one more adventure to write about and I definitely needed a mini break even though I'd still be kind of working at this party (or whatever it was).

Fast forward to Friday. After work I burrowed into a study nook and did work until about 10pm when she picked me up. After a quick coffee pit stop and  dashing back to The Crown we climbed the stairs where we were greeted by no cover charge and the beginning of a great set by a couple of DJ's from New York. When the Bmore Club remixes started rolling out, I knew that I made good decision and was finally able to momentarily stop ruminating over all the work that I have to do before next Wednesday. I think it was a good way to constructively de-stress for a bit before the madness that will surely envelop my life until the end of the semester. Below you'll find some of my favorite highlights from that night.

Favorite quote: "We've had a hard f***ing week but that's okay we bout to dance it out. Dance our pain away"

 Favorite photo: Taken by yours truly!

Favorite dancer: He gave the entire dance floor life!

Adventure Blog 3: Own The Change?

During my second adventure at the Food Chains screening there was an announcement for another screening and discussion event. The description sounded interesting so I decided to go back to Red Emma's on February 25th for a screening of a short film called Own the Change. (See flyer below)

 The film was very interesting an gave me a sense of what it means to be a worker cooperative in addition to the several other types of cooperatives that could exist. After the film they opened up the little back room that Jazmin talks about in her oral history for a Q&A about Red Emma's. The Q&A covered topics like the history, hiring model, pitfalls, and benefits of becoming a part of workers cooperative like Red Emma's. This was informative as well, but it began to lean more towards joining Red Emma's worker co-operative, and I'm definitely not in a point my life where I'd be able to join they're worker co-op. I feel like on some level it takes a certain collection of circumstances and traits to be able to commit yourself to their co-op model. Which would also help in understanding why it seems like they only hire their friends as employees, from the way that the process of becoming partial owner of the business is set up you'd pretty much have to like the other workers enough to want to spend a large indefinite amount of time working with them.

After the Q&A discussion I decided that I’d stay for a bit to eat dinner and do some work. I ordered a vegan turkey club that I was feeling a little apprehensive about, but the first bite was so delicious that had to stop and snap a picture for this blog post.  

Advendure Blog 2: Dream Deferred (aka number two of my seriously backlogged adventures)

After class on Thursday Feb 12th I made my first trek through the City to Red Emma's. In class that day we had begun our discussion of Baltimore 68 and before our session ended Dr. King mentioned Dream Deferred , a poem by Langston Hughes. The words of the poem were on my mind while I sat at the bus stop with my chin tucked against the cold, as I waited for the downtown shuttle to arrive. It lingered in my thoughts as I made a quick stop for dinner and watched as the security guards began to usher the seemingly homeless individuals out in the cold. I was spared because I was charging my phone, had a book, and probably emitted a vibe that screamed student. 

After watching the room for a bit my thoughts turned to my next destination. I was heading to Red Emma's for a screening of the documentary Food Chains a film about migrant farm workers in Imokalee Florida. The film was produced, in part, by Eva Longoria  (Who knew home girl was producing films now?)  I didn't know what to expect from the film but I'm always down to learn more about our food system and the screening would be followed by a panel discussion so I figured that I'd have a good time. When I finally got to Emma's I had just enough time to order some tea and find a seat in the collection of chairs that were arranged in front of the pull down screen. While waiting and anxiously hoping that my drink would be ready before the film began I turned and saw my professor from my food systems  seminar. I think we were both surprised to see each other but also not surprised at all. She sat next to me and we caught up until the film began.

As the film played and the people in the film described how their lives, and the lives of others, were impacted large grocery and fast food chains the lines of another Langston Hughes poem drifted in and out of my thoughts. 

I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean--
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet today--O, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.

I'd recommend the film to everyone, so I wont summarize it here but I will share some of my immediate thoughts post viewing. We don't exist in a closed system. Everything is connected, and in the USA it seems like everything is connected to the fact that this country was built on the systemic oppression of others. The system of oppression that this country was built on has morphed into a continuous cycle of exploitation. And the churning of that cycle can be felt everywhere. It's how I was able to find myself  at coffee shop in the middle Baltimore- a city that has taken direct and debilitating blows from the systems spinning spokes- watching a film about migrant workers in Imokalee, Florida and have their stories resonate with my own.  And It's how I found my self in this course that urges to experience the city. We're all caught up in this system but it's always inspiring to hear about collections of people that are digging their way out. Even though it's wild that decades later many of Hughes' words still ring true. 

Other interesting highlights from the evening: In addition to running into my professor, I saw a handful of people that I see on campus, an old friend, and several new and old acquaintances. And just like with my professor it was both surprising and not surprising at all to see them there.

Adventure Blog 1: The first of many backlogged adventures

On Saturday January 31 I stopped at Lost City Diner for a bite to eat before heading to the Charles Theater to see Selma. In retrospect, going to see this film when I did was a great way to start off this course. Here I was at the end of January, the beginning of my last semester as an undergraduate  student, Black History Month was about to begin, and I was about to dive into this American Studies course called Community in America- where we would be studying the topics of redevelopment, gentrification, and community change in Baltimore. The semester had barely begun and it already felt like an interesting space to be in. It seems  that with each year that I have been living and learning in the Baltimore area the layers of Baltimore's racial tension and history are continuously being peeled back to reveal more.

Now that the end of my last semester basically here and "riots" erupting around the city,  occupying this time and space feels more bizarre than it did before. My mind keeps wandering back to the events described in Baltimore 68'. Today my life feels like an episode of The Twilight Zone, like I stepped off my doorstep and walked into the Baltimore of the 1960s. With the same questions that danced around my mind at the start of this semester as I sat enveloped in the cushions of seat in the  Charles while depictions of  history splattered across the screen. 



(Lower image: bydvnlln.vsco.co/)

I FINALLY got in contact with Tony! We spoke briefly and he gave me his email address so I could send him some information about our project. I'm hoping that he gets back to me soon. We really need more voices from community members that don't have direct business interests in the area. 

Diana and I set a time for her interview. We'll be meeting at 8:45pm on campus. The recorder and location are TBD (PNK: Would it be possible to use the studio, or do you have any suggestions?) 

Diana lived closer to Greenmount West and knows the area. She has a cousin that still lives over there so she passed my contact information to her.

I started putting together my questions for tomorrow's interview over the weekend, and will probably revise them 3 more times before the actual interview. 

I wish that I could do the interview and be there for tomorrows meeting. Can't wait to hear about it.

 Today after class I was telling my classmate more about our project and she said she was interested in being interviewed. She also said she knows some people that might be able and willing to talk to us. I can't wait to follow up with her on this because I definitely think that she would add an interesting dimension to the existing set of voices. After speaking with her and several others I think it would be beneficial to add some sort of map to the back of our "ask". The name "Station North" doesn't doesn't seem to translate or resonate with folks. Having a map to show people the area that we're talking about would be beneficial, and it could initiate some good conversation.

Interview Scheduling: 

My availability didn't work with Jude Lombardi's availability. Randi's schedule was open at the times that Lombardi suggested so I linked them up to continue scheduling process. 

Aletheia got back to me, and confirmed that she was able to be interviewed this past Saturday. I couldn't take off of work on Saturday to do the interview so I sent my questions to Harima and she was able to conduct the interview. I heard it went well, so I can't wait to listen to it. 

   

I have an interview with D Watkins Scheduled for next week and Gaby will be my recorder. 

Tony I hasn't returned my messages about being interview so I'm trying to find the balance between being persistent and being a pest. I

Events: 

I stumbled upon this while scrolling through my FB timeline and thought that I'd share.

https://www.facebook.com/events/784475708327324/

Adventure Blogs: 

I'm seriously backed logged and will post my adventures soon!

This past week I scheduled an oral history interview with Aletheia S... or so I thought. It was due to a simple miscommunication, but it definitely made my Saturday morning interesting. When she said Saturday was a good time to meet, because she'd be at Seoul Rice Cake all day. I thought and said "this Saturday" and she thought I said next Saturday. Needless to say, when I showed up to Seoul Rice Cake with Adam and his bundle of recording gear  the nice but confused owner did not know why  I was there and had no idea as to what I was talking about.  I learned (or relearned) two things from this experience. One, if you ask a potential interviewee for their contact information and they write down an email, get a number... always get a number. Two, I learned I'm a competent internet sleuth and that persistence pays off. I was able to get in touch with Alethia (via a phone call) and I'm currently working on rescheduling that interview.
Also, I got a delicious breakfast burrito and an enjoyable train ride to work out of that morning it so it wasn't a total loss.

In other "Voices" news I have two updates. The first, I'm corresponding with Jude Lombardi to schedule a time for her interview. Hopefully well be able to have someone interview her this week or next week. The second is that someone in my class today mentioned a family friend that might live in Greenmount West and I plan on following up with her about that this week. 

Idea: In terms on capturing voices on the streets maybe it would be a good idea to start talking to folks at the bus stops?

Updates

Last week I conducted an oral history interview with Jazmin S. In our pre interview I learned a lot about the way that spaces have changed in the neighborhood from the perspective of someone that lives and works in the changing area. In regard to the changing businesses and public spaces it seems that at one point in time there was a lack of communication among the business owners themselves about how they could support each other and create multiple spaces that the community could use. 

In the early days of this class one of the questions that I had and something that I still want to know is where the children and teens fit into the redevelopment plans. Somewhere between our conversation, interview, and talk in class Jazmin made an interesting point. Almost all of the spaces in SNAE are catered to older or young adults. There are a lot of spaces that sell alcohol and many spaces with age limits, but not a lot of spaces for children and families to come together. I realized that this aspect really bothers me. Jazmin mentioned some of the spaces where she knows children hang out, but the idea that there are so few of them bothers me. In the 10 years that SNAE has been working in that area has there ever been a discussion about a community center, or more a space where whole families can come together?  Are there any community centers in Station North or Greenmount West. A community center in an arts and entertainment district that possibly focused on art and entertainment activities seems like a great idea. A community centers that work to engage the community would probably be very beneficial for almost any community. I'm sure I'll have about 100 more questions once I finish transcribing Jazmin's interview. I hope to have that done by Friday or Sarurday. 

Invest, Disinvest, Reinvest, Repeat

The rise of the Station North Arts and Entertainment District (SNAE) is over ten years in the making. Our assignments this week provided me with a little more context and some insight into the relatively current climate of the discourse on SNAE. The assignment included two articles from the Baltimore City Paper-"Your Art Here" Jenson, B. (2003, July 30) and "Can Station North Save the City" Woods, B. (2013, July 3), and a July 2013 podcast from a Marc Steiner Show Discussion that was based off the "Can Station North Save the City” article. In addition to providing insight into the types of discussions that are surrounding SNAE's progress this week’s assignment served as link between the events of the Pivot in Perspective chapter in Baltimore 68 and present day SNAE. 

One point that really stood out to me in both the article and the discussion was the point made about the cycle of disinvestment and reinvestment that has existed in Baltimore for decades. Mr. Woods talks about how the city is stuck between disinvestment and investment. Where disinvestment puts people like Dwight H in troublesome positions because living next to a vacant house means your homeowners insurance gets canceled, and too much investment means that renters get priced out. Baltimore 68 illustrates how In the years before the Baltimore Riots of April 1968 took place the City was already working on redevelopment efforts that included some merchants and excluded others. The North Avenue Market went under due to blockbusting and declining property values and residents and business owners were being displaced (or scheduled to be displaced) before the riots razed area businesses. From the discussion that took place about about the "Can Station North Save the City" article it feel as if the cycle is still spinning along. The planning for SNAE began in 2011 from what I've been reading it seems like the interests of long term residents were not included or considered. 

Baltimore's minority and low income populations have continuously been left out of the conversation. In the discussion Michelle Antoinette, AKA LOVE the poet, poses a question about intentions of the city's developers and if this exclusion is intentional. I agree with what Marc Steiner's response. I would like to believe that there is no group of men twirling their mustaches whilst plotting to leave certain populations-that are already feeling disenfranchised- out of the redevelopment processes and then intentionally pushing them out. I see it as symptom of another flaw in the system where where cities and developers are so wrapped up in their bottom lines (and keeping the city afloat) that they forget that there are actual lives and livelihoods at stake. This is not a problem in Baltimore alone, post industrial cities across the US seem to be struggling with it. As the guest on Steiner's show were speaking I kept recalling the controversy surrounding NYC's Department of Housing Preservation and Development's (DHPD) approval of Extell Development Company's high rise plan that included what many were calling a "poor door". The backlash that ensued from city politicians to discourse among social media outlets and news sources makes you ask the question: who was in the decision boardroom of the NYC DHPD? And who overlooked the potential backlash that such a decision would cause? Maybe they came up with some sort of sound explanation as to why the plan was approved, but I haven't come across it. In my mind that means the boardroom must have been missing someone who thought critically about the positive and negative implications of their decisions. So while I do not think there is a room full of men plotting to disregard the needs of the city’s residents, I do think there are several rooms full of men (and maybe a few women) that are making decisions with minds are not in tune with the majority of the people that their decisions impact.

This brings me back to Baltimore and SNAE. In the discussion on the Steiner show Ben Stone essentially says that he would like to see residents becoming engaged in the process before so much time has passed that SNAE ends up like the other gentrified neighborhoods and we all end up asking “what happened?" But it seems like they weren't included at a crucial time- the beginning. So what can we do now, to include them in the planning and redevelopment process? It's been two years since this particular conversation has occurred and my biggest question is what has been done to include the community in the process. 

Project Planning: 

This week helped me shape my potential project. I really want to know what long term residents and artists are thinking about the buzz surrounding SNAE. I would love to do some oral history interviews to get more perspectives from the residents. 

Questions for Ben Stone: 

In your opinion what are some of the biggest strides that SNAE has made towards including all residents (not just artists) in the redevelopment process? 

What is the most frustrating aspect of your position as executive director of SNAE? 

If you had to boil your work down into one clause or statement, what would you want Baltimore City Residents to know about your vision for SNAE? 

(panoramo.com)

Babin, J. (2014, July 30). New York Skyscraper's Separate 'Poor Door' Called A Disgrace. In NPR.ORG News . Retrieved February 16, 2015, from http://www.npr.org/2014/07/30/336322608/new-york-skyscrapers-separate-poor-door-sparks-outrage

Elfenbein, J., Nix, E., & Hollowak, T. (2011). Baltimore ’68: Riots and Rebirth in an American City. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

Jenson, B. (2003, July 30). Will the Station North Arts District Paint a Brighter Future for Midtown?”. In City Paper . Retrieved February 13, 2015, from https://web.archive.org/web/20130322013708/http://www2.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=3328

Pomorski, C. (2014, August 27). The worst thing about the ‘Poor Door’ might be its Naysayers. In Observer/Real Estate: Affordable Housing or Lack Thereof . Retrieved February 17, 2015, from http://observer.com/2014/08/the-worst-thing-about-the-poor-door-might-be-the-nay-sayers/

Segar, M. (2014, July 21). Tale of Two Cities: NYC approves ‘poor door’ for luxury high-rise. In Russian Times: Question More. Retrieved February 16, 2015, from http://rt.com/usa/174532-nyc-poor-door-luxury-apartments/

The Marc Steiner Show (2013). Can Station North Save Baltimore City? [Online podcast]. Baltimore : The Marc Steiner Show. Retrieved from http://www.steinershow.org/podcasts/local-and-state-politics/can-station-north-save-baltimore-city/

Woods, B. (2013, July 3). “Can Station North Save the City?”. In City Paper . Retrieved February 12, 2015, from http://www.citypaper.com/news/features/2013/bcp-cms-1-1514525-migrated-story-cp-20130703-featu-20130703,0,6682549.story

Blog 1: The “G” Word.

When I began to hear the term gentrification used in academia it seemed like it was surrounded by an air of prohibition. It struck me as odd that so many people seemed to speak about it in the same hushed tone that they would normally reserve for other undesirable and uncomfortable topics like racism, as if it was too risqué to talk about publicly. It seemed that people would skirt the conversation around gentrification when it was mentioned, and I would often see terms like terms “urban development”, “neighborhood revitalization”, or “urban renewal” used synonymously for it in conversations and texts. Replacing the term "gentrification" with a term like “urban renewal” makes me uncomfortable though, because I feel that it is misleading. When I hear gentrification I think of displaced communities not revitalized communities. For our projects I am interested in learning more about the role that art can play in gentrification or community revitalization. I don't have any project ideas at the moment but I do have questions. How do public spaces change when neighborhoods are gentrified? Does gentrification reduce the amount of free public spaces? Is there a place for public/community art in gentrified neighborhoods?

Community In America: A brief Introduction

My name is Nailah. I am a Social Work and Media & Communications Studies major. Welcome to the second installment of this blog. My last post on this blog was December 5th 2012. (It's crazy how quickly time can fly!) I'm excited to get started and see how our projects grow. I'm also looking forward to reading some of the Adventure Blogs.