In the interview the narrator recounts youthful memories, including a 1995 snow storm, as well as her experiences at the Chicago boarding school she attended after being ejected from her Brooklyn Yeshiva in eighth grade. The narrator discusses Jewish traditions and religious rituals in detail, in addition to her college career and interests. She discusses her current work with at-risk teens in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. Interview conducted by Ansie Montilus and Monica Parfait.

In the interview Desmond Atkins takes listeners on a personalized journey into New York's past, describing the dramatic economic, cultural, and educational changes that have occurred during his lifetime - a period that overlaps with the postwar decades of American history. He explains the musical and architectural significance of the historic Kingston Lounge nightclub. Atkins' narration pays special attention to Brooklyn's economic relationship to the surrounding region via traditional shipping routes and modes of travel. He attempts to contextualize this past with more recent events - namely the 2008 financial crisis and its fallout - as well as with the Crown Heights riot of 1991. Interview conducted by Floyya Richardson and Treverlyn Dehaarte.

Maybell Aubert recalls life in Panama's American-controlled Canal Zone - where the English language and American consumer products were the norm - as well as her move to the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn in the 1950s. Aubert relates descriptions of mom-and-pop businesses, Eisenhower-era prices and neighborhood institutions during the postwar period - including schools, hospitals, and Ebbets Field. She recounts her education and career as a key punch operator, as well as her post-retirement return to school. Aubert also discusses her involvement as a member of the St. Louis Senior Center, where she once served as secretary. She describes meeting her husband, raising a family and offers some advice on love and success. Interview conducted by Floyya Richardson, Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

Cynthia Beckford remembers her childhood in rural Jamaica, her first impressions of - and first apartment in - the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, and her career as a skilled dress maker. She glowingly describes Crown Heights as a diverse, peaceful and beautiful residential enclave of New York City. Beckford recounts her first visits to the neighborhood, as well as her subsequent quest for permanent United States residence and employment. Beckford also recalls how after some early setbacks, perseverance, faith, and help from friends - as well as her labor union - she was able to secure a job and apartment, making a new life for herself and her son in a place where she feels blessed to be. Interview conducted by Alex Kelly.

Michael Behrman briefly describes the circumstances surrounding his religiously-motivated move to the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, documenting some basic details of his earlier, more secular life and career in the motion picture industry. He goes on to describe events such as the 1977 New York City blackout, contrasting it with an earlier power outage in 1965, as well as the 1991 Crown Heights riot. He gives opinions on neighborhood affairs, city politics, theology and morality. Interview conducted by Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

Melina Bernadine shares her experiences immigrating to the United States in the late 1960s - including her observations of crime and corruption in 1970s New York. She recounts buying a home and raising a family in Crown Heights, Brooklyn during an uncertain period of the city's history. Bernadine also touches on historical phenomena such as political activism in the 1960s and early 1970s, crime in New York City during the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1991 riot that seemed to serve as a turning point for both the neighborhood and the city. In 2010, Bernadine was still very much active in neighborhood affairs, attending precinct council meetings and offering advice to a younger generation. Interview conducted by Quanaisha Phillips, Floyya Richardson and Alex Kelly.

Pastor Ken Bogan shares details from his small town Texas childhood, as well as the highs and lows of his adult life and career. He recounts his first trip to New York after graduate school, his decision to stay and his early experiences as a seminary graduate-turned-community organizer. Pastor Bogan recalls moving to Crown Heights, Brooklyn during the apex of civil unrest in 1991 and his work trying to reconcile racial and cultural differences as well as foster new connections between the Black and Hasidic communities. He also reveals his past struggles with faith and predisposition for depression, in addition to offering advice on the importance of humility and communication. Interview conducted by Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

Collette Burnett describes her first years in Crown Heights, Brooklyn as a business student at Medgar Evers College, as well as the reasoning behind her post-graduation plans to encourage a more proportionate share of Black-owned stores in the neighborhood. Burnett recounts how she first worked with small businesses as a banker, eventually opening her own Caribbean-inspired restaurant. She outlines her company philosophy regarding customer service and the reasoning behind her menu choices. The interview ends with Burnett offering some advice on hard work and perseverance, as well as an anecdote about her son. Interview conducted by Monica Parfait, Ansie Montilus, and Alex Kelly.

Louis Burns begins with his Brooklyn childhood in Crown Heights. He expounds on the day to day life of the neighborhood - including street games and other hijinks with his Irish and Puerto Rican friends - overseen by adult neighbors and teachers. Burns details his decision to drop out of high school as a teenage father, as well as his eventual return to school thanks to the help and encouragement of family and neighborhood elders. He describes the circumstances - namely the 1991 Crown Heights riot and 1995 Million Man March - surrounding his return after a move upstate to Oneonta, as well as his career as a social worker and college professor. Finally, Burns gives some pointers to the young interviewers regarding education, career, family and the company one keeps. Interview conducted by Monica Parfait, Quanaisha Phillips, Treverlyn Dehaarte, Floyya Richardson and Alex Kelly.

James Caldwell reminisces about an idyllic rural upbringing filled with tradition and superstition, as well as his first awed glimpse at the grand skyscrapers of New York. He recounts learning local geography and acquiring valuable social expertise during after-school jobs. Caldwell discusses his time in the Army, his youthful marriage to a member of the Women's Army Corps, as well as his triumphs and tribulations as a car salesman - including the different experiences of working as an outspoken young Black man in Texas and New York. He describes his career as a community activist - both as president of Crown Heights' 77th Precinct Council - as well as the president of Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development (BUILD). He briefly touches on the controversy over BUILD's support for the construction of the Barclay's Center before offering some advice about focusing on one's goals. Interview conducted by Monica Parfait, Ansie Montilus and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Karim Camara offers interviewers biographical details - including the multifarious Crown Heights, Brooklyn of his childhood. He talks about what led him to the ministry, as well as the New York State Assembly. Camara discusses government funding, President Obama, his hectic dual work schedules and treating others with respect. He describes the homes and people who make up his district as well as his relations with constituents. Camara also goes over the difficulty of accurate census-taking and its importance in the allocation of tax dollars. Interview conducted by Monica Parfait, Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

Londell Copeland opens up about his childhood in a broken, neglectful home, juvenile delinquency and later troubles with the law. Happier subjects, such as his current family, are touched on along with expressions of hope for the future. He elaborates on what life is like for a convicted felon; including education and job training. A proud husband and father, Copeland explains how his son exemplifies some of his own better qualities, as well as how his wife and son help to fortify him with the courage to carry on. Interview conducted by Alex Kelly.

Evelyn Edmund describes her experiences as both a bright, ambitious child and civic-minded adult. She recounts happy memories growing up in an upwardly mobile East New York, Brooklyn and the encroaching urban blight which prompted her and her husband to settle in the Crown Heights section in 1961. Edmund speaks about the ebb and flow of crime and poverty - as well as money and gentrification - over decades punctuated by significant historic events including wars, assassinations and riots. She also weighs the pros and cons of recent trends in parenting and adult-child relations against those of her own youth. The process of change in local politics - particularly regarding neighborhood schools - are also discussed at length. Interview conducted by Floyya Richardson and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Zetta Elliott recalls her first memories of New York City in 1979 and her cousin Lil's house on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood. She touches on her grandfather's history in Antigua and Canada and how her cousin made money from selling crocheted items at a hospital. Elliott discusses going to graduate school at New York University and becoming an author, listing her books that take place in Brooklyn. She notes the importance of "mapping community" and appreciating local landmarks and architecture. She discusses her father's immigration from the Caribbean to Canada and the United States as well as her own immigration to New York City. She describes her mother, mentioning a brief genealogy that included slavery. Elliott closes by advising on the importance of listening to peoples' stories. Interview conducted by Ansie Montilus, Monica Parfait, Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Dollmarie Empty contrasts the culture of her homeland of Jamaica with the cultural diversity of Brooklyn. She evaluates the restaurant options and new foods she has encountered in the neighborhood of Crown Heights. Empty envisions her future and contemplates getting a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. In closing, she makes observations about a few changes in the neighborhood. This interview was conducted by Alex Kelly and abbreviated due to technical difficulties.

Frank Esquilin begins the interview by tracing his background from Harlem in Manhattan to the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Ozone Park and Crown Heights. Esquilin describes his entry into crafting, in particular his book protectors and wallets. Traveling has featured greatly in his retirement and he speaks about the special places he's visited and the perception of Americans in those countries. Esquilin recalls his work experience at the phone company after dropping out of high school. He talks at length about the changes in Crown Heights over the past fifteen years, including the increased presence of police officers, patterns of garbage and recycling pick-up, local businesses, rent changes for residents and other developments on Franklin Avenue. (Esquilin notes the appearance of Kevin Phillip, another narrator in this oral history collection.) He recounts his understanding of what led up to the 1991 riot in the neighborhood. In closing, he remarks on the evolution of terminology like "ghetto" and "inner city" and how renaming neighborhoods is a marketing tool in the real estate business. Interview conducted by Floyya Richardson, Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Delphine Fawundu talks about her family's moves within Brooklyn and becoming part of the community of Tivoli Towers in the neighborhood of Crown Heights, noting that she lives there as an adult and raises her family there. She speaks at length about gentrification and its subtle and overt effects on Tivoli Towers and about the documentary she created concerning that subject. She observes the changes that have occurred in Crown Heights over decades and discusses her sense of personal safety in the neighborhood. She reminisces about West Indian Carnival in her childhood and favorite personal and community traditions. Fawundu recalls her enjoyment of elementary school and playing with other children at the towers. She describes married life and the moment she knew she was a photographer. Interview conducted by Ansie Montilus, Monica Parfait and Alex Kelly.

Pamela Green is interviewed in her professional role as Executive Director of the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood. Green covers the history of the site as well as the institution, describes the historic houses, the educational mission, the programs and events, the planned expansion, funding, other goals, and the approach to exhibitions. She discusses the beginning of her involvement and her contributions as executive. Green returns to the topic of Weeksville's founding and addresses the boundaries of the site in reference to the neighborhoods of Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant. She closes with advice on education for young people. Interview conducted by Ansie Montilus, Monica Parfait, Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

Richard Green speaks briefly about his upbringing in Brooklyn. He speaks at length about the informal beginnings of the Crown Heights Youth Collective and in general about the meaning of youth centers to a community. Park gatherings were an early form of the collective. Green reflects on when he met Cecil Simon, the co-interviewer as well as a narrator of another oral history in this collection. Simon asks for Green's observations on changes in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. Green traces the recent history of the area, including the relationship between the Black and Hasidic communities, the riot in 1991, and the two decades that followed. Simon discusses his high school experience, the importance of literacy and kindness in street culture, and his incarceration. Richard Green speaks about the teens with whom he works, their assumptions and the collective's workspace. He relays the historical benchmarks of many areas in Brooklyn. Green opines on redevelopment and the fallout in communities. He comes back to the Crown Heights Youth Collective, where he instills values and goals in the members. Interview conducted by Cecil Simon and Alex Kelly.

Ed Gruber begins the interview by noting that he was born in the neighborhood's Brooklyn Jewish Hospital, lived on Eastern Parkway, and that he has been a repeat visitor to Brooklyn's Crown Heights since leaving for college in 1955. He observes the renewal on this 2010 visit, including new stores on Franklin Avenue, coffee shops, and a construction site. He reflects on a visit to a butcher shop in his youth and his father's reporting to air raid headquarters on Franklin Avenue for duty as a warden in 1940s wartime. He tells of his grandfather's time as a restaurateur and a bartender. Gruber would walk his dog past the Town Hill nightclub to see who was singing there. He recalls the trolley on Eastern Parkway, attending P.S. 241 and seeing Dodgers games, Franklin D. Roosevelt's motorcade and, from his stoop, the Memorial Day parade. Gruber talks about childhood games he played, going to Erasmus Hall High School and getting a driver's license. He remembers seeing stores that were looted or closing down in the early 1960s and he shares some of his grandmother's recollection of the neighborhood in the early 1900s. Gruber mentions he has come back for school reunions, and even got involved with a reunion committee for P.S. 241. He closes with some praise for Brooklyn and words of wisdom for schoolchildren of this era. Interview conducted by Alex Kelly.

Douglas Guthrie begins the interview by explaining the moves he's made while living in Brooklyn. He recalls his arrival from Jamaica as a touring musician and his first impressions of Brooklyn's diverse Crown Heights neighborhood. Guthrie notes that Eastern Parkway splits the community geographically, but culturally as well. He describes his somewhat tumultuous childhood, focusing on music, and life as a musician in Crown Heights. Guthrie feels a need to work through the tension that remained in the community after the uprising in 1991 and discusses community involvement and acting as a peacemaker in social conflicts. He reminisces about his breakthrough in the music business by showing off his album covers and about being a working musician in Crown Heights. Guthrie talks about the West Indian Carnival; first in relation to his daughter's participation, and then by examining the problems and potential improvements that could be applied. He closes by advising young people to establish foundations and structure to excel at life. Interview conducted by Treverlyn Dehaarte, Quanaisha Phillips and Alex Kelly.

Wilhelmena Rhodes Kelly opens the interview by speaking about her family's transition from the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood to the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn. She recalls the schools of the neighborhood in a time of new buildings to support the baby boom generation. Kelly discusses what inspired her to write. She chronicles her progress through school as well as the history of some place names and those who settled the area. Kelly compares Brooklyn of 2010 with her experience in Queens since the 1980s. She describes the history of her family in Crown Heights, referencing homes of her parents and grandparents. Kelly talks about her process of researching and writing a book on Crown Heights and shares some of the discoveries of her research. She reminisces about the fun she had as a Brooklyn youth, including riding horses and visiting Coney Island. Kelly closes with some advice for the Brooklyn youth of this era. Interview conducted by Treverlyn Dehaarte, Quanaisha Phillips, and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, La Fontaine gives some brief background on her family's residences in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Clinton Hill. She shares her in-depth knowledge of the surrounding buildings and her own home. La Fontaine reflects on the efforts to save the Brooklyn Children's Museum from leaving or closing after challenges from fire and city government intervention. She discusses the area churches and important community leaders such as Reverend Clarence Norman, Sr., Dr. Adrian Edwards, former Assemblyman Karim Camara, Dianne Davis of Garden of Learning Day Care, Ora Abdur-Razzaq, founder and principal of the Cush Campus Schools, and an unheralded citizen, Annie Mae Hearston. La Fontaine returns to describing the architecture of her home and recalls her parents' search for the home. Interview conducted by Monica Parfait, Ansie Montilus and Alex Kelly.

Constance Lesold begins the interview by talking about her first memories of the Crown Heights neighborhood in 1966. She talks about her late husband, Helmuth Lesold, and the early years of their marriage in an apartment building on Eastern Parkway. Along with other residents, they petitioned their landlord to integrate their building. She remembers the dramatic change in the fall of 1967, when Whites became the minority in the diversifying community. Lesold refers to the multicultural school her son attended. She focuses on the battle to save the Franklin Avenue Shuttle from permanent closure and names the pivotal activists involved: her husband, Sybil Holmes, Community Boards Three, Eight and Nine, Borough Presidents Howard Golden and Marty Markowitz, Councilwoman Mary Pinkett, the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Lesold makes the point that there is still work to do in subway accessibility, and discusses the garden above the Franklin Avenue Shuttle that was vandalized by Transit Police. The Atlantic Yards Project, the Daily News' departure, and past efforts to get federal funding for neighborhoods are the other concerns for Lesold. She concludes with advice for young activists. Interview conducted by Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Arna Lipkind describes the moment she heard the car crash that partly instigated the 1991 riot in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. She discusses her involvement in positive community dialogue as well as misperceptions between African American, Caribbean and Jewish communities, and Marty Markowitz's group forum "Can We Talk." Lipkind speaks about her lifestyle as a Hasidic Jewish woman in Crown Heights. She speaks at length on the differences in the Jewish sects of New York City. Lipkind emphasizes what her mentors have given her. Finally, she advises that learning happens every day and that is important to learn from people of "different backgrounds." Interview conducted by Ansie Montilus, Monica Parfait, Treverlyn Dehaarte, and Alex Kelly.

Marie Louis weaves her biographical details into her recollection of growing up in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood and her parents' emigrating from Haiti before her birth. She references her churches, schools, other local resources and a favorite bowling alley. Louis speaks of the sense of security and safety as a teenager and the diverse ethnicities and occasional tensions in the neighborhood. She describes her involvement in Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development (BUILD), related to the Atlantic Yards Project and Crown Heights. Louis talks about being a community advocate and advises high school students on the importance of being inquisitive. Interview conducted by Ansie Montilus, Floyya Richardson, and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Judith Lovell talks about moving from downtown Brooklyn to the neighborhood of Crown Heights. She cites the addresses of family residences then and in 2010 and recalls growing up in Crown Heights and commuting to her high school outside of the neighborhood. She relates the details of her first job as a bookkeeper, how she met her husband and their wedding. Lovell remembers her time as a school crossing guard on Nostrand Avenue, teaching at P.S. 138 and going to night school at Brooklyn College. She describes her current volunteer work as a literacy tutor at the Eastern Parkway Learning Center of the Brooklyn Public Library. Lovell remarks on the shifting demographics of her neighborhood, recalls a blackout that led to violence, and lists the family's participation in block parties, the Lincoln Civic Block Association, St. Mark's Church and St. Gregory's Church. She notes the change in Franklin Avenue over the years. Interview conducted by Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Tonde Lumumba observes the demographic change in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights, noting the arrival of more people of European ancestry. He discusses African art displayed in his store. Lumumba recalls the drug problem in the community during the late 1970s. He discusses his adult life in Brooklyn; moving from Bedford-Stuyvesant to Crown Heights and schools his four children have attended. Lumumba focuses on the history of his health food store and his own emergence as a health conscious eater and vegan. He briefly acknowledges the cultures with traditions in Crown Heights, particularly the West Indian celebration on Labor Day. Lumumba reflects on his arrival to Prospect Heights as an immigrant and his upbringing by a stern father in St. Vincent. He cites famous role models he has emulated, particularly as an activist and protester, and brings that modeling into how he lives positively in his community, even criticizing the lack of messaging in the West Indian Carnival. Interview conducted by Monica Parfait, Treverlyn Dehaarte, Quanaisha Phillips, Floyya Richardson, Ansie Montilus, and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Linda Mark describes the value of her church, the Greater Bibleway Temple. She reflects on her early impression of the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights and recalls experiencing the Blackout of 1977. Mark touches on life in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in comparison to the more favorable environment of Crown Heights. She talks about her civil service jobs, culminating with the United States Postal Service, and how priorities in her retirement have mainly concerned improving her reading, traveling internationally, and considering another career in nursing. Mark relates some basic details about the family in which she grew up, when she married and the children she raised. She makes a couple comparisons concerning life in the South and life in New York City. A brief description of how she enjoys the West Indian Day Parade is followed by her views on Jews in Crown Heights and their values and holidays. Mark cites her neighbor and her church as sources of inspiration and community in her life. Interview conducted by Quanaisha Phillips, Treverlyn Dehaarte, and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Randy Mills covers basic information about his family and places he has lived in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights and Prospect Heights. He broadly describes the factors leading to the 1991 riot in Crown Heights and fondly remembers the excitement of the West Indian Carnival on past Labor Days. Mills recalls playing ball games as a younger man, which led to playing Dominoes in front of Brooklyn storefronts later in life. His recreation was disturbed by drug pushing and one shootout in the area. Mills' rural upbringing of growing food and playing with snakes is contrasted with coming to New York City and mistakenly stealing from a neighborhood fruit stand. He reflects on his marriage and offers relationship advice to young people. Interview conducted by Treverlyn Dehaarte, Floyya Richardson, and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Eunice Oden makes many observations about the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights where she has lived for four decades; including changes to parking and street traffic, intolerant real estate practices, abandoned buildings and shuttered businesses, the public's use of the Brooklyn Children's Museum and the Brower Park Library, the police behavior and presence from the 1990s to 2010, and the demographic shift of the neighborhood. She relates her experience of raising a son, with discipline and safety lessons, and looks at the larger picture of parenting, drugs, money, and influences on children. Oden recalls her experience as a child in North Carolina and contrasts the prevalent, overt racism there with the subversive racism in Brooklyn. She shares stories of at-risk youth running from police and an encounter with a rude salesperson at a store. Her interviewers prompt her to address civility between different generations on the streets and how a young person dealing with a stranger has changed over the years. Interview conducted by Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Lillian Pelham is joined by her friend and neighbor Rosella La Fontaine, who is also a narrator in another oral history interview within this collection. Pelham talks about the experience of living on her block for almost five decades and seeing the demographics of residents change in that time. She shares a few details about her family and other homes on the block. The interview is largely about how she learned to be an author and how a book is published. She relates how she was inspired to write because of her work with at-risk youth in high schools. She concludes by giving advice to motivate and instill life goals for young people. Interview conducted by Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Kevin Phillip speaks generally about trouble he caused as child while staying with his grandmother in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. He discusses factors that led him to drop out of high school, including entry-level jobs, a business that was on the wrong side of the law and a basketball injury. Phillip acknowledges the gentrification of Crown Heights, particularly Franklin Avenue. It was there, between Sterling and Park Places, where he established his first retail clothing shop. Phillip talks vaguely about his time in prison, but emphasizes the lessons he's learned. He talks about his effort to mentor to the youth community of Brooklyn, including a forum at Long Island University to introduce teens to the idea of small business ownership. Finally, Phillip talks about the challenging balance between family and business obligations. Interview conducted by Ansie Montilus, Monica Parfait and Alex Kelly.

Lisa Pierre introduces herself in the interview as a dedicated congregant of Washington Temple Church of God in Christ. She recalls the four public schools she attended and the disruption of gang activity during the 1970s in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. She speaks about the child care services she provides at a nursery school and considers another career opportunity. Pierre remembers the games she played in the neighborhood of her youth and describes the surroundings then and now. She talks about her Crow Hill Community Association involvement, her pastor, Robert L. Madison, and the tradition of feet washing at the church. She looks back on her behavior as a teenager and what is required of a parent of teens in the current era. She also compares the offerings in the public schools that she experienced with what's been cut out of city schools since. She shares basic details on her family background and her birthplace. In conclusion, Pierre reminisces; about landmark movie theaters, hospitals and a bank; and recalls the Reverend Al Sharpton as young man at church functions. Interview conducted by Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Evangeline "Eve" Porter recalls moving to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. She makes some pointed comments about the growth of the West Indian Carnival on Labor Day weekends. Eve Porter remembers her personal challenges with neighborhood blight in the 1970s and '80s and the stands she had to take. She speaks generally about forming a block association and doesn't refer to the Crow Hill Community Association by name. Porter makes a prediction about the neighborhood changes in 2020 to 2025. She laments the steep hikes in rent for business owners and shares an anecdote about prompting Assemblyman Roger Green to raise $250,000 for the association to make improvements in the neighborhood. She says a few final words about community involvement in general and how activism can thrive with young people's involvement. Interview conducted by Treverlyn Dehaarte, Floyya Richardson, Monica Parfait, and Alex Kelly.

Stefanie Siegel begins her interview by describing the work of Dr. Marcia Lyles, a principal at Paul Robeson High School in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. Dr. Lyles is credited with transforming the school, and Siegel contrasts it with her prior experience as a teacher at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood. Siegel looks at the larger picture of Robeson High's challenges to remain open to students during the Mayoral administration's attempts to phase out and consolidate some school districts. She talks about the changes she's seen over two decades in Crown Heights. Siegel describes the extracurricular efforts to engage students in intergenerational learning. This takes the form of a community organization named Bailey's Cafe. She advises students on how to prepare for senior year and how to be involved with their school and set standards for peers. She recalls her experience as a high school and college student; and how the latter prepared her to lead Bailey's Café. Interview conducted by Floyya Richardson, Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Cecil Simon speaks about moving to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights from Guyana. Later, he returns to the topic of immigration in relation to friction with other nationalities and challenges with job placement. Simon has some knowledge about the gangs operating in Brooklyn in the late 1970s and discusses how they affected his high school years. He reflects on his time at Alexander Hamilton High School and in general, appreciates the differences in teenagers then and now. He makes his observations of the changing demographics of Crown Heights. Simon speaks about his personal role model, his older brother. He also shares lessons that life has taught him, advises teenagers of this era and ends on a quote from Langston Hughes. Interview conducted by Monica Parfait, Ansie Montilus, Quanaisha Phillips, and Alex Kelly.

Meredith Staton begins the interview with a brief, recent history of the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, starting in the late 1800s. He points out the shift in the local demographics into what he calls an "integrated neighborhood." He speaks at length on community involvement by way of his volunteer position as Auxiliary Captain for the 77th Precinct of the New York Police Department. Staton explains the redistricting of Crown Heights into North and South. He discusses his feelings on war in general when prompted to talk about his service time in Vietnam. Staton focuses on the importance of education and resourcefulness of this era's urban youth, and urges them to understand the history of subjugation and segregation for African Americans and immigrants of color. He briefly recalls the historic events of Nelson Mandela's visit to Crown Heights in 1990 and the factors of the 1991 riot and his role in terms of security. Interview conducted by Floyya Richardson, Treverlyn Dehaarte, and Alex Kelly.

Sandra Sutton offers some basic information about her history in North Carolina, moving to Brooklyn, getting married and divorced, and settling in the Crown Heights neighborhood. She reflects on the changing demographic of homeowners around her home and how it has left her feeling less connected to her community. She talks about her teaching career, regrets in life, and offers advice to young people. She describes the process that she went through to become a librarian and champions libraries in general and her workplace in particular, the Eastern Parkway branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Sutton reflects on the contrasts between her youth in North Carolina and her adult life in Brooklyn. Interview conducted by Monica Parfait and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Robert Taylor goes over his many biographical details in a loose, vague timeline. He mentions military service and several jobs he had over his lifetime; the longest being with the New York City Transit Authority. It was during that time as a station porter, that he discovered a dead body on the platform. He reflects on the work his parents did and how they instilled a work ethic and values. Taylor talks about the difficulties of sharing his first cramped apartment, where he met the woman he went on to marry. He speaks of the move they made to Flatbush and how he witnessed the rising blight from drug traffic and shuttered businesses that changed Crown Heights. Taylor recalls learning about radio and television repair in the service, as well as how it felt to be drafted. He offers his sound advice to high school students and reflects on what he was like in his school days. Interview conducted by Alex Kelly.

Sarah Taylor begins the interview with her admiration for the Crown Heights neighborhood and remembers the homes she has lived in for her fifty years in Brooklyn. She gives an overview of Crow Hill Community Association (CHCA), the origin of the name, inspiration for organizing, and speaks at length on the important work accomplished by the organization. Taylor addresses the question of where Weeksville and Crow Hill were located and names the present and previous directors of the Weeksville Heritage Society. She talks about that group's efforts to renovate and her turn as the "Weeksville Lady." Taylor reflects on meeting Eve Porter and the roles they created within CHCA. She remembers her childhood schools, homes and transportation; contrasting her South Carolina youth with her Brooklyn youth. She talks about the civil service, non-profit and volunteer work she's done outside of CHCA and closes with an appreciation of Crown Heights. Interview conducted by Floyya Richardson, Treverlyn Dehaarte and Alex Kelly.

In the interview, Herbert "Herbie" Weitz clearly recollects the twelve years of his youth spent in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. He talks about specific memories of the three houses in which he lived, including one that overlooked the Dodgers' ballpark, Ebbets Field. He reels off the schools he attended: P.S. 167, Crown Heights Yeshiva, and Erasmus Hall High School. Skipping classes in his junior year to shoot billiards at a neighborhood pool hall and interact with gangsters led to a short term period as a dropout. Weitz recalls the ethnic makeup of his block and when, in 1947, the first African American family moved in. He recalls the social life of Brooklynites; including nightclubs, gambling, movie theaters, stickball games and museums. Weitz revels in storytelling and reminisces about pool hustling, getting into physical fights with a friend and the many games he played at Lincoln Terrace Park. Interview conducted by Ansie Montilus, Monica Parfait, Quanaisha Phillips and Alex Kelly.