Author Archives: Ahmed Aboseria

The Hook of Red Hook

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On a busy Saturday morning, a parade of cars floods the entrance of the Viking Auto Spa located in Red Hook. The first thing the customer notices is the welcoming smile of 38–year-old Mexican immigrant, Victor Lopez, who dons a Brooklyn snapback.

Victor Lopez when he was 34 years old.

The Viking Auto Spa is known for its amazing services and hand washes that make any car look brand new. It is no surprise that this car wash is one of the most packed and busy ones found in the Red Hook neighborhood. Even though this car wash is busy, workers such as Victor are able to spark up a conversation with the customers, while washing the cars in a timely manner. These conversations are mostly centered on car models, car engines, and modifications. These conversations can last for nearly five minutes, which is the amount of time it takes for Victor to make the customer’s car look brand new.  “I’ve been going to this car wash for nearly four years. I love the service, workers, atmosphere, and most of all, the little amount of time it takes to get my car washed,” notes the Nissan Altima driver who is smoking a cigarette outside his car.

Customers are not the only ones that complement Victor on his excellent services; on the contrary, the manager and workers of the car wash also have something to say. Karim Morsy, one of Victor’s close friends, states that “people come to our car wash not only to get their cars washed, but to have a friendly chat with Victor. Victor is really outgoing and he attracts so many customers.” Simply put, Victor is a fishing hook for business in the Red Hook neighborhood! The efficient services of the car wash can be attributed to the vast knowledge that Victor has about cars. Victor’s knowledge about cars spans from his love for them. This love translates into his work ethic in which he washes and takes care of every car as if it is his own.

Victor and his family left the state of Guerrero and arrived in America in 1992 for economic reasons. Immediately after graduating from John Dewey High School, Victor had to drop out of trade school in order to help raise money to feed his family. He worked as a busboy for nearly 8 years at the Greenhouse Café and this is where he met his wife, Linda. Victor’s passion for cars made him decide to quit his job at the Greenhouse Café and start working at the Viking Auto Spa. Currently, he is working at the car wash and attending automotive trade school. Victor links his determination to work and study to his passion for cars at a young age.

“I always had a love for cars since I was a young boy. In Metlatónoc, cars are considereda luxury to have and it is awesome that it is more affordable over here,” Victor says, as he and his partners scrub the windshield of the white tinted BMW X5. Victor hopes that he can save up and buy a normal German car such as an Audi or Volkswagen. He actually does not want to buy a high-priced German car such as a BMW or Benz because he knows that maintenance of these cars are expensive and out of his budget. Victor knows that he will be able to accomplish his dreams after he graduates from automotive trade school and becomes an auto mechanic. Until then, Victor must wake up everyday at 6 AM in order to take the B61 to work.

If you are driving around the Red Hook neighborhood, you should definitely make a stop to this car wash. Similar to a Viking’s home, the car wash is Victor’s ship and he hopes that he can continue building up and enlarging it. He will be able to accomplish this goal in this vast never-ending sea with his strong work ethic, passion for cars, and his perseverance.

As I am about to take my leave, I hear both Victor and his customers making car jokes and laughing. Even though I do not understand any of the jokes, this sight of happiness makes me realize that the car wash is a place that Victor can truly call home!

 

Jose Salgado’s Interview as told to Ahmed Aboseria

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Jose Salgado’s family moved from Acapulco to America in 2004 when he was nine years old. When Jose first came to America, he was struggling to overcome the language barrier and was able to accomplish his goal through perseverance and hard work. Jose has also found a way to balance his culture and ethnic traditions with that of the American culture. Looking back at his childhood, Jose has come to realize that crime, violence, and drugs are a few of the problems that plague the city of Acapulco. Jose’s immigration to America has provided him the chance to reflect on his past and the conditions of Mexico as well as to help him build a better future for himself and his family.

Childhood Memory that Impacted Me: Seeing politics in Mexico and the corruption. I have experienced this corruption and it has impacted the way I see politics here in the states as well.

Corruption: The corruption is with the police itself. Over there in Mexico, you can get stopped for any given reason but the police will not give you a ticket. They just want a few bucks so they can get food or something.

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Jose Salgado when he first arrived to America in 2004.

Expectations of life in NYC: I actually expected everything to be different. Nothing like my country. I was nine years old and I was used to my hometown, my culture and everything over there. I didn’t really want to come here because of the fact that everything was going to be new and I did not know how I was going to blend in with this new culture.

Journey Coming to America: We took a flight to El Paso and from there we made a stop to I forgot what state. But the first thing I saw was the snow. I was amazed because in Mexico, especially Acapulco, it is a very hot environment. It is 80, 90, 70 degrees all the time and to come here and to be able to see snow was amazing!

Adjusting to America: I always kept my roots. So in my house we always spoke Spanish, we never started speaking English. But I stayed close to my roots and started interacting with all the cultures not just Americans. There are other immigrants from Asia, South America, and Europe and that helps a lot.

Importance of Communication: That’s the thing about this country, you have immigrants from all over the world. Different languages, different cultures, different political views, religions itself. If you learn a little about everything you are going to have a way to communicate with people or to get along with people.

Working and Going to School: It was difficult because of the fact that I don’t get financial aid and my parents don’t pay for my school. It is out of pocket so it is hard to keep up with payments and keeping up the good grades itself. I have done night shifts and working overnight and I get out of work and go straight to school for the whole day and I have to come back to work overnight and sometimes I have to go back again to school.

Favorite Hobby: Soccer is just something I enjoy to do. It is more of a passion thing because it is my favorite sport. I grew up watching it. In Mexico it is different. You did not always have a soccer ball itself. You had to sometimes improvise and use a soda bottle or can or a paper or rock. You put two rocks as your net and that is your goal line over there.

The Last Time I Visited Mexico: The last time I visited was about a year ago. It felt good because I went to visit new places like Cancun, which is pretty amazing. But again, when I went back to my hometown, Acapulco, it was pretty disappointing. In the 90s, 80s, 70s, and even the early 2000s Acapulco was considered a vacation paradise. Everyone wanted to go there for a vacation and nowadays it has become the deadliest city in Mexico itself. So the beauty is still there because you still have the beaches and the resorts, but safety-wise it has changed a lot. Since the city is not safe, tourism has diminished and tourism is the base of the economy in Acapulco. If tourism diminishes, the economy will suffer a lot.

Misunderstood Mexican Holidays: In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not a national holiday it is just for the Battle of Puebla. It is only celebrated in the state of Puebla, but over here lots of people think it is a Latino Independence Day when it is only a holiday for the state of Puebla.

Mexican or American?
I am able to blend in when I go to Mexico. Actually you have to blend in because when people know you come from the states, the first thing that comes to mind is that this person has money. You are subject to get robbed or kidnapped.

Discrimination in America: There will always be people that discriminate, but there are also a lot of people that will accept you for who you are or where you are coming from. In the case of Donald Trump running for president, he has raised that level of discrimination with his comments that he made about immigrants. We can not make the change ourselves if the people who are discriminating do not change themselves. If people that discriminate do not change their point of views, it [discrimination] will not change at all.

Mentality of Mexico vs America: The mentality [of America] is much different. If you look at Mexico, it has the potential to become a world power itself. But not just the government, the mentality as a whole country is very poor compared to America. It has so much potential to become a better country as a whole, but if you do not change the mentality you can not change the country.

Law Enforcement in Mexico vs America: Only less than 10 percent of the crimes are prosecuted in Mexico as compared to here. In Mexico, you can kill someone and get away with it. Just walk away and nothing happened. For example, I had an uncle of mine who died in a car accident. He was in the road driving to another city and there was a truck driver who was driving a trailer. And my uncle only had a Nissan. Picture a Nissan Altima, which is relatively small compared to a trailer. This guy was driving under the influence and he was sleeping and the truck had no brakes. But in Mexico, they have the sign ramps that they say if you don’t have brakes, you can exit through that ramp so you can not cause an accident. One of the wheels landed on top of his [Jose’s uncle] head and he broke his cervical spine and died on the spot. This guy paid a fine of about 100,000 pesos, which is roughly less than $10,000 dollars. He walked away with it and my uncle passed away.

Religion in Mexico vs America: In Mexico, you are born into the Catholic religion. When I moved to the United States, I found out that there are dozens of other religions such as Christianity, Jehovah’s Witness, I found out about Buddha, Allah, and all that stuff. I am no longer part of the Catholic Church and that is due to the facts that I studied other religions and I’ve seen the views of it [Christianity] and I wasn’t just comfortable with it anymore. My family had a heart attack when I told them that I am no longer Catholic because of the fact that since they were small they were born into that.

Housing in Mexico vs America: In Mexico, everybody or mostly everybody owns their house. Even the poorest person owns a house even if its made out of just wood or the cheapest material, but it is their house. Over here in America, a lot of immigrants move into a small room with 5 or 6 people into one small room. To own a house here is part of the American Dream itself. It is very difficult to own a house here. You have to work for it.

Misconceptions People Have of Me: When I am introduced to a new person, they ask me where I am from. I tell them Mexico and they say I don’t look Mexican. But how does a Mexican look, that is the question?

Jose Salgado is currently attending the College of Staten Island and majoring in biology in hopes of going to medical school and becoming a cardiologist. Jose enjoys playing soccer, swimming, taking pictures, and walking around during his free time. I met Jose Salgado when I was volunteering in NYU Lutheran Medical Hospital. He currently holds a part-time job in the café of NYU Lutheran Medical Hospital. Interestingly, Jose also volunteers most of the week when he is not going to college or not working. He started volunteering in 2011 to make an impact in the Sunset community and found a part-time job in 2012. He hopes that his experiences will keep him motivated in his path to becoming a cardiologist.

 

Real or not?

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This photo is made using adobe photoshop CC. The contrast of the red and blue light clearly separates the top and the bottom of the photo. It is difficult to focus on one part of the photo because the background contrast of light grabs the viewer’s attention. The lack of focus and the structure of the photo allows the viewer to look at the photo as a whole, which makes it hard to distinguish if it is real or not.

Getting to Know Sunset Park

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Welcome to Sunset Park! This neighborhood in Brooklyn is home to many immigrants, especially Mexican and Chinese immigrants. It is full of rich history, dating back to the early 1900s and World War II.  We will now go on a tour of Sunset Park, stopping by at important sites in its history and reminiscing on the impact of these sites today. Come and join us as we start off this tour on a historical note.

Brooklyn Army Terminal

The first stop on our tour of Sunset Park is the Brooklyn Army Terminal, located on the Western coast of Brooklyn at 140 58th Street. This unassuming industrial complex has a very rich history that started in 1918 when it was created to function as a military depot and supply base. The complex’s location on the coast of the New York Harbor contributed to the success of this station as a military supply base. Building  B, the larger of the two buildings, contains a train line in its large atrium as well as a crane that helped dock and undock cargo to “loading areas” that look like balconies jutting out from the building. The smaller building was closer to the water and was connected to a port that contained 3 piers The Brooklyn Army Terminal served as the largest military supply base for the United States throughout World War II. During this period, the terminal employed over 56,000 people and was responsible for the shipment of 80% of American supplies and ammunition!

The inner atrium of Building B of the Brooklyn Army Terminal

The inner atrium of Building B of the Brooklyn Army Terminal

The huge four-million square foot two building complex took a mere 17 months to build, consisting of girder-less construction with steel-based concrete. There are 96 elevators in the building to help navigate its 8 stories! This was the largest elevator installation of its time. The complex’s architect Cass Gilbert is renowned for the building’s highly efficient and visually appealing structure. Gilbert is also responsible for the Woolworth building, Broadway Chambers Building, the Essex County Courthouse, and many other Gothic-styled buildings. In 1981, New York City purchased the lot from the federal government, to repurpose the buildings for industrial and commercial use.

The large complex is still in use today

The large complex is still in use today.

 

The Brooklyn Army Terminal is currently the home for all kinds of commercial tenants, such as Urban Green Furniture, an eco-friendly furniture company that uses American based woods and paints their products with toxic-free paints. The complex has become a desirable base of operations for many businesses since the city has been renovating the buildings since 1984, making the interiors of the terminal modern and work-friendly. Over 70 businesses are hosted in the Brooklyn Army Terminal, and judging from the leasing advertisements seen at the terminal, there are many more to come.

NYU Lutheran Medical Center

The western waterfront of Brooklyn is the also the site of another major Sunset Park landmark.  After walking four blocks up 1st avenue from the Brooklyn Army Terminal, you’ll find yourself at the NYU Lutheran Medical Center. The famous Lutheran Hospital, now affiliated with NYU, has served as a site of spiritual and medical help since 1882. The health institution started out as the humble 9 bed Norwegian Lutheran Deaconesses’ Home and Hospital founded by Sister Elisabeth, a Norwegian nun. The hospital was originally a ministry for Norwegian immigrants of the area. This establishment reflects the influence that Scandinavians had on Sunset Park during its early settlements. This history also serves as an example of one of the ethnic enclaves that once predominated Sunset Park.

NYU Lutheran Medical Center - Emergency Entrance

NYU Lutheran Medical Center – Emergency Entrance

The current NYU Lutheran Medical Center is a 404 bed hospital, continuing a faith-based tradition alongside all of its medical teachings. In 1967, the Sunset Park Family Health Center opened as part of Lutheran Hospital, and provides healthcare to multicultural families all around Sunset Park. These services include primary care, dentistry, women’s health, and specialty care for both adults and children. Now, the medical center serves a much more diverse population than the Norwegian-based clinic, so multilingual services are often provided. Lutheran Hospital is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in New York State, over 30 school-based health centers, including the largest dental residency program in the nation, which was also started in 1967. The medical center has become a major health center not only for Sunset Park, but also many other nearby neighborhoods of Brooklyn such as Bay Ridge or Borough Park. The medical center is a very influential site of Sunset Park, but if you head toward 5th avenue and go through the underpass of the Belt Parkway and go down to 60th street, you’ll find another influential center that facilitates many neighborhood residents.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church

The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help located at 60th street and 6th ave is a massive and iconic architectural landmark of both Sunset and New York City. It’s so large in fact that it encompasses the whole block from 6th ave to 5th ave. The Basilica was founded by a group of Catholic priests known as the “Redemptorists.” The Redemptorists mission in life is to provide religious, charitable and social services to the poor. When they first arrived in New York City, they actually first assisted the Native Americans. Irish, predominantly Irish Catholic immigration prompted the Redemptorists to open up church in Sunset. In 1892, the Redemptorists bought the whole city block which it’s located on for just $40,000! A tiny price now, but a rather expensive one then.

This beautiful cathedral sits on the border of Sunset Park and Bay Ridge.

This beautiful cathedral sits on the border of Sunset Park and Bay Ridge.

The original church however is not the one standing today. It was originally a wooden church, but in 1905, the Redemptorists saw a need for a larger church that would keep up with the growth of attendees. Completed in 1909, they built a church that would be an architectural masterpiece that exudes an appearance of wealth but whose purpose was to uplift the poor. Built in Romanesque architecture, it was named in honor of Virgin Mary. In fact, a unique tradition of this church is to end every Mass with a prayer for Mary. This tradition started on May 6th, 1894, when the priests distributed a leaflet containing prayer for Mary after Mass, not knowing they had started a tradition that will span more than a century. Originally dominated by Irish and Germans, it now serves mostly Hispanic and Chinese adherents. In fact, outside the Basilica, all the posters are written in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

The Basilica is a major social center for Sunset’s Catholic population. They have several organizations such Advocacy for the Disabled, the Catholic War Veterans, the Circle of Friends for Senior Citizens, and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Basilica. They hold many events throughout the year including events about Health and well being. In February they even had an information session about the Zika Virus from the Dept. of Health. Considering many of their followers are Hispanic, and since the Zika virus has affected mostly lation countries, you can tell how invested the Church is in maintaining the wellbeing of their community.

Juan’s Barber Shop

Fusion restaurants that combine the two dominant ethnic groups of the neighborhood.

Fusion restaurants that combine the two dominant ethnic groups of the neighborhood.

After visiting the monumental Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, continue walking 8 blocks on 5th avenue towards 51st street. As you walk these 8 blocks, take in the atmosphere and details  of Sunset Park. It will tell you a lot! At first, you will notice a transition from an Asian dominant neighborhood to a Latino/Hispanic dominant neighborhood. This is evident from the switch from Chinese & Latin fusion restaurants such as Nuevo Palacio Chino on 56th street to Mexican bakery shops such as Café Con Pan Bakery Corp. at the corner of 54th street. This marks the beginning of the commercial area of Sunset Park. As you continue walking towards 51st street, you see a variety of streets vendors selling electronics, perfumes, and roasted peanuts. The smell of roasted peanuts and churros from the street vendor carts make it difficult to actually identify strong aromas coming from nearby restaurants.  Eventually, you will pass by a longtime social center in Sunset: Juan’s Barbershop.

Juan's Barber Shop on 51st Street

Juan’s Barber Shop on 51st Street

Juan’s Barber Shop is located on 511 51st Street Brooklyn, NY 11220. As you pass by this barber shop, you hear boisterous laughter and chatter in Spanish, making it difficult to not enter. As I entered the barber shop, the chatter actually died out because of the appearance of an unfamiliar face. The owner, Juan, is in another state and will not be coming back anytime soon. Luckily, two Mexican barbers and one Dominican barber are more than happy to help out a tourist like myself. Keep in mind that the the popularity of this barber shop makes it difficult to just walk in and ask questions, rather you must wait to be helped. The Dominican barber Eleazer Gill, also known as Elias, gave me a run down about the history of Sunset Park and the importance of barbershops, particularly Juan’s Barber Shop. When asking questions, it may seem intimidating at first, but once you open up to the barbers, you realize that they are actually welcoming and love laughing and smiling.

Elias chose to become a barber at age 18 because he was inspired by his barber who was really good friends with him. Elias graduated high school and decided to become a barber because of the great income. Surprisingly, Elias told me that there were only five barbershops in the Sunset area about 20 years ago. Today, there are about at least a couple of barbershops every few blocks in Sunset Park. Juan’s Barber shop is a social center for barbers and customers alike, which highlights the importance of this institution in Sunset Park. Some customers actually just walk in to get news or talk to the professional barbers that not only know how to give an amazing cut, but to deliver news in an interesting way. The strong relationship between the barbers and the customers is apparent in the way that the barbers record their customers’ numbers in their contacts list.

Juan’s Barber Shop is actually one of the oldest barber shops in Sunset Park that started about 50 years ago. Many Hispanics, Arabs, Trinidadians, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans come daily to get a haircut. The establishment of this barber shop 50 years ago, the professional cuts, and the affordable prices, are major factors that make Juan’s the best place to get a haircut. Elias actually lives in Bay Ridge and his Mexican barber friends live in Staten Island and Sunset Park. When asked why his friend comes all the way to Bay Ridge from Staten Island when he could work in another barbershop, I was answered with a candid answer that this barbershop feels like home. I was surprised to know that customers also come from other boroughs to this specific barbershop to get a haircut. This just shows that not only is the haircut important, but the barber shop itself. The concentration of Hispanics in this area of Sunset attracted Elias to work here because he knows that Hispanics love their haircuts and this would be a good source of income. It is also in an ideal location surrounded by Ricos Tacos and the commercial region of Sunset Park. This helps grab attraction and direct people towards the barbershop. If you ever pass by Sunset Park, remember to pass by Juan’s Barber Shop to get a fresh haircut at an affordable price.

Sunset Park

One of the many entrances to Sunset Park

One of the many entrances to Sunset Park

After you get your haircut, walk down on 5th Avenue until you reach 43rd Street. On your right will be Sunset Park, the park for which this whole part of Brooklyn is named. Established in 1895, Sunset Park offers many facilities such as a recreation center, a sand volleyball court, basketball courts and even an outdoor pool. This pool was open to the public in 1936, and during the summer, it is open to swimmers and those who want a tan. There are also other programs such as learn-to-swim programs, free after-school swimming instructions, and adult lap times. This pool is also home to the Brooklyn Swim Team, which is a competitive travel team. In the winter months, the recreation center is the place to be with a computer center, a library, a dance studio, and a workout room with free weights and equipment.

The Manhattan Skyline can be seen in the distance

The Manhattan Skyline can be seen in the distance

If you’re in the mood for something more relaxing, you can picnic on the grass field which has a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline. Not only do you see Manhattan, but there is also a view of a few Brooklyn neighborhoods, the Statue of Liberty, and the shores of New Jersey and Staten Island. What better way to spend an evening watching the sun set in the very own Sunset Park.

Sunset Park is an important part of the neighborhood because it offers an area to socialize with others while engaging in some sort of activity, whether it be physical or just watching the sunset. It is a place big enough for people to have their own individual getaway while maintaining a connection to others who also enjoy the services of Sunset Park. The park has stood its grounds for well over a hundred years, making Sunset Park an attraction in West Brooklyn even with an influx of immigrants.

Sunset Park Courthouse

After such a relaxing time at Sunset Park, it is now time for something historical. A left at 43rd Street toward 4th Avenue would bring you to the former Sunset Park Courthouse. This historical landmark of Sunset Park was made in 1931 for $475,000 by the Mortimer Metcalfe, who was the same architect who assisted with the construction of the Grand Central Terminal twenty years before. This courthouse is easily distinguishable with its remarkably designed columns, limestone detailing, and moldings. The courthouse not only housed the municipal and magistrates’ courts, but it also housed nonprofit agencies like the Sunset Park Senior Care Center. After a renovation of the building in 1996 and a brief stint by the New York Police Department using the courthouse as a processing center for applicants, the former Sunset Park Courthouse became a New York City landmark in 2001.

Former Sunset Park Courthouse

Former Sunset Park Courthouse

Before the Sunset Park Courthouse was built, the Brooklyn City Hall (now the Brooklyn Borough Hall) was used for most court sessions. There was a growing number of civil court cases, and Borough Hall needed to expand so that all these court cases were handled. Eleven courthouses were built in the 1930s including the Sunset Park Courthouse, and most were designed in the Classical Revival Style that can be characterized by columns, detailed molding, long flights of stairs, and a prominent entrance. Even a lot was put into this extravagant design, the court system in New York City became more centralized, rendering the Sunset Park Courthouse obsolete in 1962.

The former Sunset Park Courthouse is a significant landmark in the neighborhood because it provides some rich history to Sunset Park. It is made by a famous architect who helped build one of the most populated transportation centers of the world. It also reflects a time in history when the judicial system needed to expand and Classical Revival was the style of building courthouses. In addition to its historical value, the former Sunset Park Courthouse also provides some aesthetic interest as an official New York City Landmark.

P.S.024

Murals along the wall of the P.S. 24 playground.

Murals along the wall of the P.S. 24 playground.

As you continue walking on fourth avenue from 42nd street towards 38th street, you pass a number of fast food restaurants such as Burger King and McDonalds. If you are feeling tired, you can stop at one of these restaurants to grab a bite! The first thing that you notice is paintings on the walls of the playground of P.S. 024.  The paintings that depict different races and ethnicities playing and having fun in nature just represents the diversity of the student body found in P.S. 024. The same wall murals can be found inside on the walls of the library, which helps highlight the importance of diversity and acceptance in P.S. 024. I was surprised to learn that the wall murals were painted by the Groundswell Mural Project to represent the struggles of the immigrant population in Sunset Park. Another amazing feature that is unique to this school is the dual language classes that teach in both Spanish and English. Most of the school is populated with Spanish speaking students which is reasonable for the establishment of a dual language program. This program promotes students to interact with their peers and teachers in both languages to sharpen their proficiency in Spanish and English.

P.S. 24 Main Entrance

P.S. 24 Main Entrance

In terms of enrichment, members from BAX (Brooklyn Arts Exchange), S’Cool Sounds, and the New Victory Theater work with students to teach them about art, movement, dance, and theater. These partnerships also provide students with the opportunity to attend live theaters which is important in terms of teaching the student population about the importance of art and music. This shows that P.S. 024 is an important institution in not only strengthening students academically, but culturally as well. The Sport and Arts in Schools Foundation also funds weekend programs that affect hundreds of students that come every Saturday for art, sports, and tutoring. In 1999, The PAZ After-School partnered with both The Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility and P.S 024 received funding from The After School Corporation (TASC). This allowed P.S. 024 to run after school programs on the weekdays from 3:00- 5:00 PM to help students in terms of teaching them about health, art, and sports. The importance of P.S. 024 is not only limited to the students, but also plays a crucial role in the lives of parents and families alike. Lutheran Family Services works with P.S. 024 to provide ESL classes and GED classes to parents that are seeking help. This shows the importance of this public school in helping shape the leaders of the Sunset Park community through the academic, cultural, athletic, and artistic opportunities that it presents.

Alku & Alku Toinen

As we end our tour and walk along 40th street and 7th ave, it can be easy to pass through some rather unremarkable looking houses and buildings. Among these seemingly unremarkable buildings  is the Alku & Alku Toinen cooperative buildings. What you wouldn’t know is that these buildings have a remarkable history and significance. Housing cooperatives are places of residential living that are owned by the inhabitants of the building collectively. Each inhabitant owns their own apartment unit within the housing, but they cannot rent the apartment out to other people. Once they move, the apartment unit returns to the Co-op who gives it to another family in need of affordable housing. In housing co-ops, members vote on the annual budget which determines the housing charges and how much is spent on maintaining the building. Because of their non-profit and communal nature, housing co-ops provide essential affordable housing.

Co-op apartments started by Finnish families in 1916.

Co-op apartments started by Finnish families in 1916.

Now you are probably thinking, so what’s special about Alku & Alku Toinen? Well, they are the first cooperative buildings in the United States history and they started in none other than Sunset Park! In fact, the concept was so new at the time that were classified as cooperative farms rather than housing by the Department of Agriculture. The Alku Coops were founded by the Finnish Building Association in 1916 by sixteen families. Alku in Finnish  meaning “beginning” and “toinen” meaning two, representative of what the Finnish families thought of as a new beginning in America, one where they can live decently and affordably. Sunset was actually known as Finntown at that time because of its large Finnish immigrant population.

Ten years after the establishment of Alku & Alku Toinen, 50 Co-op apartment buildings popped up in Sunset alone. Originally serving the Finnish community, today it serves the current demographics of Chinese and Hispanics who just as the Finnish of the past, were attracted by the affordable and quality housing standard the Alku and Alku Toinen co-ops presents.

Like all good things, this tour must come to an end. But if you do not want this tour to end, and you want to experience the enriching culture of Sunset Park everyday by living here, the Alku and Alku Toinen co-ops building is a great place to consider. That ends our tour through Sunset Park in Brooklyn. We hope you learned a lot about the great history of this neighborhood. It was a pleasure guiding you, and I hope you come back and visit again.

 

 

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From the Nile to the Statue of Liberty

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Each and every one of us in this classroom is part of an immigration narrative that helps us better understand ourselves and deal with difficulties that accompany immigration. The start of my immigration narrative is set in a small tight-knit village in the Qalyubia governate of Egypt. As you are walking through Al-Barada village, you see the ground polluted with dog feces, dirty ripped clothes, and even dead animals such as donkeys. The villagers neglect their duty of disposing of their waste properly and these pollutants make their way into the village’s water source causing many yearly deaths from water-borne diseases. The lack of an adequate sewage system makes it difficult to filter the water that most of the villagers get from the center of the village. Al-Barada being an underdeveloped agriculture village with limited resources, it is not surprising to see houses made from cheap material such as mud bricks. These are the conditions that my father was forced to deal with.

    My father and mother were born in this village in 1967 and 1972, respectively. Both my parents are the eldest siblings in their households and each one of them had an important role in helping support their families. My dad is the oldest of his 10 siblings and was forced to help my grandfather with farm labor while excelling in his studies. He worked eight hour shifts on the farm followed by going to a lecture hall at the other end of the village at night to complete his lessons. Eventually, my father received his Bachelor degree of Physical Therapy in 1989.

My Father’s Bachelor Degree of Physical Therapy

My Father’s Bachelor Degree of Physical Therapy

        Everything changed on July 1991, when my father was invited by the Department of Physical Therapy of Chicago University Hospital to work and conduct academic research in the Physical Therapy field. A year later, he went back to the village and married my mother (who was also his cousin) and she was granted a permanent residency green card. He brought my mother to live in Hyde Park, Chicago with him starting in 1994. Surprisingly, my father was financially doing well and the only aspect that was missing was the sense of community and family that my parents left behind in Egypt. For this reason, my parents decided to start a family and this plan took place with the birth of my first brother in 1994. My mother started making friends with the wives of my father’s colleagues and the picture I brought to class is significant because that picture is a representation of the way my mother dealt with the difficulties of immigration. The two women in the picture are my mother and her first friend, Menal Abdelrahman. This picture is an important reminder for me that my family is not the only family faced with the difficulties of immigration and that these difficulties can help us relate to one another. This also shows that understanding can become a support system that helps alleviate any burdens.

My mother's first friend in America.

My mother’s first friend in America.

My personal immigration narrative began on January 28th, 1997, when I was born in Bernard Mitchell Hospital in Hyde Park, Chicago. Five months after my birth, my father passed his Physical Therapy License Exam which allowed him to move to any state and work as a physical therapist. My father chose to move to New York because of the large population that he could aid with his expertise. My family was met with the same problem, which was the lack of family and community that accompanies migration. For this reason, my father decided to move to Bay Ridge because of the high Arab population that would help my family in the process of acculturation and assimilation. My father continued to pursue his Ph.D in Physical Therapy by taking online courses of A.T. Still University. His drive to further his education has inspired me to continue on my journey to become a doctor and engineer to help others.

Growing up, I was sent to the Bay Ridge Islamic Society in order to learn more about my language, religion, and culture. I remember always going with my Yemeni neighbors to the second floor of the mosque which was painted green and filled with pictures that had both English and Arabic translations. My assimilation and understanding of American culture was mainly based off of television shows that I watched with my older siblings. The best way to describe the culture that I grew up in was a heterogeneous mixture of Arab and American culture. My parents made sure that I retained major parts of my Arab culture while assimilating parts of American culture that would ease my life as a second generation immigrant.

My ethnic culture became an inevitable part of my life after the 9/11 attacks. The other picture I brought to class is me dressed as a young firefighter in order celebrate the heroic acts of the firefighters that risked their lives during the 9/11 attacks. Although I was not really bullied because of my young age, my older siblings were bullied and called out for the 9/11 attacks. Everyday, my older brother or sister would come home crying either from verbal or physical abuse from their classmates. The fear that my siblings and I would forget our culture and ethnic background in order to fit in pushed my parents to enroll us in an Islamic private school. This environment definitely helped me grow into a better person that would take pride in his ethnic culture, even if it meant that he would get negatively impacted by it.

Dressed as a firefighter

Dressed as a firefighter

I decided to convince my parents to enroll me in Fort Hamilton High School so I could get exposed to the diversity of the public school life. I chose Fort Hamilton High School because of its large population, which is around 5,000 students. FHHS is a 20-minute walk away from my house, which is very convenient for me. At first, my mother disagreed due to the fear that I would forget my culture in the process of assimilating into the bigger culture of Fort Hamilton High School. On the other hand, my father was happy that I was ready to move on and experience a new learning environment that would put me to test of balancing my culture and the American culture. Ultimately, both my parents agreed for me to enroll in FHHS. This was similar to the immigration process because I had to overcome challenges that I may have not faced in my private school. The journey I chose to take has without a doubt helped me and will continue to help me deal with any type of migration whether it be to a new state, neighborhood, or even school. My immigrant narrative has taught me that it is possible to assimilate and understand new cultures while retaining my ethnic culture that contributes to my uniqueness as an immigrant.

 

 

Maya Ball Player

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Museum

By: Mayan of La Corona, Department of el Petén, Guatemala Limestone (AD 600-750).

The Maya civilization inhabited the lands of Central America and Mexico such as modern-day Yucatan, Tabasco, Chiapas, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras. This artifact depicts a Maya ball player ready to strike a ball. The ball player’s pose shows that this game heavily depended on the use of the whole body, particularly the hips, to strike the ball. The ball player is wearing a mask, headdress, a leather or wooden yoke belt, and a chest protector called palmas. The heavy gear that the ball players wore indicated that protection was necessary in this game because most of these games ended with blood. The reason that this game was filled with violence is because of the rubber filled ball that was about two feet in diameter that could literally knock out the player. The panel is carved from limestone and comes from the royal center of La Corona. The exquisite material that the panel is carved from and the location that it was carved in shows the importance of this ball game in Maya civilization. The figure on the panel seems noble and divine-like showing that this ball game was used for religious and ritual reasons. In fact, this panel was carved around 600-750 AD when the Maya civilization was dominated by the imperial city of Calakmul. Many Calakmul kings visited La Corona for its fortunes and amazing ball courts. The winner of the ball games was believed to be favored by the gods. The headdress also has a jaguar figure which is important because the jaguar was a symbol of strength in Mayan civilization. The idea that most of these games ended with the death or severe injury of the player depicted the gruesome rules of this game.The gruesome rules of the ball game, the various gears worn, and the religious symbols depicted in the panel demonstrated the importance of strength and sacrifice in terms of pleasing the Mayan gods.

This artifact tells us that even Native American cultures such as the Mayan culture had an establishment of a social hierarchy. This game was played by individuals of different social classes down the social hierarchy pyramid. The interesting fact about this ball game is that it was played by women, children, and nobles alike. This meant that this game was somewhat an equalizer in the social hierarchy because the loser of the game would often be used as sacrifice to please the gods. This is also important because it portrays the method of settling disputes between rival Native American societies. Native American societies settled their disputes by playing this ball game because the winner of the game aimed to kill or injure the rival in a way that seemed legal in Mayan civilization. This was a loop hole in which rivals could legally settle disputes rather than illegally causing public bloodshed. The ball game had religious purposes as well as political purposes of settling a dispute between rival communities.

This broadens our narrative of American history because it shows the diversity and unity that was present before European colonization of the Americas. This sport was widely practiced in Mesoamerica/ Caribbean and many other similar sports were used in religious practices in other parts of America. The museum administrator told us that the museum was divided into 10 regions based on different beliefs, traditions, and laws. The practice of this sport in Mesoamerica further proved the point that even though diversity was found throughout America prior to colonization, similar sports and religious beliefs would unite regions of Native American cultures.