Author: MARCELLA ZANETTI

The Giving Garden is a self-sustaining garden located in Westchester, NY at the Port Chester Middle School. Allison Silverman is a teacher at the middle school and started the garden 14 years ago to help her students learn about nutrition and  valuable skills in the kitchen. The garden further blossomed into a local outlet for fighting food insecurity throughout the town.

The Giving Garden also advocates for sustainability; they often work with other organizations such as the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation to make sustainability efforts more accessible for the students.

The Port Chester school district is the first district in the country to be declared “carbon neutral” by a United Nations initiative. With the help from the nonprofit One World, an organization focused on educating students about world issues, the district has been able to offset carbon emissions since 2019.

The Giving Garden supports the carbon neutral initiative and for the past 14 years has advocated for environmental sustainability. The garden’s influence directly contributed to why Port Chester is so passionate about making a global environmental impact. Fourteen years ago, Allison Silverman took the first step toward a more sustainable future for the town of Port Chester.

What a powerful documentary. It was extremely thought provoking and definitely pulled at the heart strings. The documentary showed what goes on behind the scenes and what goes into making these life or death decisions. Being either a doctor or a family member in that scenario is probably one of the most difficult things to go through.

The director did an amazing job painting this picture to the audience. Their attention to detail is what draws the viewer in and gets them involved in the story. I could tell the director and anybody who put effort into making this film possible really used time and technique to portray the mood and message across in the best way possible.

The shakiness of the camera adds for a more of a reality feel to the documentary. It also adds a sense of  uneasiness because this is such a difficult topic to cover. The director did an amazing job at catching emotional shots that made the audience feel what these people were feeling.  I think that is important because it gives a sense of connection.

The shots that paid extremely close attention to detail, like water dripping, or the numbers on the screen I think were done very purposefully to supplement the plot and message. This documentary is all about extremes, so I think the extreme close ups were a way of reflecting that extremity.

 

https://youtu.be/gzBoS1nnw7c

1. My personal trainer competes in beauty competitions for very toned and muscular bodies (not quite body-building). I will interview her on her rigorous lifestyle including her workouts, diet, competition preparing and such.
2. My town has a community garden at the middle school. I will interview the teacher who dedicates so much time and effort to sustain the garden and give back to the community.

Host Intro: There is no doubt that small businesses have suffered financially throughout the pandemic. However, some small businesses weathered the storm and managed to stay afloat. Reporter Marcella Zanetti spoke to a small Brazilian coffee shop and bakery located outside of the city, in the town of White Plains, New York. This Brazilian gem is called Araras Coffee & More.  

AMBI: Fresh coffee brewing.

Track: I am here today with Celina Bredemann while she brews fresh coffee and works on making her Brazilian sweets for the day. She is here to talk about how she was able to keep her small business running throughout the pandemic and her successes as an immigrant business owner. She started her business over ten years ago with her Paraguayan partner, Marina Cardozo, after they both immigrated to the United States. Araras has since won awards for having the best coffee in Westchester and has even been featured in The New York Times. 

ACT: Celina: (When I started), it was very crazy busy––busy, busy, busy. We were supposed to work only seven hours a day, we work like ten hours a day. But we are very happy.

Track: But then the pandemic hit. 

ACT: Celina: We never closed, but in 2020, we can feel the people disappear.  We stayed open because we are essential, you know. We helped the hospital, the police department, and the fire department, we helped by bringing them coffee everyday. 

Track: Celina tried her best to give back to her community and help those who struggled throughout the pandemic. She thought it was something she had to do since she felt so blessed they never had to shut down, like many other businesses had to. 

ACT: Celina: A lot of people, Brazilian people and Spanish people needed help. We helped by giving basic food to the people. We made a lot of baskets with rice and beans.

Track: The customers’ favorite dish at the shop is a Brazilian cheese bread called pão de queso. 

ACT: Celina: And the little kids come into the store saying “I want cheese bread, I want cheese bread!” Everybody loves the cheese bread.

Track: Being an immigrant in the States has prompted its hardships for Celina and her partner Marina. However, Marina expresses her gratitude for being a part of such an amazing business. 

ACT: Marina: The coffee itself has a great energy, and the store also has a great energy. As Latinos, we are very warm people and we treat our customers as family. And I am very grateful we are open most of the time in this pandemic.

Track: They had to follow strict covid guidelines like every other business. Celine says how weird the transition was, but it was necessary to keep her workers and customers safe. 

ACT: Celina: It is very important to protect us and protect the people.

Track: And the precautions they took, worked. 

ACT: Celina: You wouldn’t believe it. Me, Marina, Eglin, and Gaby, four people working in the store, thank god none of us got covid. 

Track: This year, things are starting to pick up again.

ACT: Celina: This year, we are crazy busy– busy, busy, busy. Thank god! We busy, busy, busy.

Track: Part of the reason why business is going well for Celina’s shop is partly due to the increase in people getting vaccinated.

ACT: Celina: I’m very happy about the vaccine. We took the vaccine because we are in the front, we need to take the vaccine. 

Track: Celina then began to talk about how her immigration to the United States changed her life.

ACT: Celina: The USA opened their hands for me, and gave me a chance to make my dreams come true. I do my best and I know I receive everything the world gives to me and to my family.

Track: Celina has her own Youtube channel where she uploads Brazilian recipes. Her channel is called Celina Brigadeiros. Those interested can also visit the shop’s website to learn more at https://www.ararascoffee.com. 

ACT: Celina: I want to make sweets for everybody! I love to make my sweets.

Track: The story of Araras Coffee & More gives a reason to search for more small business successes. Araras is continuing to expand as a business and welcome new people. For Baruch college, I am Marcella Zanetti

 

https://soundcloud.com/marcella-zanetti/practice-radio-assignment/s-st057ka40ph

Host Intro: Being a twin is something not many people can relate to. When the topic of twins arises, there are many questions and curiosities. Marcella Zanetti spoke to a Baruch student who happens to be an identical twin, and she was open to answering some of the most frequently asked questions about twins.

 

Ambi: Nina’s twin’s voice is heard in the background as Nina begins to talk about her twin experience. 

 

Track: I’m here today with Nina Ottensoser who is a junior studying at Baruch college, who is majoring in Journalism. She is here today to talk about her experience of being an identical twin.

 

ACT Nina: People mix us up all the time. So much so, that I answer to her name, she answers to my name. We say we experience it all as twins together, so nothing offends us––even if we’re called by the wrong name.

 

Track: Nina recalls funny mix-ups between her and her twin that have occurred over the years.

 

ACT Nina: I was dating a guy and he once had a full-blown conversation with me; at the end of the conversation, he asked “Where’s Nina”, thinking that entire time I was my twin. 

 

Track: While Nina and her twin look identical, their personalities define them as separate individuals. 

 

ACT Nina: The way I like to describe it is that we are very similar people, but we have very different interests. The biggest distinguisher is that she is pre med––and I cannot do science or math for my life. English and history are my favorite subjects.

 

Track: Despite their different interests, Nina goes in depth on how they share similarities in other aspects of life.

ACT Nina: Our personalities are pretty similar. We have the same friend group, we like similar foods, we have similar hobbies. But I would say our interests when it comes to school and our strong points are pretty different.

 

Track: While their many similarities is what keeps them in touch, doing everything together all the time may present its own challenges. 

 

ACT Nina: I am so grateful to be a twin and I am so lucky. But, all siblings fight and get annoyed with each other. I remember one time we both studied abroad in the same country, but at different schools. That was the first time we were split apart and it forced us to really work on our relationship. We struggled a lot because we took for granted that we could just get in bed every night and have our pillow talk. It was something we weren’t used to. So that really put everything into perspective for us.

Track: Nina reflects on what a transformative experience that trip was for her and her twin. She deepened her relationship with her twin at a time she least expected. Nina reminds us of the special bond siblings share and to never lose sight of that.

ACT Nina: It taught me not to take for granted that we do get to be with each other all the time and that it is easier for us than most siblings. I feel very lucky for that.

Track: Being a twin has its ups and downs, but Nina wouldn’t trade it for the world. For Baruch College, I’m Marcella Zanetti.

My cousin recently opened up a small online soap making business. My idea would be to ask her about her story and process. She opened during the pandemic and a good angle would be how some people turned their situations into opportunities.

Another idea would be to interview a Brazilian immigrant who has a business selling a well known Brazilian dessert called brigadeiro and other Brazilian treats. I can talk to her about her immigration, the start of her business, and how it’s been affected by covid.

A family friend plays a big role in her state of California for the Ronald McDonald House Charity. She is a person high up in the charity and could offer insight on what she and the charity does to help children in need.

https://marcellazanetti.medium.com/giving-children-h-o-p-e-f6f09c1834cc

  Pattern

 Symmetry

 Layers / rule of thirds

 Close-up

 Contrasting colors

 Monochromatic / rule of thirds

 Movement

 Depth