Here is just a funny article I found on Facebook the other day. It reminds me of class yesterday since hardly anyone can afford a typical apartment in the city. Enjoy!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/benrosen/6-castles-that-cost-less-than-an-apartment-in-nyc
The day after the Super Bowl, I came across an article entitled Where Is My Family On TV? In the piece, the author, Jenna Wortham, talks of the Cheerios Super Bowl commercial and how people reacted to it. General Mills, the maker of Cheerios, first uploaded the commercial featuring a family of a black father, white mother, and mixed child, on YouTube. It surprisingly drew nasty and racist criticism and General Mills was forced to delete all the comments. The Super Bowl commercial was a follow up of the first commercial and it provoked similar foul reactions.
As a person of mixed race and who lives in such a diverse area, seeing the commercial didn’t make me think twice. Perhaps my reaction doesn’t speak for the majority of Americans, but it’s difficult for me to understand disapproval of mixed-race Americans. What do you all think?
Here’s the first Cheerios commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYofm5d5Xdw
And the second one featured during the 2014 Super Bowl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKuQrKeGe6g
What shocked me the most was when we listened to the interview with the daughter of one of the more recent families who inhabited the building and she had mostly fond memories of her upbringing there. Her mother’s extensive cleaning habits demonstrated a need to exercise control over the little space that she had to call her own, an interesting look at the psychological impact of of living in small, crowded areas.
I also found the museum’s research methods innovative. I never would have thought to count the layers of paint in order to discover the number of families who inhabited each apartment.
I fell in love with the Tenement Museum as soon as we walked into the actual building. Thinking about how many years the inside of that building has been preserved intrigues me. The walls, the artwork right by the staircase, the bathrooms. I couldn’t believe that for an hour, we stood somewhere where a family lived over 100 years ago. And the fact that the tour guides figured out so much about the families that came through the tenement was amazing! We heard almost complete stories about two families who lived there so long ago, just by looking at pictures, censuses, history of the time period, and a personal account from someone who grew up there herself. It was truly amazing.
Upon hearing Fadi’s story, I realized that the American Immigrant’s story has not really changed since the opening of Ellis and Angel Island, and the creation of the classical American Immigrant’s Story. There may be new technology, new methods of communication, new venues for the media, but none of these seem to destroy the myth that America and a better life are consistently synonymous. There is a distinct tragedy in this myth, as it almost always sets up whoever immigrates to America in pursuit of a better life, for disappointment. I also realized, however, that this myth creates a deep-seated determination that does not dissipate once an immigrant’s illusions of American Life are destroyed. Fadi’s family was assaulted with these twisted notions of America and its advantages in their native country of Egypt, thus inspiring his father and mother to immigrate to America, with Fadi in tow, in the fall of 2004.
When Fadi arrived in America, he was nearly ten years old with only a basic grasp of the English language. His father, Ameer Habashy, was the driving force behind the family’s move. Ameer fell in love with America in his thirties, most likely due to the media’s distorted portrayal of it. The primary motivation behind their move was Fadi’s future for which Fadi’s parents had high hopes.
Both of Fadi’s parents, Ameer and Emas Habashy, went to four-year universities in Egypt, and both of them have degrees in Engineering. They both grew up in Egypt, and subsequently, their lives were in Egypt. Up until the move, Fadi’s life was also in Egypt. When the Habashy family left Egypt, they left behind their friends, extended family (aside from Fadi’s aunt and two cousins, who had moved to America three years before Fadi moved), and for Fadi’s parents, their careers.
When Fadi first arrived in Borough Park, Brooklyn, his frustration began. He entered the fourth grade, and although a top student back in Egypt, his sub-par English held him back academically. On top of that, he was thrust into an ESL class, which although helpful, made him feel humiliated and stupid. His primary teacher was not of much help, denying Fadi the extra attention he needed as an immigrant in favor of passing on the responsibility of helping him adjust to the teacher in his next year of school, which was the fifth grade. Fadi felt abandoned by his teacher, and his peers offered him no consolation. They did not have the aspirations that Fadi did, and the fact that he was new and confused made him an easy target for harassment.
Fadi’s parents did not fare much better than Fadi in their first year. When they began their job search, they found out that the Engineering Degrees that they had worked so hard for back in Egypt, did not apply in America. Discouraged but not disheartened, they took jobs that they were extremely overqualified for. Through this, they remembered that they came to America primarily for Fadi, and that some sacrifices had to be made in order to aid their son.
In my interview with Fadi, he often talked about the fact that his parents came to America for him. Although noble of them, it seems that Fadi feels this constant pressure to excel. He is an only child, an important fact because he is the sole focus of his parents, magnifying the pressure to do well exponentially. It is a strange situation in that Fadi did not ask for what his parents did for him, yet he cannot get angry because he acknowledges that what they did for him was exceedingly selfless.
In fifth grade, Fadi had a much more pleasant experience. His English improved, his teacher was incredibly helpful, and his peers seemed as keen as he was on school. The seeds of American optimism began to take root in Fadi’s eleven-year old self.
Then came middle school. In sixth grade, Fadi was surrounded by delinquents determined to undermine every teacher they had. They would feign fights and scream in class. During one instance, Fadi recounts that two of his classmates began to spit at one another, and when his teacher tried to intervene she was caught in the crossfire. Fadi’s optimism faded during these years, and he was forced to adapt to his surroundings. This meant that he often joined in on the ruckus, his young mind unable to resist the temptation. But perhaps it was better that Fadi adapted, he already felt like an outsider and by joining in, it not only diminished his alienation, but it created a sense of comradery with his lawless peers.
In the eight grade, Fadi excelled. The chaos that had governed the previous two years of his academic existence was extinguished when the option to take advanced classes was presented to him. In these classes, he felt that the other students were of a similar caliber academically and behaviorally. Both the advanced classes and the stimulating academic atmosphere carried over into his years at FDR High School in Borough Park. Now, like the rest of us, Fadi attends City College through the Macaulay Honors Program.
Fadi feels, like many other young immigrants, that he is subjected to two strong, opposing cultural forces. On one hand, he grew up in Egypt and some of the most culturally crucial years of his life were spent there. His instinct tells him that he is Egyptian. On the other hand, there is the power and allure of American ambition and the realization that he has to spend the rest of his life here in America. Fadi indicates that neither force has “won” in his mind with the implications being that he does not have a distinct cultural identity. The consequences of this lack of identity are that Fadi finds it hard to relate to most people, his sense of humor is decidedly Egyptian and requires the Arabic language to effectively convey, and he does not quite understand a lot of the quirks of American culture. Not at any point, however, did I sense any bitterness in Fadi’s voice about his strange situation, I only sensed a distant melancholia, a warm and universal politeness, and an admirable determinedness to succeed for both his and his parents’ sake.
During our visit to the Tenement Museum, something strange occurred to me. First, though, I must clarify that I have always associated tenements with cramped living, little to no food, and all around suffering. So when I heard the Baldizzi daughter talk fondly about her time living in the Baldizzi family tenement, I realized that perhaps the tenement and its close quarters brought families closer together. Perhaps tenements forced families to make up for their lack of money and space with a wealth of familial love.
With that said, however, I feel like our tour on Wednesday did not do the darker aspects of tenement living, justice. I have been on another tour there a couple years ago and I remember it being overwhelmingly grim. I remember the tour guide showing us this innocent looking box, then proceeding to explain that it was a baby’s coffin.
Overall, our tour guide was informative and extremely competent. The most intriguing part of the whole experience was the photos and documents that she had with her. This gave the tour an exciting, voyeuristic nature, and a more human feel. These documents and photos also helped me become more invested in the families the tour guide was talking about.
Today, I stumbled upon an article on the New York Times website,
, that focuses on the influx of the Chinese population in New York in recent years, and how the Chinese immigrant population in New York is soon to overtake the the Dominican immigrant population in terms of size. It also talks about how immigrants in New York are a constant source of economic vitality. During the New York economic slump of the 1970s, it was an increase in immigration that saved New York, and immigration eventually made New York into the economic powerhouse that it is today. The article also speaks about how as New York grows economically, it will continue to attract more and more immigrants. This begs the question, will there ever be a point at which immigration hinders New York, or will immigrants forever be New York’s life and blood?
The inanimate objects of a fireplace, chair, and sewing machine all came to life with the story of Natalie and Julius Gumpertz, two German-Jewish immigrants who immigrated to America through Castle Clinton in the late 1860s. Initially, the story of this young couple was illustrated as a typical immigration journey—filled with the daily struggles of a housewife taking care of her four children and a father working strenuously to support his family. The shock came in 1874, when Julius left to work in the morning and never returned. (This legal testimony by Louis Glockner corroborates that statement)
An uneasy feeling occupied the room as we heard those words from the tour guide. When asked what we thought was the reason for his disappearance, the room grew quiet, as we were reluctant to answer. During that moment, I gained appreciation for their commitment to the truth via collected legal documents, government records and letters. I appreciated the interactive elements of the tour replacing the possibility of fabricating stories. After all, Natalie and Julius Gumpertz were human beings and not pieces of paper in history or characters in a fictional novel. The museum employees handled the informative storytelling of immigrants’ lives with respect.
I voiced my opinion and speculated that Julius left his family due to an inundating feeling of hopelessness. As the “man of the house,” he might have felt emasculated after ceasing to properly provide for his family. Yet, we may never know the real reasoning behind Julius’ actions; therefore, all we have left is to speculate. It elucidates the ambiguity of history and acceptance of the unknown.
Greetings everyone,
The following link is a pdf file that lists and describes the demands of NYC’s immigrant communities following the election of Mayor De Blasio. I do not believe that this list is written in any order of priority. Factors such as age, immigration status, ethnicity, and work experience affect all NYC’s immigrants in distinct ways. However, these demands serve a common purpose which is to make NYC more welcoming and supportive of all its residents.
Thanks for your time and enjoy the article.
http://www.thenyic.org/sites/default/files/NYIC_2013_10ptWishlist_TTAgenda-FINAL.pdf
I stumbled across this article a while ago, and meant to post it.
Many, many Chinese immigrants file requests for asylum, and most of these immigrants are living in New York. Chinese immigrants file more requests for asylum nationwide than any other immigrant group in the country. And it turns out that New York denies a surprising number of Chinese asylum requests. Here’s why: a great number of these asylum requests are false. This practice is so prevalent that there is even an asylum fraud industry.
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
“The growth in the Chinese asylum industry over the past decade has coincided with an increase in Chinese migration to the United States and in the number of Chinese arriving on temporary visas, some with the intention of staying. Many have made New York City their primary destination. Between 2000 and 2011, the foreign-born Chinese population in New York City grew by a third, to more than 350,000 from about 261,500, and is now on the verge of overtaking Dominicans as the city’s largest immigrant group, according to New York’s City Planning Department.
“As an increasing number of Chinese have sought permanent immigration status here, asylum has become a popular way to achieve it: Asylum recipients are granted immediate permission to work and can apply for a green card a year later. Amid this rising demand, an ecosystem of law offices and other businesses specializing in asylum — not to mention a darker subculture of forgers and fake lawyers — has flourished in the crowded office buildings of Manhattan’s Chinatown and above storefronts along the bustling streets of Chinese enclaves in Flushing, Queens, and Sunset Park, Brooklyn.”
Here’s a link to the article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/nyregion/asylum-fraud-in-chinatown-industry-of-lies.html
What does everyone think? Is this an illegal, immoral (they’re all lying!) practice? Or is it justified, since even fraudulent requests can allow Chinese immigrants to settle permanently in the U.S. and have a better quality of life than they would in China?
I can still vividly picture the Eldridge Street Synagogue, taste the authentic kosher pickles from The Pickle Guys, and smell the enticing fresh-baked knishes of Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery. While reading “Fading Into History,” I was taken back—not to 1654 when the first Jewish people immigrated to the Lower East Side from Pernanbuco, Brazil, but a few months ago when I went on a tour with my Jewish Life in New York class.
Although I would love to share with you everything I have passionately learned thus far—as I recently declared a major in Jewish Studies —I will try to keep this post concise.
Linda Macfarlane’s words in Allen Salkin’s article resonated with me because I only saw minute traces of the rich Jewish heritage and culture that I had learned about in class. Although I haven’t personally witnessed the landsmanschafts of the Lower East Side or the first Jewish settlements, I expected more remnants of American Jewish history when I went on my tour. The historically and architecturally astounding Eldridge Street Synagogue was surrounded by small Chinese businesses—clothing stores, bakeries, restaurants…etc.
I guess the one upside to the disappearance of the American Jewish presence on the Lower East Side is the greater appreciation and respect for what still remains. In 1996, the Eldridge Street Synagogue was designated as a National Historic Landmark and more than $18.5 million were raised for its restoration. The national recognition and monetary aid illuminates the historical significance of the synagogue as a monument of American Jewish survival.
I was grateful to have a taste (literally) of what I learned in my class, as I visited the authentically delicious Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery and The Pickle Guys. The rare sightings of synagogues, kosher restaurants, and small Jewish businesses add to the unique experience of the neighborhood. Going from a synagogue to a Chinese convenience store in thirty seconds reflects the widespread diversity of New York City as a whole.
Although physical representations of Jewish life have nearly vanished in the Lower East Side, the history of the struggles and triumphs of the twenty-three Jewish souls who first settled in Manhattan in 1654 lives on.
Walking back to 116th and Lexington after LuLu LoLo’s speech, I had an interesting conversation with Carl and Andrew. I was able to sympathize with many of LuLu’s stories, having heard similar stories about childhood communities from my parents, but those stories were newer to them. They both have parents who are immigrants, rather than parents who are the grandchildren of immigrants. We came to the conclusion that they will be the ones telling these stories, the stories of the shops and restaurants of their neighborhoods.
The intra-city migration of different groups is what makes New York City so extraordinary. The nostalgia for the drives the stories that are passed down generationally, and the migration of peoples allows for the parallelism of the city’s history. Soon we will be telling the stories about how our childhood neighborhoods have changed.
[Note: Much of this prediction is supported by several of the readings]
From the obituary by the Guardian‘s Gary Younge:
“Cultural identities come from somewhere,” he wrote in Cultural Identity and Diaspora. “But, like everything which is historical, they undergo constant transformation. Far from being eternally fixed in some essentialised past, they are subject to the continuous play of history, culture and power.”
Mayor DeBlasio plans to give ID to illegal immigrants living in New York City. Hopefully it will improve security and help give illegal immigrants access to city services. But can it work? Will illegal immigrants be bold enough to sign themselves up for this ID card? What does everyone think?
Here’s a link to the article, found in today’s Latin Times:
And it turns out that DeBlasio’s idea is not a new one. It has already been tested in Trenton, New Jersey:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/nyregion/17idcard.html?pagewanted=all
-Sasha
Hi, everyone!
Here’s a link to the latest edition of “The Newest New Yorkers,” the NYC Department of City Planning’s analysis of New York’s foreign-born population. Dr. Salvo used many of these graphs and charts in his presentation. I thought it would be useful to post this information in our General Discussion so that we can all access it easily.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/census/nny2013/nny_2013.pdf
-Sasha
In today’s New York Times:
The American-born cabby, long a stalwart of the industry even as immigrants began to dominate its ranks, has now just about vanished.
Today, only 8 percent of New York City taxi and for-hire drivers were born in the United States, the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission said. According to records released in December by the commission, the dearth is particularly pronounced among yellow taxi drivers; of them, 6 percent are native-born.
Read the full article by Matt Flegenheimer here.
