On Thursday, October 21st, I visited Abrons Art Center with a few friends from this class. The outdoor gallery display is called “Community Matriarchs of NYCHA.” The first part of the exhibit was a video piece which told the stories of New York women who have grown up in affordable housing units across the city, and how their upbringing has impacted their life and careers in public service. These “matriarchs” are mostly minority women of color who are working towards the improvement of their communities.
These women engage in community organizing by prepping and distributing food and other supplies to other NYCHA residents and underprivileged communities, amongst other things. I was struck by the thoughtful notes written on the bags because they each had different handwritten messages in pen, which I found heartwarming. The rest display featured photos turned into stickers pasted along the brick walls of the building focusing on members of the community, followed by short quotes from them.
One quote I found particularly interesting was “When I was young, there were so many of us that couldn’t afford a vacation. Going to FDR Drive was our vacation, our Disney world. Those were the most fun and memorable days. We weren’t rich with material but we were rich with love,” which was said by Daisy Paez, a resident of Baruch Houses. This resonated with me because it reminded me that the best things in life are free, which is something I live by to remember what is important in life. The quote reminded me to not take the small things for granted and to live everyday with gratitude.
According to the artists, the exhibit is meant to break the stereotype of people who live in public housing. NYCHA residents are often characterized as “single-parent families, welfare recipients, school dropouts, and criminals.” The display highlights people, culture, trends, and deep history.
