5 Pointz! - "Hope is the power that creates gardens"

After several weeks of pleading, we figured out how to connect a trip to 5 Pointz (in Long Island City, visible from the 7 train) with the activities and actions for the summer...
Ironically, TRCS took a trip to the graffiti-muraled factory Wednesday morning, but GUiQ arrived early in the afternoon in order to see Eder Muniz finish his newest mural at 5 Pointz. As we explored the painted walls and awaited Meres and the LAIC SYEP youth, the surreal garden image was being sprayed into place. The interactions from the previous day inspired Eder to produce a work that encapsulates the idea,
"Hope is the power that creates gardens" (loosely translated).
Our time was running short, but we still got a chance to practice tagging after Meres gave us a tour of the artwork at 5 Pointz. He highlighted the evolution of graffiti through tagging and explained how to read his tag. As the manager of 5 Pointz, Meres explained the history of the long-standing murals on the walls that double as an American Apparel t-shirt factory. Graffiteiros from around the world have left their styles at 5 Pointz. Despite the respect that artists and taggers have for each other's work, the walls of 5 Pointz accumulate so much paint that the pieces begin to chip away. In addition, parts of some walls are set aside for practice for groups like LAIC (only to soon be repainted).
The trip to 5 Pointz reiterated the message that graffiti is art and can be valued by the community when it's message is deemed appropriate enough to remain.

Graffiti (pichação) workshop

The GUiQ program is drawing ever closer to its final action for the summer. In order to begin organizing a graffiti mural, we have been searching for contacts in the community. (A later post will discuss the Junction Blvd. store, All the Right.) As a step in this direction, we were visited by Eder Muniz, from the Brazilian Projeto Salvador Graffita. He was one of 43 graffiti artists hired by the mayor of Salvador, Bahia, in order to transform graffiti in public spaces to inspirational murals.

The afternoon's activities consisted in a video explanation of his work in Salvador, a drawing/graffiti workshop and a GUiQ-led neighborhood tour. The youth shared last year's mural that depicts the history of Jackson Heights. They also expressed their concern with the lack of youth space, despite numerous private apartment gardens. These activities were followed up with a visit to 5 Pointz (Long Island City), where Eder was painting a mural inspired by yesterday's interactions.

Fotos of Eder's work - http://www.flickr.com/photos/calangosderua/

Spreading the word...

I just heard about these organizations that are working with youth and hip-hop...

Youth Movement Records (YMR) is a non-profit, youth-directed recording company and youth development project based in Oakland, California.
http://www.youthmovementrecords.org/

Schools Without Borders (SWB) is a youth-run, Canadian charity that is responding to the need to make learning more accessible for today's youth.
http://www.swb.ca/SWB/

Verge Records is an independent record label based in New York City which showcases cutting edge, politically and socially conscious music from distressed neighborhoods across the globe.
http://www.vergerecords.org/

CHECK THEM OUT...

And checkout Lupe Fiasco's youth space video on YouTube, "Kick, Push"

Summer activities around NYC...

Check out these free/low-cost activities around New York if you get a chance...

$5 or free tickets (for youth) to the arts - http://www.highfivetix.org/Aspx/EventsAndShows/EventCalendar.aspx

A new floating pool! - http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/index.cfm?objectid=0CCA838D-FF00-454A-641B0376A606096D&CFID=282154&CFTOKEN=98577323

Events in Flushing Meadows - Corona Park
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/vt_flushing_meadows/upcoming_events.html

Passport Fridays 3 @ Queens Museum of Art - http://www.queensmuseum.org/education/special_events4.htm

more to come...

7-11 Neighborhood Tour

The first thing I learned from the youth was that 7-11 gives away free Slushies on July 11... Who knew?!

Our first neighborhood tour was planned around a visit to the local 7-eleven. Because we expected a downpour to begin at any moment, we abbreviated our scheduled community tour. Instead the two youth staff lead us on an abbreviated tour of Jackson Heights that included the one public park, glimpses of apartment gardens, notable architecture, the church where Scrabble was invented, and the local 7-eleven. An additional objective of the tour that the youth staff put forward was to observe that there are a very limited amount of public trashcans. We would have to carry the cups and straws all the way back to the school; however... it was trash day on one of the blocks we passed. There was a trashcan along with the piled plastic garbage bags occupying the sidewalk.
Also during this tour the youth (and staff) began to recognize the numerous "No _____" signs posted at the most appropriate youth spaces! - I think this is a premonition for the work to come - - -

"Play is the highest form of research."
Albert Einstein, German-American physicist, 1879-1945

Getting underway...

I hope today's orientation meeting is an exception to this summer's activities. Not one youth or adult attended. Granted, it is the day after a holiday, and it was organized as an informational meeting for participants and parents.
During the last few weeks we have been discussing opportunities and restrictions for this summer's activities and planning for the initial week of the program. In order to answer questions, take care of the mandatory forms and speed up the ice-breaking process, we organized an orientation meeting for today, the lone day that we had available for the program this week.

Settling in...

It's July 5 and time to get underway with the Growing Up in Cities project. Up until now I have spent my time in New York getting to know the Jackson Heights neighborhood and the larger city. I still have quite a bit to learn, but I am developing an abundance of knowledge since the first time I stepped off of the "7" train.
Over the last several weeks I have balanced my time between tourism, neighborhood exploration, and planning for this summer's activities. Prior to moving into the community, my total exposure to the city amounted to just about 24 hours, total. (all within the last year) I had not yet seen the iconic landmarks or wandered the renowned neighborhoods. So, the first week began with a tour of the cultural highlights of the city, and I began to establish a network of contacts throughout the city. Through the course of a few mistakes, I began to navigate New York's public transportation network. In addition to strolling through museums, the walking tour extended along the city streets of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, while skates facilitated exploring Central and Flushing Meadow parks.