Tag Archives: Commentary

Battle in Black and White

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Amy Fox’s piece “Battle in Black and White” was similar to the Bagli piece in many ways.  We are seeing another case where housing becomes difficult for groups in a minority race. In her article, Fox talks about the challenges veterans and people of color faced when trying to live in Stuyvesant town as well as relocate when they were driven out of their current apartments. Bagli’s piece focused on the high rent prices that were driving out the current residents and making it challenging for relocation. Through these two articles, it is clear to see that they emphasized how challenging it was to relocate for minority groups. Fox backs up her point of view by analyzing and reporting on the stories of her past, while Bagli uses the current situation at hand in order to get her point across. I really enjoyed Fox’s piece, because she gave the reader an inside look on her family tree. The bravery of her grandparents to try and integrate Stuyvesant Town years back was truly remarkable.

A.J Liebling

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Critic Philip Hamburger has described Back Where I Came From as a “love letter to the City of New York.” Do you agree or disagree? If so, how and why does Liebling express his views? What techniques does he use as a reporter/writer?

I agree with this view because Liebling’s fondness of New York is evident through his writing. His description of the people of NYC, the streets and how every day is different in the city shows how much he enjoys it. As a reporter I noticed that Liebling uses descriptive language to provide the reader with a visual of what New York City is like. He also tells us how the city has changed, and follows a timeline to let the reader know what he’s experienced in NYC during his time here.

Invisible Child Commentary

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 I believe it was a good decision to withhold Dasani’s last name as well as that of her family for protection purposes. In the story, Dasani spoke about the rivalry between her family members in the projects and the unexpected fights with people that could occur due to her family’s temper as well as her own. I agree with not including Dasani’s last name because of the potential harm it could’ve caused her or her family.

2) I didn’t mind that the story was long because I was so intrigued. I was able to really learn about Dasani, her family, and get a firsthand experience look into what life at a homeless shelter is long. Yes, it may have run long, but I personally would not criticize it because I genuinely enjoyed everything about this story.   3) Again, I believe the time was not disclosed due to safety reasons. There is a certain boundary that has to be kept with such delicate situations. You’re dealing with someones life, not just another report.

4) I feel like this shed a lot of light on how homeless people are treated in New York City. Yes, this may have been an extreme scenario, but who is to say that other homeless people in the city don’t go through this and more ?

5) Not everyone can really go into depth as to what life is for a homeless family the way Andrea Michelle did. I truly enjoyed her piece, and it left me wanting more. I can only hope we get an update piece soon because I truly opened my eyes to the extreme circumstances homeless people are forced to face.

Please comment on these criticisms and add your own criticism or praise.

250 Words on Washington Heights

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The area of New York City that I’ve chosen to investigate is Washington Heights. All my life, I either grew up in upper Manhattan or found myself visiting friends and family in the area. Currently, my mom owns her own insurance company in Washington Heights, and the neighborhood is quickly changing. Last month, an entire section of local businesses were shut down within a span of two weeks and signs with new business ideas and the phrase “gentrification in process” were left where the old businesses once stood. I would like to investigate why exactly this is happening, and further understand why Washington Heights is the next target area to undergo gentrification.

Back when I was younger, Washington Heights was full of bodegas, small restaurants, and playgrounds. Now, there are a slew of new cafes, organic juice bars and even barbershops that are extremely different from the Domincan-owned salons I would frequent with my dad when I was younger.

I want to start by interviewing the owner of a local business- Sweet Life Pastry. This bakery just opened up and is not only a cafe, but also a Mexican lunch restaurant. I would like to interview the owner and see how her new business is doing now that more and more local businesses are being shut down in the area.

I would like to also highlight another kind of business that has been in business for over 20 years- Valdez Enterprises. This is a multiservice business agency, and I believe I can get great insight on what Washington Heights used to be from the owner, Mr. Jose Valdez.

I would like to get in touch with one of the local community representatives to see what they foresee for Washington Heights in the future, due to the fact that it has already changed so much in the last couple of years. This project will allow me to further investigate Washington Heights and learn many new things about it.