All posts by ashleyabraham

South Bronx Environmental Justice

Clarifying Key Concepts

An overlying theme in the excerpt written by Angotti is that a strong will and actions taken by the community are essential to initiate a change. There is an ironic dilemma that surrounds environmental justice and the communities that are trying to work towards a better life. If communities stay silent about the environmental injustice they face, they will just continue to suffer since the government glances over their problems. However, if the communities take action and get results, they would be displaced by gentrification and the increase in property values. Therefore, there is a need for the emphasis of environmental justice and community development. Angotti specifically speaks about the air pollution in the South Bronx, implying it is a well-known issue that should have steps taken to reduce it rather than add to it. The government consciously chooses what community that industrial planning should disadvantage. For example, a water filtration plant was moved to the North Bronx from the original plan of Westchester County. Also, in the 1990s, a medical waste incinerator was moved from Rockland and instead built in the South Bronx. Engineers said that there would be no pollutants released in the air, but a single failure would have a huge effect on the community. The community is still living with poor air quality to this day.

Organizations such as Mothers on the Move and Hunts Point Rangers, a group of teens, work to take action for environmental justice. A large problem in the area is the air pollution caused by diesel trucks. The Cross-Bronx Expressway is a large source of air pollution. This is the same issue many have with FreshDirect, since it will only add to a preexisting problem. A plan mentioned would be to redirect trucks to different routes to lessen the effect of exhaust in specific areas. Almost half of New Yorkers do not use vehicles daily, but 54% of pollution is caused by transportation. The Department of Transportation planned to just move cars at a faster speed to decrease pollution but this can be considered a static solution. This leads to chronic health issues such as asthma centralized in the area. OWN has devised a plan to reduce truck pollution and create a much more equal system. Instead another plan was to distribute waste transfer systems to other areas to share the burden of waste as well as decrease air pollution. When well thought plans are created, it shows that the organization, for example, Act Up, is serious about the issue. When people heard Act Up speak about the issue, they saw that they were educated about the subject and that gave them power. Education about the issues is key in creating a difference.

 

Discussion Question: What are other possible solutions South Bronx Unite can use to have their voice heard about the FreshDirect relocation?

Community Dynamics

Clarifying Key Concepts

DeRienzo clarifies the difference between a neighborhood and a community, which was interesting since, like most, I am guilty of interchanging the two. He implies that a neighborhood lacks the personal relationships that a community is built on. Neighborhoods are organized by the location an individual lives in relation to others, while communities are much more. Members of a community come and go, enjoying certain places, people, or activities, for example, which bring them there. Even in this global world, people are still “place-based”. They are connected to where they live, grew up, went to school, etc. This makes it hard for someone to completely abandon a community even when they move away. Individuals build interdependent relationships with each other to go on with their day to day, whether it be to help babysit or to borrow some sugar.

When this dynamic is disrupted in any way, it will affect the community in its entirety. A large part of what shapes a community is the actions of outside forces that are not a part of the community itself. This is the case in the South Bronx and with FreshDirect’s relocation. When organizing and decisions come from the outside, the community is not taken into account. In top-down reform, individuals come in with all the “answers” and their selfish motives to make a change that may benefit them more than the community. The South Bronx is now facing this dilemma and it highlights the way this area is more than just a neighborhood, but also a community. Individuals living in this area share the same hardships and, more importantly, want to make their situation better and accomplish something. The community is taking action and following the Transformative Model. The residents do not want to accept what is happening to them or think that they have no other option. If they were not united for this cause and just went along with their lives separately, they would have no power as a community. The fact that individuals want to work to make a better community is proof that communities still matter and are essential in society.

Project Update- Start of Project to March 15th

Future of Environmental Justice and Sustainability, Updates - Envr Justice

The future of environmental justice and sustainability group decided to focus on the movement of Fresh Direct to the South Bronx, which was done without community input. We decided to emphasize on the adverse effects this has on the environment and health of the community as well as the issue of public versus private land.

On February 29th, our group contacted Roger Hernandez Jr. from the organization, Friends of Brook Park, to see if he could be our community contact and had any ideas on how to focus our topic. On March 2nd, Roger wrote to Harry Bubbins from South Bronx Unite, an organization that focuses on the Fresh Direct issue more directly, on our behalf. Harry suggested we focus on the plans Fresh Direct has to double their size and suggested the idea of having air-quality monitors to measure the impact they are making to the neighborhood. Fresh Direct planned on building a 500,000 square foot facility but the company seems to now be planning on creating an even bigger building. To get more information he suggested we write to Mychal Johnson or the South Bronx Unite organization directly.

In the meantime, the group created a project proposal on the effects Fresh Direct’s move has on the South Bronx community in hopes of working with someone from South Bronx Unite. This organization has expressed the community’s disapproval of the move through peaceful protest, environmental justice tours of the neighborhood, and lawsuits. We emailed the organization directly on March 6th and received no reply.

Professor Hillary Caldwell bridged the line of communication with Roger on March 10th since South Bronx Unite had not replied. He suggested focusing on the practical application of a solar electric panel charging station system or the area in East Harlem that is now being considered for low-income housing.

Determined to work on the topic of Fresh Direct, we emailed Mychal Johnson on March 15th to see if he would reply back and be a possible community contact as a representative of South Bronx Unite. Mychal responded that day suggesting we meet with him and go for a tour in the neighborhood to learn more about the issue. We decided to set this small, guided environmental justice tour on the next available date, April 16th. We also asked if it would be possible to meet with him earlier to discuss the project further.

There were a couple of interesting points made against Fresh Direct that made this topic more appealing to our group. Fresh Direct moved from Long Island City, in Queens, NY to the South Bronx, NY as the company began to expand. They were offered government subsidies to move to New Jersey, but New York City officials wanted to keep Fresh Direct in the City. They offered the company $128 million worth of a subsidy package and tax breaks, which then prompted Fresh Direct to agree to stay (Kochman, 2014).

In a YouTube video made by South Bronx Unite to raise awareness about the current issues, Mychal states, “My community breathes different air than the white community”. This racial injustice aligns with the themes studied in class thus far. Asthma rates are among the City’s highest in the South Bronx and over a hundred Fresh Direct trucks running in the neighborhood will only add to this problem. A study beginning in 2002 involving putting air quality sensor on the backpacks of children showed a large amount of air pollution, which even exceeded the EPA safe limit in some areas.

Another issue the community had with the Fresh Direct move, which was interesting, is that the 1,000 jobs Fresh Direct will bring may not help a community with 35% of residents living below the poverty line more than it will hurt the environment. The workers are exploited and those living in this area are typically not the people who are using Fresh Direct’s services.

The first challenge we faced was deciding what exactly our group wanted to focus on. We began as the future of community gardens group and had trouble focusing on an issue we all felt passionate about. With guidance, we changed our approach to the future of environmental justice and sustainability focusing on Fresh Direct’s impact on the South Bronx community. Finding a community contact who would reply to our emails and like to work with us was a challenge for some time as well. However, this problem is resolved now that we have created a relationship with Mychal Johnson.

The group has worked together efficiently to complete the tasks set out so far. We communicate with each other and the community contact through email. Our group’s remaining tasks include completing a historical narrative, meeting with the community contact to discuss the project further, going on an EJ tour in the South Bronx, attending a South Bronx Unite community meeting, writing the white paper, and creating a video, which acts as our public engagement product.

How to Survive a Plague

Uncategorized

Act Up worked courageously to make a difference and in a time where AIDS was misunderstood and feared, any action at all was an enormous feat. It was alarming to even watch as protesters were pulled apart and arrested during their demonstrations. I was also shocked to see how many people were affected by this epidemic even though government officials had still only taken minimal action. It was compelling and ironic to see individuals selling AIDS drugs on the street because many did not have access to these drugs that they actually needed to save their lives. When action was taken, it was as if there was a hierarchy of who should be helped since women and people of color were not a part of clinical trials to test new drugs that could potential save their lives. When there seemed to finally be something available that had a chance of helping people, the medication was extremely overpriced. It looked like progress had been made, but it was slow and Act Up’s mission was to accelerate this process so they had a chance to live another day.

The media created a skewed view on the facts about Act Up and AIDS, which further fueled the stigma surrounding the issue. For example, news reporters told the public that Act Up protested to shut down the FDA, when in actuality they wanted them to work faster to approve something out there that would save the millions suffering. They also tried to promote celibacy as a logical solution and then sweep the issue under the rug as if that was a practical option. The way interviewers spoke about Act Up’s efforts made it seem as though the public felt like the issue was too taboo and should not be address. However, this obviously could not have been the case since many companies had taken heed to Act Up’s message, probably due to the public support of it, and made changes such as new drug testing protocols and discontinuing secret meetings. Act Up was able to change HIV/AIDS from a topic no one wanted to mention to one that all presidential candidates had to address. Act Up seemed to be a near perfect organization that not only brought criticism but provided solutions as well.

 

Discussion Question: Act Up believed that individuals should have the right to decided to take a drug they thought would help save their lives while TAG thought more testing should be done before a drug is approved in order to ensure it would work. Do you think having the FDA approve a drug for individuals to use and then continuing to observe it to approve it a second time for individuals who want to be sure would be a good solution for both groups?

What’s the Problem?

Future of Environmental Justice and Sustainability, What's the Problem? - Envr Justice

1.Research Problem: Fresh Direct’s headquarters relocated in the South Bronx area without community input and failed to take into account the adverse environmental and economic impacts on the community. Fresh Direct takes thousands of vehicle trips, introducing more pollution into this area that produces health effects such as asthma. The City’s undemocratic approach is one example of top-down administration and the lack of community consideration in decisions that directly involve them.

2. History of Fresh Direct: Fresh Direct, a grocery delivery service, was based on Long Island City for years, and decided to move to Harlem River Yard in order to expand its facilities to a 500,000 square-foot facility. Fresh Direct delivers to affluent areas in Brooklyn and Manhattan, but it also realizes that South Bronx has no interest in their services due to the lack of food stamps for families in the poverty-stricken neighborhood. The company started as a small business and expanded within the five boroughs as a company with over 2000 employees. However, Fresh Direct is notorious for underpaying its workers, at only $8 an hour, and discriminating minorities. Nevertheless, Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Cuomo are handing over $129 million in tax exemptions and subsidies to Fresh Direct.

History of South Bronx: As community board member Mycal Johnson states, “The South Bronx is the poorest congressional district in the nation, continuously dumped on with all the worst New York City has to offer.” Harlem River Yard, specifically, is historically known as an industry hub. Truck terminals, railroads, and transportation on the water surround the area due to its ideal location. The area is heavily polluted and as a result many of the residents in the area suffer from asthma. South Bronx has an unemployment rate of 11%, 14% of residents under the poverty line, and 66% dependent on food stamps such as WIC and SNAP.

3. An issue surrounding our research problem is the disproportionate distribution of power between private corporations and residents in the affected communities. “Fresh Direct” is a large corporation that is subsidized by the city and state governments of New York, which aims to relocate to a community in the South Bronx. This potential relocation has already been met with major backlash from residents and the South Bronx Unite Platform, who have had absolutely no input in the way in which their community is being reorganized. This top-down method of community planning, in addition to the local and state government’s support of the company, will make it incredibly difficult to address the problem and take measures to prevent the implementation of this plan.

4. Our knowledge right now comes from both community and academic resources. Tom Agnotti describes the overarching theme, the future of public space, in academic resources such as New York for Sale: Community Planning Confronts Global Real Estate. Our knowledge of this specific issue (Fresh Direct) comes primarily from the South Bronx Unite website. This is knowledge from experience because, although we do not have direct experience with the issue, our possible community contact, South Bronx Unite, does.

5. To move forward, we need to obtain more academic knowledge about the demographics and geography of the area. We also need community knowledge about the structure of the community and history of the community. Our next steps are to continue researching the issue and to contact South Bronx Unite. This will allow us to gain knowledge from people with practical experience.

Pressure Cooker

Situating New York City

Macionis and Parrillo mention that New York City resembles a pressure cooker, rather than the more popular analogy of a melting pot. There are racial and economic tensions that are constantly intensifying, but the city is able to still function. When tourists arrive, they may be enchanted by the city lights and see a swift, unceasing machine; it is a true sight to see. However, other individuals, probably those who reside in or commute to New York, may see how chaotic this great city really is. There seems to be no end to the traffic, pollution, overcrowding, economic strain, and racial injustice. However, the tensions in the city have yet to boil over. One misstep may throw the entire dynamic off. There would be too much chaos for a working city to manage. For example, this could even explain the MTA’s recent decrease in efficiency. NYC may have reached its peak and is on its way back to an age of decline.

NYC encompasses just about everything, including the good and the bad. It is filled with a rich history, from being the former U.S. capital and the origins of the Sons of Liberty to becoming a financial, fashion, and art capital in the States. As O. Henry once said about New York, “It’ll be a great place if they ever finish it.” NYC is known for having waves of prosper and decline. This city has been able to adapt to and accommodate for the chaos so far.

 

Discussion Question: Will there be a point where NYC will not be able to bounce back from turmoil?

Competition Creates Success

Situating North American Cities

This passage was interesting in its approach, giving readers a new perspective to the shaping of American history from the colonial era to the present day. This chapter mentioned cornerstones of U.S. history such as the market crash of 1929 and the migration of many African Americans to the North in search for better job opportunities. Unlike when these ideas were taught in history classes, this reading focuses solely on how cities and urban life was affected.

The growth and expansion during this time seemed to be completely motivated by competition between cities. Macionis. J. and Parrillo, V. (2003) state that, “Philadelphia attempted to keep pace, opening both canal and turnpike routes west… Not to be outdone, New York opened the Erie Canal in 1825… Undaunted Baltimore began another round in this interurban rivalry by opening a railroad line to Ohio in 1828. Others cities followed suit.” The cities emerging quickly shifted from a tight-knit community to one where each city had its own identity and become independent of others. This sense of pride and competition is mirrored in their European counterparts. Many believe the reason Europeans were successful was because of their geography, which forced them into small, independent peoples in constant competition between themselves. It is interesting to see how individuals came to America to be independent of Europe and their ways but implement many of the same practices and habits. For example, some thought of the States as a place with more “space” and an escape from urbanization. However, the new cities inevitably became just as urbanized.

An underlying theme present in this chapter is that history seems to repeat itself. For example, just as urbanization was built around the routes of railroads, the extension of subways in New York City also facilitates economic and population growth. Also, during the late 1800s many relied on the city government to fix the numerous problems they were facing with the incoming millions to house and find jobs for. However, city officials became corrupt with bribes and dictatorial political figures began to take control of the city governments. The citizens were outraged and pushed for reform. This could be compared to the current problem in New York City where those in power are not the ones who are suffering. The growing difference between the rich and poor in the city that began decades ago can lead to a decline of a working city yet again.

 

Discussion Question: How is it possible to effectively decrease the growing difference between the rich and the poor? Is it possible to have a city with such a large population and fewer jobs available to ever be successful?