THE PEOPLING OF NEW YORK: MHC @ Lehman

*SPARK*

The NY Times Article, “At a Queens Chocolate Factory, Grief After Haitian Earthquake” expresses how people of a common ethnicity group together to support each other during rough times. Though the reading of this article was amusing, the writing itself is filled with emotions. The article shows us the many ways people cope in New York, whether it is by expressing religious beliefs, working at the chocolate factory to keep the negative thoughts out of their minds, or turning to their co-workers for support. When bad news about a home country comes to the ears of immigrants from that nation, they tend to turn to people of the same ethnicity for moral support, regardless of whether they are family or not. In a similar fashion, the Haitian workers at the Queens Chocolate Factory came together as a family to bear each other’s pain and make each other feel better.

Do you think that the Haitian workers at the factory would want to come to work during such a rough time if there wasn’t such a large number of Haitians there? Would they feel the same moral support?

Since most of us in the class are born into immigrant families, when you receive news, good or bad, about your homeland (or home-state in Rachel’s case ☺), do you stick to celebrating/grieving with people of your background (even those you aren’t very close to), or does ethnicity play no role in who you choose to share such joy/sorrow with?

The NY Times Article on the Brooklyn Brewery gives us a taste of reality when it comes to businesses’ survival in New York. With the rapid gentrification in many neighborhoods, people are unable to afford to pay the high rents, house prices, etc. In the same way, the Brooklyn Brewery could not afford to pay the high rents in Williamsburg until the recession hit, causing gentrification to slow down and rents to fall. However, like many tenants and property managers, I also agree that this case is just an exception to the trend of industries being pushed out of their own areas. I can’t really think of any question to ask about this article so what are your thoughts about this passage?

The article on the Brooklyn Brewery was a good transition to the next reading in Gastropolis, Asphalt Terroir. First off, I want to say that I found the title to be very creative: “asphalt” signifying the streets of New York City and the fancy French word of terroir which in case any of you missed, is used to describe the combination of distinctiveness of the place, the climate, and “the producer’s skill merging to create distinctive tastes and products rooted to a locale.” I also found it remarkable that of the 21 people interviewed, only 3 were willing to move their industry from New York, and only for reasons such as their inability to pay for the high rents, etc.

Majority of the time, consumers are the ones who relate a food with a geographic place. What about New York would cause the producers to want to associate their products to this city? One of the reasons Katsoris did not want to move his chocolate industry to another state is because “after life in NY, everything else is so boring.” (I’m going to agree with him on that ☺) What are other reasons as to why they were unwilling to leave New York?

SPARK

The ‘Crossing the Boundaries of Taste’ excerpt talked a lot about not only how foreign, ethnic foods came to America and grew to be popular in America, but also how foods of one ethnic background expanded to cater to immigrants of other ethnic backgrounds. Today in New York, it is common to see people of various nationalities and ethnicities eating together at a restaurant of a particular background. We would not necessarily expect to see only Hispanic people eating at a Mexican restaurant, or only Chinese people eating at a Chinese restaurant. What foods not native to your ethnic background do you enjoy eating? What are some foods native to your ethnic background that you know are popular with people outside of your nationality?

I had a hard time formulating an opinion on the Stella D’Oro articles. After reading the first article, which was written while the workers were on strike, I sympathized with the workers, and thought ill of the Brynwood Partners company for attempting to force so many hard working New Yorkers out of work so that they could take in a larger profit. However, after reading the second, follow-up article, I realized that there are two sides to the story, and it may not be a simple case of the Brynwood company not caring about their employees. Most people who read these articles will think little of the Brynwood company, and say that what they are doing is wrong, but maybe the actions of the employees on strike should be called into question. While it is understandable for the strikers to insist on going back to work only upon being paid their normal pay, when considering the current state of the economy, these demands may be a bit selfish. The point was raised in the second article that the workers could go back to work for less pay, and still be making a better living than so many Americans currently unemployed, but they will not hear of this. I do think it is messed up that after having picketed for 11 long months to get their jobs back, the workers are faced with the likelihood of the factory closing down for good. However, I can’t help but ask the question: If the workers had settled on a lower salary, would the factory still be closing down? Do you think the workers are justified in their actions, and the Brynwood company should have compassion and pay them their normal salary, even if it means a lesser profit? Or, do you think the Brynwood company is justified? After all, America is in a tough recession, and taking back all the workers at normal pay may be asking too much of them.

As Lubna said, the “At a Queens Chocolate Factory, Grief After Haitian Earthquake” shows a lot of emotion. It’s nice to see that people can share the pain they feel for something as terrible with each other, even if it happens unconsciously. People mourn differently, but a lot of people try to stay busy so they don’t have to deal with their emotions. I think that if there weren’t so many other Haitians that were experiencing the same thing, most of these workers would still go to work. They wouldn’t, however, feel the same moral support because they would feel like no one around knows what they are going through. Moral support or not, it’s very tough to have to go through your daily routine and not know what is happening to the family you have left behind. I don’t know many Ukrainian people, but I do have a huge family. When we receive news that is good or bad, we celebrate and grieve together. I mean, that’s what families are for but part of it is the fact that we are going through the same either excitement or pain, much like the “family” of co-workers at the factory.
I don’t think that many producers just move to NYC to start their businesses. But when they do start their business in NYC, it is because they live here and its probably cheaper for them to do it here than having to move somewhere else and do it there. Also, the city has a plethora of different groups of people, and this is probably very good for any business. Some other reasons as to why producers don’t want to leave NYC is because it is home, it is where the company has it’s roots, and as stated in the chapter- they have a certain pride that they are able to survive in NYC, where many businesses can’t.
I haven’t tried very many different cuisines, but I enjoyed most of them. I’ve had Portuguese, Turkish, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Indian, Greek, Italian and Japanese. I loved them all except Indian- maybe its just the dishes that I tried, but just the smell of the curries and meats and the cracker-like bread and dip made me kind of sick. Some native foods that are popular with others- I would say Perogies. I wouldn’t say Perogies are necessary Ukrainian, but a lot of foods are shared among the Slavic countries.
If the workers of Stella D’Oro, or Brynwood Company settled on a lower salary I think that eventually the factory close down anyway. It is just the state of the economy, and maybe Brynwood Company wasn’t prepared to buy out Stella D’Oro in the first place. It’s understandable that the workers would be fighting for their regular pay back, but I agree with Dylan, and they should have reached some kind of compromise.

By the way, I was driving to Brooklyn from upstate this weekend, and I saw the Stella D’Oro sing on the building!!!!!! I’ve gone that route so many times, and never bothered to look into what that place is. Weird that the week we’re reading about it, I see it.

Professor, I think you made a mistake in your announcement. At the top of the page you said Dylan and I are sparking these week. I think you confused me with Lubna, I sparked the first week.

Lubna, I do think the fact that the Haitian workers were surrounded by so many fellow Haitians, who could all feel sorrow on the same level, was the reason why they were able to go to work. Though one could argue that we are all human and can all feel for the tragedy that occurred, it is different when your family or homeland is involved. People who did not grow up or experience the land and culture cannot relate as directly as you can to whatever has occurred there. They can relate the tragedy to events that happened in their personal homelands, but being able to talk about your home, family, and traditions, and having someone there to understand and relate their own stories to you I’m sure is definitely more comforting. I think this is the same with smaller tragedies or celebrations within a nation’s immigrants- though they can share their sadness or joy with other Americans, there is always a stronger desire to be with people from their own nations because they simply understand more and can relate more completely.

Also in response to how only 3 of 21 interviewed would be willing to move their industry out of New York, I liked this statistic. It made me proud! Haha. I think the reasons why this is are varied and dependent on the business. However, factors like how diverse the New York community is, how many people live here, the fact that it is the best city in the world (sorry…proud..) may be shared by all. Moving out of New York after starting up here might feel like downgrading, and not a lot of owners might be willing to do that.

I think it’s great how so many people are able to “cross the boundaries of taste”- for example, I am not Spanish at all and my favorite food is Mexican, and I know Mayha loves Italian. Personally, I appreciate most of the ethnic foods that I have tried. Some of my favorites are Mexican (#1!), Italian, Cuban, Thai, and Japanese. I have had Indian only a couple of times, but I liked that too. One cuisine that I’m not crazy for is Chinese. The reason is that I find the food to be too heavy and greasy, but I know that American Chinese food is totally different than real Chinese food so I might love the “real thing”! Honestly, when I eat at Persian restaurants with my family, most of the people there are Persian. There are always a few other nationalities dining with us :), but I would definitely say the majority are Iranian. Why this is, I’m not totally sure. Perhaps people don’t know what to expect when they try Persian cuisine (deliciousness) and thus stick to what they know- more popular types of ethnic foods like Chinese and Italian. In terms of my other nationalities, I know a lot of people like German sausages…me not being one of them. I don’t think German (or English for that matter) food is that amazing, so I don’t blame people for not embracing it!

I think the fact that so many workers at the chocolate factory were of common Haitian descent would help them to bond together and get through the crisis. Anna put it nicely when she spoke of the employees as family–you always hear this tossed around, how a business runs like a family (Michael Scott is always trying to make the comparison, for instance), but it is very rare that any business actually achieves this fraternization. I don’t know if the Haitian workers would be so effected that they would not come to work, but I would not be surprised if the fact that these workers shared a common heritage and underwent the same trauma in the same time of crisis alleviated to a certain extent the pain of loss.

I think it’s only natural that one would gravitate toward what one is familiar and comfortable with in times of trouble because some sense of stability is needed. People from similar backgrounds have some things in common, so these people might tend to stick together. For me personally, someone’s ethnicity does not determine what I talk to them about, though of course if someone is from my ethnic background I might talk to them about common interests.

The Brooklyn Brewery story encapsulates the real-estate scene of New York. Because of the bad market, tenants are holding out for lower rents, while landlords are not budging. The Brooklyn Brewery is an extreme case, but it demonstrates what is happening all around.

The quote, “After life in New York, everything else is so boring,” was really funny and very accurate, because it’s so true! Although it is sometimes nice to take a break, every time I leave New York I think the same thing: everything else is so boring. I think part of the reason why people would want to start or keep a business in New York is the name-tag: there’s something about being from New York that is unique. Also, there is the prestige one gains from being able to say they run a business in New York (no easy feat), kind of the sentiment of “if I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” Plus there’s just so much going on in the city that it’s really hard to leave once you get there.

I agree with Lubna, that people do tend to turn to people of a similar, or same, background when they receive bad news from the home country. The first reason is because they feel no one else will better understand the situation than the people from the same country. Secondly, it’s just assumed that people from the same background will look out for each other, which is certainly not true and is very idealistic. Nevertheless, in this particular situation, I do see the bond that the Haitian workers have formed. If it weren’t for such a large number of Haitians working there, I don’t think they would work while going through such a rough time. Some may argue that everyone needs money, so they will still work. But in such traumatic circumstances, going to work is the last thing a person wants to do. Since there are other Haitians working there too, it’s an entirely different situation—it’s not going to work anymore, it’s going to the family to talk and help each other though a hard time. It’s similar to going to school. In high school, if something very bad happened, I would want to go to school so I can talk with my close friends to help me cope, but in middle school, if something bad happened, I would want to stay home because firstly, I wouldn’t confide in anyone at school, and secondly, I hated school then. Similar to me having close friends with whom I’d want to talk to in a difficult time, the Haitians see each other as close friends and family. They most likely wouldn’t have felt the same moral support otherwise.

As I briefly mentioned, it’s not so much about ethnicity as much as it is about whom you confide in and share a certain background with. For most people, including myself, there is a relatively stronger connection between people of same background when it comes to issues related to home country. Nevertheless, if I can confide in someone, I would share almost anything with him/her regardless of our ethnic or other backgrounds.

I wouldn’t want to move from NYC because of how fast life is here. Sure LA and Chicago sound fun and modern as well, but nowhere else is there so many places less than an hour away. You don’t even need a car (although it’s awesome) to go to most places in the city, and other times there’s actually more issues if you take the car. Another reason why I, or people, wouldn’t want to leave NY is because of the diversity here. I don’t want to go somewhere, like Illinois (I’m assuming I’d stand out there) where I’d stand out, and I don’t want to go somewhere where I’d blend in too easily (like City College hahaha) like Melbourne, Detroit. New York City is in between, where nobody stands out or blends in fully. Because NYC attracts so many people, and many different types of people, it’s also the best place for business. NYC’s diversity and fast transportation is great for businesses, especially for restaurants and food places. Many more customers, and customers have easier access to the restaurant as well.

As to Dylan’s question, I love many different types of food that are not native to my ethnicity. There’s very few that I actually don’t like, and I don’t want to mention them either. I love Chinese and Thai food. Most Chinese restaurants are just fast food joints, but I refer to those that are not take-out and have reservations as being more of an actual dining restaurant. What are some foods native to your ethnic background that you know are popular with people outside of your nationality? I think somosas are everyone’s favorites, both Indians/Bengalis and Non-Indians alike. I should bring them in one day, I know you all will love them (unless you don’t like fried stuff 🙂 )!

Professor Lobel, I saw your post after I had posted mine, so I apologize that it doesn’t answer the questions you asked.

Professor Lobel, that’s a very interesting point about immigrants tending to think of each other as family, whereas people native to America tend not to. For instance, in The Office, everyone thinks Michael Scott is totally weird and really pushing it by continually making the workplace analogous to a family. I myself, being born here, also think this is a really weird and overused analogy. However, I think the immigrant mindset is much more oriented towards sticking together, because that is how they establish themselves and that is how they maintain a foothold, whereas people born here are already fully-established and already have a foothold.

Dylan, sorry I missed your question about food and other cultures: what was I thinking? That’s an awesome question. I love any type of food, though some more than others. Of course I adore Italian cuisine, but I would have to say a close runner-up is Thai–I’ve never been to a bad Thai restaurant. All the spices of Thai cuisine create a unique flavor, and I simply love the coconut-broth curries. I also like Indian, whose own unique blend of spices creates an incomparable flavor, German (of course with the mandatory pint of beer), Chinese (real or takeout), Greek (can’t get enough yogurt and cucumber), Middle-Eastern (there’s nothing like the falafel and lamb gyros from Manhattan street carts), and pretty much every other cuisine. I’ve never had Scandinavian food, but it looks yucky–rancid shark and slimy fish just aren’t too appealing to me. I pretty much love every other cuisine, but those especially. 🙂

Kazi, everyone looooooves fried stuff, and somosas are delicious. But mimosas are even better.

Addressing Lubna’s first question, I think that the Haitians would come to work regardless of whether or not there is a large number of Haitians working at the Queens Chocolate Factory. Everyone needs to make a living, and if you’re working at an assembly line in a factory, you don’t have any time to take days off. In the article the author explains to us that the Haitian people feel a strong sense of community in the workplace, and all have something in common after the earthquake. The author tells us of one woman that lost five or six family members to the earthquake, and she is still at the factory doing her job. The factory and working with people around you that share similar backgrounds and problems can create a reassuring and in a way nurturing environment.
I have had experiences where I’ve heard news from my homeland that wasn’t very good. I have tried to tell people that were not from my country and did not share similar backgrounds, and I have noticed that it is harder for them to understand the situation and feel empathy. Even though sadness is a universal emotion felt by everyone, the catalyst for these emotions affects people in different ways.
To Dylan’s first question, I recently went to dim sum with my girlfriend and her parents. We went to a place in what is considered the Chinatown of Brooklyn. When we came in, I noticed that we were probably the only white people in the restaurant. People sat in community tables and waited for the carts to come around. It was a very neat place, and refined my love for Asian cuisine. Serbian food however isn’t very well known in New York City. You’re best bet is to go to Astoria and look around, or go to Kafana, which is a Serbian restaurant in Alphabet City.
I thought that the Santora article about the Stella D’Oro biscuit factory was very gracious. It’s amazing to see how far people will go to keep wages respectable. I believe that the reason these workers fought so hard was because, just like the chocolate Factory, these people had a common goal and were united by their backgrounds. This biscuit factory has years of tradition and these people don’t want that tradition to end, which may be another reason for their determination. If the workers had settled with a lower salary, the factory may not have shut down, but the workers will to be there would have surely dissipated.
I wouldn’t say that a workplace with a predominantly immigrant workforce would be a family. Surely that can be one way, but not necessarily the only way. There does however need to be come kind of thread that links everyone together to create a connection.

I liked reading of the Queens Chocolate factory. It actually shows how tight knit a community of workers can be. In this case it was Haitian Workers and the event was the Earthquake. I found it touching that everyone was sharing the grief and helping each other through the tough times, and I do believe that they would go back to work. Well, If I was one of them, my reason would be that there is a safety net made up of people that understand what you are going to like a family. I do believe that in any environment, the people you interact kind of become like a family and you understand each other a little better =D. Also as you become more closer with the ones you work with and have class with, you become more like friends and more intimate in what you tell people. I remember in High School My best friend Sannia (We still talk like always xD), we would always talk about everything and I would celebrate things like Eid and she would celebrate things like Chrismas =D. I mean I dont mind who I tell things to and If they understand great but sometimes things are easier if you tell a person of your ethnicity your feelings because they will understand.

The Stella D’Oro article was great because it gives us two sides of a story. Its kind of hard to say that someone was right, and the way I look at this is in an economy, everyone is trying to earn the most amount of money so bad things dont happen. Its kind of sad but thats the way our society is. Maybe if the workers went back with lesser pay then maybe the factory would be opened but unfortunately Once a decision to strike its done, it is done and the buisness takes a major hit. I think if anything this article shows the lengths people are willing to go to gain money in the business view or for equality in the workers view. I mean there is a line and sometimes things happen. I dont blame anyone for the closing of the factory and it was bound to happen, but I do blame both the workers and the owners for allowing the factory to close because of disagreement D=

I liked the gastropolis reading. It added why New York is so diverse and ethnic, well I dont know If it the reason because moving to a New State is less business, or if it is less diverese…okay so it is these reasons =D. The truth of the matter is, New York is filled to brim with so many people of different regions that I am not surprised business stay here. I also agree with Peter that if you have a business in New York with high rent and alot of gambling involved (opening up a business is extremely hard) then you literally can make it everywhere.

Finally, I dont really eat alot of food outside of my realm, mainly because I am way too picky an eater and if I eat peanuts or Bananas then bad things happens well peanuts i really stay away from banana is more like an irritation of the throat and a small rash if fresh. Although I will say that I had a blintz this weekend in Russia (Brighton Beach Bk Wow that place is filled with Russians xD) and I was blown away. I loved it especially with Strawberries God it was to die for xD

I thought that Crossing the Boundary of Taste by Gabaccia is a nice introduction of “cross-cultural borrowing”. The owner of Delmonoco built the name of the restaurant among the wealthy by hiring French chefs, European waiters and slightly changes the menu. The fact that sometimes the quality of food, which I think should be the most important, does not really decide the ranking of the restaurant. Instead the ranking is decided first by the lavishness of the display and service following by the quality of the food. I feel like some food magazines over emphasized on the grandeur of a restaurant than the quality of the food, because there’s no point having multiple selections of wine if the food is nothing unusual compared to street vendor food. It’s sad to see our society is becoming more materialistic and shifted focus toward appearance and appeal. That’s why I prefer to go to mom and pop shops (of any ethnic food) that use family recipes and create their own uniqueness rather than going to a restaurant that takes different cuisines, fuses them and manipulates them into something the owner think is cool.

In the reading, Gabaccia implied that the importance of the dishes are “adapted for multi-ethnic eaters” or “street food of wide appeal” in order to survive in a community. The Stella D’Oro’s cookies was mainly targeted for Jewish group as an OU-P(Orthodox Union Pareve), which is have no meat or milk in any form as an ingredient, and Jews could eat them after a meat- or nonmeat- meal. But as a result of targeting a narrow market, Baywood Partners, decided to eliminate Stella D’Oro. As for a workplace being like a family, this is more true of workplaces with a predominantly immigrant workforce because it is a place where they spent most of their time as it’s common for them to work 15-16 hours shift. However, personally I do not find fault in Baywood Partners to get rid of the D’Oro’s cookies and the workers because the cookies are not profitable. THe workers want to continue making them because they feel like D’Oro is their family and do not want to lose the family, but does the customers demand promise good sales? What if it doesn’t? Baywood Partners might just jeopardize the stability of the campany finance and the future of other workers in the company. And that would be worth it?

As for Lubna’s question, I do not think that ethnicity plays big role in who I choose to share joy/sorrow with though it is more comfortable to share it with a person who understand my cultural background and have emotional connections with that person. Of course I would feel easier to tell him/her about the situation and have her understands it without having to explain the entire history behind the situation, but that’s just because this is me.

In response to Lubna’s spark about the NY Times article “At a Queens Chocolate Factory, Grief After Haitian Earthquake,” I want to say that the observation regarding ethnicly-driven cohesion during times of stress resonates strongly with the case of Haiti’s recent devestation. All the Haitians I knew seemed very close during the days following the earthquake, as they asked each other how their family members were. Their situations were basically similar enough to initiate the type of union we see at the Madelaine Chocolate Novelties. Professor Lobel makes a good point in stating that the work place and the ethnic community both work as mitigating institutions for immigrants (in this case) between their homeland and the new country. I think the workplace providing a sort of family is not only true of workplaces with a predominance of a certain immigrant group, but of every workplace. Perhaps the level of intimacy varies? It really depends on what the discussion is centered around. A workforce connected by a single country will have much more to talk about than a diverse group, but ultimately, it’s something relative that can’t be measured solely by the basis of categorizations such as the workplace, home country, family, etc.

I think that if there weren’t such a large support base at the worksite for these Haitians, it would have been difficult to go to work if the earthquake had compromised direct family members, or if others had to be flown in (this happened to my friend Dorothy, whose family member now resides in the U.S.) However, considering that 1/3 of the Madelaine company is Haitian, their absence would cause the business to suffer. Personally, I feel little to no attachment to the countries from which I am from, but moreso to those in which I lived. For example, I would be more worried for the country of Brazil or Argentina, than for Italy or Korea. I think my father though, who was born in Korea, would feel a closer tie to that country than I would because of the fact that he lived there, and grew up there.

I believe that Lubna is correct in that the workplace lots of times serves as almost a second family. Lots of people work 40 or more hours a week and so spend lots of time with their colleagues and other people they work with so it does usually lead to people becoming like a family. However I feel that the only time a whole workforce is like a family is when they all have something in common as is the case with the Haitians. I don’t feel like if there was a problem in Puerto Rico I would run only to Puerto Ricans but I would definitely run to someone I have things in common with. The support system that usually is built among people from the same ethnicity is what makes immigrant life a lot easier to deal with; in the end it almost becomes like another home. You can find the kind of people from your original country in these other people and so can find them to be almost like family and can make you feel more comfortable.

I would also agree that the industrial businesses are almost completely disappearing from NYC. The people who would usually have worked in these factories then have a lot harder time finding work since lots of times they are immigrants and their English is usually not too good, which would have been the reason they did not get a service job, which is in abundance in NYC. I also believe that the workers who went on strike were being ridiculous. Lots of people in this recession have had to either work in the same job in the same position with less pay or have even had to work in a demoted position. For one thing maybe the company needed to make a bigger profit so that they could stay in business and keep improving upon their business. The workers should have thought more about what they were doing instead of only thinking about the lower pay. If these workers had thought about the fact that they were lucky to even be able to keep the same job or have a job at all they would realize that lower wages weren’t that bad, even though getting paid less isn’t ideal if it keeps you your job then why complain.

I agree with Kazi that people bond with others in whom they feel they can confide, not necessarily solely those from their common country. For example, on September 11th we as Americans came together, not because of our common background, but because we all experienced the same trauma. Perhaps it is similar for the workers at the Haitian chocolate factory: they bond not solely because they are Haitian, but because they can relate to the feeling of not knowing whether their relatives are alive.

As for the workers at the Stella D’Oro factory, I agree with Dylan: while it is understandable to strike when one’s wage is reduced, the public might not be sympathetic to the workers considering they had jobs and wages, while during the current recession, many people would be happy to work for the reduced salaries. Although I am not privy to all the details of this case, such as if the management first reduced their own wages, from what I see, if a company is fiscally stressed, and tells the workers that they need to reduce wages in order to stay in business, and the workers refuse to let their wages be reduced, the workers have no right to complain when they lose their jobs because the company cannot afford to keep running.

From what I understand of the Brooklyn Brewery article in terms of granting permits to non-industrial buildings, although industrial centers would be better for communities, since they help combat rising unemployment figures, at the same time, it seems as if restricting what buildings and enterprises can and cannot develop in an area is placing too much power in the hands of the government. Instead of enforcing restrictions and prohibitions, it would be better to offer incentives to build industrial centers, such as a government grant to aid industrial centers, instead of prohibiting other businesses.

In response to Lubna, I think the Haitian workers would want to go to work regardless of their coworkers just because it would provide a distraction for them so they would have something to focus on other than the earthquake. But the moral support the received from their coworkers was an added bonus that helped a lot. I don’t think that moral support would have existed if there weren’t so many Haitians because even though most of us felt for Haiti and cared about it, the earthquake hit a lot closer to people of Haitian descent and made them care and empathize in a way that no one else could.

If I hear news from home (good or bad), I share it with with people from home, like my family, friends, or roommate because I know they’re the only ones who would understand or care. It’s not so much a matter of their background or ethnicity. I just know that people I know up here don’t care about stuff that happens in Montgomery, AL.

In response to Dylan, I love trying other ethnic cuisines. My favourite ethnic cuisine is Indian! The first time I ever tried Indian food I fell in love. I love the spices and the smell and the warmth the food fills me with. Yum. I also love Mexican food, Thai food, and Italian food. My favourite Southern dishes are fried okra, field peas with tomato relish, and boiled peanuts. I think the most popular Southern dishes outside of the South are fried chicken and barbeque. It’s kinda hard to think about what Southern foods are popular outside of the South because they all seem popular to me, lol. I’m sure y’all have heard of stuff like biscuits, cornbread, and grits, right? I’m curious to see what comes to mind when other people think of Southern food.

I agree with Dylan about the Stella D’Oro factory and its workers. While it sucks that they’re wages were gonna be cut, at least they weren’t losing their jobs. If the workers had settled on a lower salary, maybe the company wouldn’t be closing down. Maybe it’s going bankrupt because they can’t afford those wages anymore. I mean $18/hr to pack boxes is a lot. I think both sides are justified. They both want to make money, and someone somewhere has to give because there isn’t that much money to go around. It’s understandable that the workers would want to keep their wages, but it’s also understandable that the company needed to cut the budget.

In response to Professor Lobel, I don’t think having a predominately immigrant workforce makes a difference whether a workplace feels like family or not. Maybe it’s different in NYC, but both of my parents’ offices are friendly and family-like. My dad works at a private K-12 school, and my mom works at a non-profit that cares for old people. They both get along really well with their coworkers and share a lot of their lives with their coworkers. My parents coworkers know a lot about my brothers and me, and every time I would visit one of my parents at work, someone would talk to me and ask me how things were going. I think you’re bound to be close with your coworkers because you see them and interact with them every day.

I would just like to say I entirely agree with you Lubna, this weeks Gastroplis title was quite poetically titled. “Asphalt Terroir” was an enjoyable and an interesting connection to the other readings. I don’t think I am alone in thinking that the New York Times article about the chocolate factory and the Haitians was the most captivating and interesting reading this week. The other New York Times article along with the text about the Stella Dora strike aptly demonstrated the hectic continually changing and active life that is business. As for businesses wanting to remain in New York I cannot justly comment, I am from New York and obviously biased and extremely proud of my city.
But like I said the article “At a Queens Chocolate Factory, Grief After Haitian Earthquake” was captivating. The article does certainly raise some interesting questions and without even speculation the story itself is valuable and emotionally wrenching and important. However the details of the article can be expanded and debated. Lubna’s question, “Do you stick to celebrating/grieving with people of your background” is a very appropriate question. Indeed it would seem the Haitians of the factory identified solely with other Haitian coworkers. They all came to work to support each other and preoccupy their minds with labor. I suppose it is impossible to know if the workers would have come to work after the tragedy if they worked with people of other nationalities. I tend to think that the fact that the other workers were of the same nationality made going to work more appealing. I do believe that in most scenarios when a tragedy strikes or there is something to celebrate people do generally identify within their own cultures, and with people of the same nationality. The reasons for this cannot be aptly defined. But I would say that it is easier to identify with people of your own culture because you simply know they have the same opinions you do about many things. When it comes to grieving it is certainly more appealing to identify with people within your own culture. This is so because if you are of the same nationality and culture your faith is most likely the same. The grieving process is thus better understood by people who believe in the same things you do, who grieve in the same way you do. It would simply be easier for me to comfort another Italian Roman catholic with one of Jesus’ parables and activities that we are both partial too. It would certainly be more difficult for me to comfort someone of a different faith and culture.
This is equally as true in terms of celebration. I would not be afraid of doing or saying something that could be mistaken as insult when I am celebrating within my own culture. In another culture, religion, or even ethnicity there are different: customs, beliefs, traditions, celebrations, and ways of grieving. In another culture these unknown differences could lead to potentially embarrassing and upsetting misunderstandings. My mother vividly recounts being at a Jewish friends house celebrating the Passover Seder. My mother did not know the lone glass of wine was set for the prophet Elijah. This cup symbolizes the messianic hopes of the Jewish people and the reverence they have for Elijah. This cup is set for him for heprecedes the messiah and will make the good news known. My mother however in her youth attempting to be cordial offered this cup to the father of the family not understanding why he would not drink it. Due to circumstances like this and differences between different peoples it is thus easier to celebrate within your own kind. I am not saying you should not celebrate and grieve with others, I fully believe you should for diversity and differences are important, valued, and can be didactic. But in response to Lubna’s question it is simply easier to be active within your own culture and thus never having to fear situations like the one my mother was in.

Lubna raised to really good questions that what relate to this weeks reading. In response to what she asked about the Haitian workers coming to work during such a rough time if there wasn’t such a large number of Haitians there- is no. I think that people feel united if they have similar background- to go even further, when people of similar backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, etc. come together, there is certainly a closer feeling- one of peace, even, much of the time. Thankfully, I haven’t had too many “issues” from my origins, although it’s undeniable about the trouble that is going on in Israel. As I have much family who are from Israel and live in Israel, it’s difficult to take any other point that is not zionist. I think this is a good example, because regardless of what is going on, I have a huge bias. Even though I am open to hearing both sides of the Conflict, I still feel united to the Jews being in Israel.
I think many businesses start in New York city because people are aware of the speed in which someone can become known, climb up the social ladder, and gain respect. New York City has always been a place known for trade and commerce, with the ports available and the massive amounts of residents and tourists that walk the streets every day. Not only can this be excellent for business because of the way in which word spreads and it helps the business, but it also adds to what makes New York City. there are so many different palates and clothing styles and opportunities in which one can gain recognition if they are in New York.

Of all the readings I enjoyed “Crossing the Boundaries of Taste” because it was easy for me to connect the chapter to all of our past discussions. The description of the design of the restaurants and the entertainment at the restaurants that specialized in French cuisine and Italian cuisine’s convinced me that the dining experience was more than the food. This was one of the messages in last week’s readings about the waiters being the face of the restaurant but I prefer this chapter’s approach that it’s all the elements of a restaurant that make it appealing to customers. I agree with May Poh’s opinion about restaurants focusing too much on appearance than food. I think chain restaurants, like Friday’s and Olive Garden, try too hard to replicate the experience of a local hangout from the past, instead of preparing delicious food. While I want good food, I also want the restaurant to have a theme. To get the complete dining experience, I would go to a smaller restaurant instead of a mom and pop shop.
My favorite cuisines are Chinese (the fake one) and Italian. I’ve tried a few others but those are the ones I feel most comfortable with since I’m familiar with them but still have dishes to explore. And Rachel, the restaurant you went to sounds interesting but your experience sounds uncomfortable!!!

I think the closing of the factory would have occurred whether they did any to prolong the process. I think the second option you mentioned would only happen if the business was still family owned because then there would be an appreciation for the employees loyalty that would make the owner take reduction in profit. Even in that situation the company would have to make the decision to reduce the workers’ salaries.The second article made it clear that everything is relative. The workers should have settled on a lower salary because of the economy’s state.

Do you think that the city can sustain itself with those kinds of demographics?
Eventually the city would be unable to do that because it will be so hard to live here that everyone will leave. I think businesses will initially receive incentives to stay in the city. While this keeps people employed, it won’t improve wages. The city would have to provide more people with welfare or unemployment benefits. I don’t know where the funds for either service come from so I won’t continue with that train of thought. I really expect tourism to help the city at this time because then tourists could be the main customers for certain businesses. While only a few businesses are functioning, many others will close. In the end I think a lot of people will desert New York City. I also think that the departure of many residents will affect tourism because everyone expects New York City to be the city that never sleeps but absence of businesses disproves that reputation.

As far as I’ve experienced, people of similar background tend to stay together and help each other out. Just like the earthquake in Haiti, during the Mumbai attacks, my family was very depressed especially because quite a few of my relatives reside there. All of my dad’s customer’s asked him if our family back home was safe and consoled him. To answer Lubna’s question, I would say yes, because a news like that spreads quickly and even though your collogues are not from the same ethnic background as you, they would still console you and participate in your misery.

To answer Lubna’s second question: If I would share my misery with others, I would say that it depends who the person is. God forbid if something like that happens in India, I would share my thoughts and grieve among my close family members, but I would grieve to strangers or people who I don’t very well even if they are India. The same rule applies for celebrations.

To answer Dylan’s questions, I would say if the workers settled on a lower salary, it wouldn’t affect the company so much because like Professor Lobel said, it’s nothing as compared to the company’s executives’ salary.

To answer Prof. Lobel’s question, I would have to say that the city needs to give certain business owners a break because we are in a recession and not all businesses (especially old ethnic places) can afford to pay the rising taxes and inflation. They should be given a break just for the sake of “preservation.”

“At a Queens Chocolate Factory, Grief After Haitian Earthquake”, as everyone said before me was a reflection of what an immigrant community was like in the workplace. I think the Haitians, to answer Lubna’s question, would want to come to work even if they didn’t have people to grieve with just because, as Anna said, people deal with grief differently. I think it definitely helped to have so many of your own people around you, but at the same time it might remind you of what happened, if you wanted to forget about it.
There is definitely something to be said about having your people around you when some type of disaster strikes. When we were sophomores, Pakistan was hit with a huge earthquake and honestly, the only people we could really turn to were other Pakistani’s who understood the magnitude of the situation.
To answer the question Professor Lobel posed, I do think that the sense of family at the workplace is more predominant with immigrant workers and for a couple of reasons. The first and foremost reason would probably be because of the fact the immigrants work long hours and so the people in this country they know best would be the people they work with. When you have people who were born and raised in NYC, they don’t hold onto the workplace relationships much. This is also true because they depend on one another more. In the Hester Street movie, one immigrant depended on another for housing, which goes to show the amount of trust they fostered in one another.
As far as what Dylan asked about the Brynwood Company and its employees, I would have to say that I think that despite what the workers may feel, the company had to do what was best for itself, which would be lowering the employees wages, (very Republican, I know). At the same time I think the workers were justified in appealing for higher wages. But if I was a worker and I knew that the company was about to call it quits, I would have taken a job for lesser pay. After all, lesser pay is better than no pay.
I know I’m jumping around a lot here, but I’m going back and forth to the blog and picking out the questions I want to answer. Dylan, I basically like all food ☺. I think that the only type I really can’t eat too much of is Arab food because I feel like it’s too bland sometimes, and I like my food REALLY spicy… I also can’t stand Mac & Cheese, which I guess is American, haha. And of all Pakistani food, I think samosas are probably the most famous and widely consumed and for a good reason: they’re delicious.