o.stlouis

Hurricane Sandy was a storm so strong it washed away houses, scared off natives, and destroyed most of the boardwalk and beaches. Yet, nearly three years later the city is on its way up.  With much effort from those who live in the rockaway area and $140 million given by the state, many if not all the beaches have been restored.

The new changes that have come along in such a short period of time have surely made an impact on what visitors and locals think. Some of those changes include, according to the NYC Parks website, “Damaged beach buildings were renovated with new boardwalk islands constructed around them, public restrooms and lifeguard stations were installed to replace destroyed facilities.. “.

Nearly three full summers of watching the beaches transform post sandy many of the locals have a lot to say. Jessica, who has lived in Rockaway her whole life says, “I don’t really notice any changes. I think the boardwalk has been the only thing.” She continues by saying that she saw a lot of small businesses  shut down and she’s waiting for them to make a comeback. Darius, a young beach goer added onto this stating, “The place I  go to do laundry went away after the hurricane so now we have to drive to another place instead of just walking there like we used to”. Darius’s mother chimed in saying that she believed the beach would always be a big source of attraction regardless of the more aesthetically pleasing boardwalk. “Its one of the only decent beaches accessible to all the five boroughs so people are always going to come here especially during a dry summer day”

When beach goers were asked what they thought of the beach this summer  compared to others many said it’s gotten increasingly crowded with each passing summer since the storm. Sandra, a native to Rockaway states, “I went to the beach the summer (following) the storm and it was very empty, people were still there but I could tell it was mostly just people who lived here… I think as time passed people realized it really wasn’t so bad and by summer of 2014 it was extremely crowded again.”

That statement seemed to be true. Beach goers stated that they don’t frequent any other beaches but Rockaway simply because it’s cleaner compared to coney island and more convenient than others in New York. So, the consensus seemed to be that although the beach has improved, people care about the mom and pop stores that haven’t returned years after the storm. As for the visitors of the beach, as long as they can enjoy the sun and take a dip in the ocean the small renovations to the boardwalk seem to not really interest them.

“But first, coffee.” This quote is one many New Yorkers have heard and live by. It’s what we need to jump start our day. Before work or school we drop by our nearest cafe, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts and grab a cup. There’s also the occasional time where we stop by one of New York’s well known coffee carts.  I spoke to a man who runs a cart on 24th and Lexington Avenue right outside of the Baruch College campus.  His cart is in competition, with Starbucks and a Dunkin Donuts but his business still thrives.

According an article published by New York Magazine, there are over 3,000 food carts in the city. Each cart makes an average of around $200 to $300 a day, bringing in an annual income of between $7,5000 to $14,000, for those who work seasonally.

The cart owner outside Baruch says he’s been coming to the same spot everyday for over twenty years. His everyday presence showed. Each day as I waited on the line I noticed as he knew everyone’s order down to a tee. He chatted with some customers and even knew some by name. After about a week of daily trips to the cart he knew my order by heart as well. Before I could get the chance to say “Ice coffee with milk and two sugars” he was reaching for the cup and the ice.

He said that it first starts by getting a permit which is one of the hardest parts. As he discussed it his body posture changed and became visibly bothered just reiterating the process. He continued to say that coming to Baruch wasn’t really his decision. He works for a company.  “Yes I work for a very large company (with) coffee carts all over the city!”

He finished by saying that one of the other stressful tasks besides keeping the cart clean and other small chores is making sure to renew his license every two years, which doesn’t seem like an issue but apparently, the years sneak up on you.

Though many might not carry on conversations with him, the cart owner presence and kindness comes with every cup of coffee and surely that’s been a contribution to his lengthy time here at Baruch.

Oriella St Louis

When you have over 30 million followers, your actions have consequences. Especially in the case of Kylie Jenner and cultural appropriation. The media has always chosen to use the strictest definition of the phrase, especially in the case of celebrities. Particularly Kylie, a young woman who is primarily known for her beautiful, powerful, and often times controversial family.

Kylie has sparked controversy in the last few months for a variety of reasons. These include getting her lips enlarged at the ripe age of 17, and dating a 25 year old man with an ex wife and a kid. As startling as these actions are, that’s not why she’s getting heat. The young woman has recently been accused of being, for lack of better word, racist. Her prominent presence on social media has only backed this theory. Her posts vary from pictures of herself with braids in her hair, grills (an accessory for your teeth that premiered primarily in black culture), and even the shape and size of her backside.

These actions could be seen merely as showing her appreciation for black culture. However, Jenner fails to address the fact that this isn’t her culture. She often remains silent when it comes to black issues, and denies that she has any involvement with the culture at all. And it’s not just the media that’s voiced their concerns but her peers as well.

Amandla Stenberg a young actress who is known for running in the same social circles as Jenner, publicly expressed her disdain for Kylie’s recent photographs. Under a picture of Kylie with braids, Amandla comments, “[W]hen u appropriate black features and culture but fail to use your position of power to help black Americans by directing attention towards our wigs instead of police brutality or racism. #whitegirlsdoitbetter”. The comment sparked controversy on Instagram and Twitter causing Jenner to be bashed by thousands of fans.

While I believe her incessant interest and dabbling in black culture has earned her some backlash, I’m left pondering whether a 17-year-old should be so brutally scrutinized in the media. Despite her adult-like behaviors, she is still just a child.

Surely there is another place the media can focus their attention. Why are we discussing the braids in Kylie Jenner’s hair? There are more important issues to discuss such as the obscure death of Sandra Bland, who is speculated to have died in police custody rather than the reports that she committed suicide in her jail cell.

In times like these where the voices of the oppressed are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, why are people so fixated on one person? She is not yet an adult, and is without a doubt not done learning all there is to know about the world and the ignorance that exists within it.