Columbia INCITE | Focus Group_Terrell_Greg_Lenard_Philander_Omarion-3-4-19
PHILANDER:
Bro, I am so ready, bro. I can't wait to do the photo shoot. I finna be in a wrestling ring.
Q:
All right, let's start again. Kind of where we ended with the interview exercise that you all did. Thinking about-- because we were talking about communities and kind of the importance of place for everybody-- and especially in those interview examples that we listened to. So, thinking about those examples-- but also your own experiences-- what communities would you say that you're a part of?
SUBJECT 1:
Violence.
SUBJECT 2:
You a part of that?
SUBJECT 1:
Yes.
SUBJECT 2:
So you contributed to violence?
SUBJECT 1:
No. I'm saying yeah, but no. Because I know I had some fights growing up, but I ain't asked for it. It came to me. Like that's all I knew. I ain't saying it's good or nothing, but later for my protection.
PHILANDER:
I ain't had no violence.
SUBJECT 1:
That's because he--
SUBJECT 3:
Yes you did.
SUBJECT 1:
That's because he-- I like, I have more privileges than him--
PHILANDER:
And that's messed up.
SUBJECT 1:
And I was more responsible, and I was mature when I was younger, so--
PHILANDER:
No. No.
SUBJECT 3:
You fought before, Philander.
PHILANDER:
No.
SUBJECT 3:
You didn't?
SUBJECT 4:
Janiah.
SUBJECT 3:
You fought Janiah.
PHILANDER:
OK, but I'm saying, he not more mature than me.
SUBJECT 1:
All right, all right, all right, back on subject.
PHILANDER:
He not more mature than me.
SUBJECT 1:
Yes, I am.
PHILANDER:
No, you're not.
Q:
So let's--
PHILANDER:
Bro, I feel like I have grown.
Q:
So let's--
PHILANDER:
I feel like I'm more--
SUBJECT 3:
You lose your stuff.
Q:
So-- [LAUGHS]
PHILANDER:
What stuff did I lose?
SUBJECT 3:
Your cereal.
PHILANDER:
What you mean?
SUBJECT 1:
Come on, man. Bro.
PHILANDER:
What you mean your steel?
Q:
Remember what we said about that everybody finished their thought, right? So we just going to go around-- It can be an exchange. But if you want to add like to it, or something somebody says sparks something for you, just do like this, and we can keep it going that way. What-- kind of just following up off of that-- what experiences come to mind when you thought
about that? SUBJECT 1:
Playing basketball, right? I'm younger, so all I know is like, I'm just living. That's all. I ain't asked to be here or none of that. I ain't saying I got a bad life or nothing, but-- me and my buddy, we got into it with a lot of people. Just because-- I feel like I wasn't trying to give up no basketball court. I don't care if I wanted this to be my future or not, I ain't giving up my court for nobody. I was here first. So that's some of the reasons we fought people.
SUBJECT 2:
The basketball court?
PHILANDER:
Let's go.
Q:
The basketball court in your neighborhood?
SUBJECT 1:
Like-- the district court.
SUBJECT 3:
Like-- court in public.
SUBJECT 1:
Like the park district.
Q:
Oh, the public-- OK.
SUBJECT 1:
The public court.
Q:
Public court. I see.
SUBJECT 1:
I ain't giving up nothing. Y'all want to run a fool, y'all can't. It's over with. I got just as rights as you do. No, bro, I ain't moving.
SUBJECT 2:
Hey, I don't fight like that. I don't fight.
Q:
You say you don't?
SUBJECT 2:
No.
Q:
[LAUGHS]
SUBJECT 1:
You tripping.
SUBJECT 2:
I ain't get mad. That's it. I punched some.
Q:
What instances? Can you think about-- Like they make you upset like that?
SUBJECT 2:
Sometimes it would just irritate me. That's it. [INAUDIBLE]
Q:
Did anybody else feel like-- know anything about the communities you belong to? What else comes to mind?
SUBJECT 3:
Like, stop shooting innocent kids. Stuff like that.
SUBJECT 2:
When I grew up, we was playing football. I ain't play basketball.
SUBJECT 1:
I picture a fantasy life for anybody. I ain't gonna lie. I feel like everybody life should be good. All the drug dealers, they should like just stop it. Get it professionally. Everybody could eat. That's enough. My life.
Q:
So--
SUBJECT 4:
It's why they throw foss, why they get drugs.
Q:
Kind of what I guess we can talk about-- kind of the contrast then, right? So, when we think about our communities, what was important to us about them? And then other things you would like to see changed.
SUBJECT 1:
What was important to me is that I could play and do what I do as a kid safely. And I would get back home-- still be able to take my little bubble bath. Get ready for school the next day. Come home. Do the same stuff. Be safe.
Q:
That's what you want to be? That's the goal?
SUBJECT 1:
For me or any other kid like me.
Q:
Yeah. Yeah.
SUBJECT 1:
So basically just-- not saying anybody over 30, but-- locking away all the bad people. That's what they doing, but not good enough. They're still here.
Q:
But were you-- you were saying something too. Like you started-- did you have a thought?
SUBJECT 3:
When I had said stop the shooting violence. Cause people out here dying from gunshots. Really, like everybody, if they have a gun, they should have a license for it. Yeah, basically like that.
SUBJECT 1:
I feel like violence-- it made me. It made me feel ambitious. Like that's why I am the way I am. Violence is a go-to to for me. Like if he hit me of course I'm going to hit back. Versus anybody else that ain't been through what I-- like violence, I'm ambitious about it. Because I experienced it at the wrong time. I wasn't ready for it. I ain't going to lie. Like, being near a shootout, that ain't a good feeling. I'm a little kid.
Q:
I mean let's say when you think about that it made you-- you saying it make you more defensive or--
SUBJECT 1:
Defensive. Like, I'm aware, so you better watch out man. Bro.
SUBJECT 2:
So have me make me think-- hiding all my situations. Like stuff that I know I shouldn't do. It's one little thing that could mess your whole life up. So you gotta think about that.
Q:
Were there any other experiences that kind of taught you about that?
SUBJECT 2:
My dad, he told me stories about-- he had friends that that went to jail for like-- a girl said somebody lied on them. A girl said he raped them or whatever, and you can get caught up in plenty of stuff. Anything. Girl say you hit her or something. Just a bunch of stuff.
Q:
When you all think about important places or special places in your communities or neighborhoods-- that are unique or you just feel are important to you when you think about it-but are there any?
SUBJECT 1:
Parks. Most kids-- I think school is like an obstacle. It's just in your way. Or, when you live in the hood, just think about all the gun shots-- like think about doing your homework, you reading a book or something, and just a bullet just come right through your window. It don't hit you, but it come through your window. You just working through all that violence. I don't think that's right. That's probably what most of students be doing. School become an obstacle. It's just in my way. I can't get nothing out of it. I can't do nothing with it. And that's what I'm going through.
Q:
You're saying you bring it with you?
SUBJECT 1:
Yeah.
Q:
Into school?
SUBJECT 1:
Like it just come to you.
Q:
Are you bringing those experiences with you into the classroom?
SUBJECT 1:
You can't focus or nothing. That's all you thinking about. Like, oh, my cousin got shot the other day, so I'm just thinking about it like, that could have been me or something. I'm working. I can't focus.
PHILANDER:
I gotta.
Q:
What's up?
PHILANDER:
I gotta go take a dump.
Q:
You're excuse. You can go. Do you want to go to the restroom? You can go.
PHILANDER:
Yeah.
SUBJECT 1:
[LAUGHS]
SUBJECT 3:
Stomach hurt and all that.
Q:
What kind of-- are there-- like when you think about your neighborhoods and your families, and--
SUBJECT 1:
It just basically like-- well I don't know what you're trying to say. Am I fucking you up?
Q:
No, no, no, please.
SUBJECT 1:
You could picture like-- it's almost like a flashback. But you still think about that moment like, I'm in that room, but I'm still a picturing a moment I just ate a sub or something. It's almost like that, and you could probably feel it-- well, not physically feel it, but feel it feel it. Mentally.
Q:
What are-- and this could be for anybody-- like what are those good experiences that you've had or ones that you think back on? Even kind of like, as you have these experiences or other
things that like inspire you? If there are any that keep you going. SUBJECT 1:
I mean, yeah. Well, there is my momma. She had come get me out of that. We would be at the park late night, she'd come. I low-key cherish that moment. Can't forget about it. Most of the time she--
Q:
Come to the park?
SUBJECT 1:
Yeah. It'll be late night. They'd be still going at it.
Q:
She come to pick you up?
SUBJECT 1:
No. We live like right up the street from the third. We lived right up the street. We lived there for some years. It's good neighborhood though, but some bad people come to it. I was little though.
Q:
How long did you live there?
SUBJECT 1:
For like five-plus years.
Q:
OK.
SUBJECT 2:
Where I--
Q:
What were you saying?
SUBJECT 2:
Where I used to live-- my mom moved me before stuff really happened in the neighborhood. And like a year after I moved, one of my friends got shot, and he died. A bunch of stuff. There been shootouts there. Stuff like-- that stuff crazy. And that could've been me for my momma didn't move me out of that situation.
Q:
You guys went to a-- you moved to a different neighborhood?
SUBJECT 2:
Yeah.
Q:
What was that experience like?
SUBJECT 2:
At first, I didn't like it because-- I knew a bunch of people there. Like I was getting used to it there growing up. Then she just moved us. New school. New friends. New neighborhood. All that. And you just gotta keep going.
Q:
What kind of helped you with that transition? Were there things that stand out that made it better or easier as time went along?
SUBJECT 2:
New school. Like teachers help you fit in, stuff like that. Shoot. It's a bunch of stuff that help you get it set in. New place and stuff like that. Get comfortable for a while.
Q:
Yeah. Did you have--
SUBJECT 1:
Yeah. I ain't like the violence, but I ain't noticed it when I was younger. I loved the adventures. By that, I mean being outside, enjoying the day, playing catch with the football or something, riding my bike, scooter, whatever. I just loved it, that stuff, man. So all I used to do was be outside, be outside. You can't do that still.
Q:
Even from--
SUBJECT 1:
I used to play football.
Q:
A few years ago you were saying?
SUBJECT 1:
I mean, it was still here, but-- yeah, this was a few years ago.
SUBJECT 2:
It wasn't bad.
SUBJECT 1:
It wasn't bad, but it's worse nowadays. You got kidnappers out. You can't leave your kids in the front yard no more. Play both on the porch or something.
Q:
What do you think brings about the change in the neighborhood that you were saying you've seen a change?
SUBJECT 2:
People just want it to be better and help the community. Like, where I live now, It be like drug dealers and stuff. And I be seeing my neighbors-- they'll say something about that stuff like that. But I don't pay no attention because it ain't none of my business, really. I just keep doing what I gotta do. Stay focused in school and stuff like that.
Q:
Like you're saying you see people in your community who are working to change it?
SUBJECT 2:
Help, yeah.
SUBJECT 1:
Like all this stuff will fall in check. Like just think about it. All right, so you've got a student-well, kid-- he in high school, right? He got bad grades, and it reflect off what's happening in the streets. The shoot outs, all the drug dealing, all that. It come together and some of us, we just play sports to--
SUBJECT 2:
Get away from it.
SUBJECT 1:
Like get away from it, or not have to thought about it, or just want to get away from all that. And you can't because your grades, but it's a reason for that. Some people just don't understand. Like most teachers out here, they white or something. You don't see too many black teacher, but they white. And they be quick to call parents or-- to disband-- like, not let us play sports. What is it called again? Like make you not eligible to play. Don't know what you'd call that.
SUBJECT 2:
[INAUDIBLE]
SUBJECT 1:
That's what teachers will do. They don't really know what go on.
Q:
I mean, so you talked about being a part of your teams and that being a place where--
SUBJECT 1:
Or other community service activities.
Q:
Yeah, I was going to say like-- and this is for-- I mean, you can start-- like what other spaces are you comfortable in, or you look forward to being in? It can be in your community, in your family--
SUBJECT 1:
I like libraries for some reason. That's one environment you gotta be respectful in there. You just got to or you're gone.
SUBJECT 2:
Churches.
SUBJECT 1:
Church, yeah.
Q:
Oh, you said church? Yeah.
SUBJECT 1:
Churches and libraries.
SUBJECT 2:
You ever seen like somebody's finna get killed, they run into a church? Because that's not a-that's a place of respect, you know. Stuff like that.
SUBJECT 1:
They just not going to tolerate it. And you gonna respect them about the fact they not trying to tolerate it.
Q:
You go to church? I do too, but nah. It's just every once in a while. Every time I go, I get sleepy.
SUBJECT 3:
Because it became boring.
Q:
Not the spaces where you go to. Like where you've been, Where you are comfortable.
SUBJECT 1:
I remember-- it was this one time. I was a part of a little choir. Well, it wasn't no choir, but it was like a little sing-- like a little play choir. You had girls that was dancers. You had another group of girls, they were singing. I was in a play. Like I was in--
SUBJECT 2:
Jesus-type shit.
PHILANDER:
Yeah, stuff like that.
Q:
Do you feel-- when you think about actually being a part of your community-- and let's start here, and then we'll go around. What experiences do you think about when you think about being a part of your community that connects you to your community?
SUBJECT 3:
Like
Q:
And it doesn't have to be your neighborhood, but it could be--
SUBJECT 3:
Like to make my community better?
Q:
Or just in general. Like what spaces that you feel connected to.
SUBJECT 3:
What you mean?
Q:
Like where do you-- I mean is it like a community center? Is it, like you said, at the park where it reminds you of growing up there and having good experiences there?
SUBJECT 4:
Park.
SUBJECT 3:
I'm from Chicago. I grew up my whole 10 years in Chicago living in Comiskey. Yeah, I used to have friends-- stuff like that-- we'll play ball, stuff, play football. Had-- what else-- had block parties. Had block parties in the summertime. It'd be fun. Had fun. Everyone in our community come together, get to know each other, everything. No violence. None of that. Stuff like that.
SUBJECT 2:
For my experience, like playground. When I was little, I used to go play football around the neighborhood or we used to have bike races and stuff. I used to hate when my chain break or something like that.
Q:
Oh. Ha-ha. Yeah. Yeah.
SUBJECT 1:
I say my-- like most kids, they had a treehouse. That's only if you creative or something though. But I feel like everybody is just misunderstood. We gotta get stuff clear out here. But stuff happens for a reason. With these drug dealers, you do something like involved with they parents or something. It's the reason. Nothing just happens.
Q:
Do you think it's different in the way that you-- I mean, having grown up in the communities that you grew up in, do you see your community versus how do you think other people will see it that maybe they don't get to see?
SUBJECT 1:
People ride past. Like, so, say you ride pass a nasty neighborhood. You see chips bags everywhere, garbage cans flipped over. You say, oh, that's nasty. But, during the shootout, they knocked it over. So you aught to know stuff like that. That's what I'm saying. You just asked me.
Q:
Mm-hmm. Yeah. We were talking about-- thinking about on memories that we had that make us feel connected to our community. And all the block parties or--
PHILANDER:
What memories do I have?
Q:
That we feel. Yeah.
PHILANDER:
Oh, nope, no memories. I don't have memories. I don't got no memories. If I did, I don't remember.
Q:
What stands out for you then?
SUBJECT 4:
Buses.
PHILANDER:
I mean, you think about your community or being a part of--
SUBJECT 4:
Ding dong ditch.
Q:
Yeah. A part of it.
PHILANDER:
That it's violent. Not all the time, but-- well, basically all the time, but every time I watch the news, it's never-- It's a 1% chance that it's good, and then a 99% it's bad. Hey, there's somebody getting killed, raped, whatever it may be.
SUBJECT 4:
Kidnap, yeah.
SUBJECT 1:
Around when I was like five or six, life was like-- I look at it different now, but it was so fun. Every day I had this little friend across the street. We'd just be chilling. It was a little football-well it was a high school on like this side. On the other side it was a high school. We used to play football on that field. We used to be kicking a football and all that. We used to play with the little water hose. He had a little Chucky. I used to be running from him. He used to throw it at me, you know. It used to be so fun.
SUBJECT 4:
Play ding dong ditch. That's it, cuz.
PHILANDER:
Ding dong ditch used to be fun.
SUBJECT 4:
Swear to god.
Q:
What-- Ding dong ditch. [LAUGHS] What kind of values, in terms of like growing up, do you think that your family or community members-- It could be like church or whatever-- told you about that are important, in terms of like, who you should be or what you want your community to be like? Do you have any of those like discussions or experiences? It could be even like not even someone telling you about it, but an experience that you had that was like, OK, this is the type of person that I want to be or not.
SUBJECT 1:
People only come together when something bad happens. Like a funeral. You don't see--
that's rare. If you see people you've never seen before, but they in your family like, people come together you ain't never seen. So me and my family, we close, but we was never that close. Q:
Who do you feel closest to? Who do you feel-- like, what members of your family do you feel like closest to?
SUBJECT 1:
My mom.
Q:
Yeah. And what when you think about those experiences, what stands out for you as being important about family?
SUBJECT 1:
I ain't even sure.
Q:
OK. You can come back to it. Anybody else have anything? Doesn't have to be about that, it can be about--
SUBJECT 3:
Share something, Philander.
Q:
What you feel like sharing.
PHILANDER:
I'm not sure.
SUBJECT 4:
Experience, like you ever seen that movies, somebody change over time? How they think about something. And at the end, help somebody or make the world a better place. That made me think about helping others. Like people in bad situations, homeless people, people like-- starvation. Some people don't got food to eat.
Q:
When you think about where you can start-- what do you think about-- what are the little things and then-- you can do now, and like the bigger things that you would like to see happen?
SUBJECT 1:
I know for a fact something I could do right now is like donate clothes or something. Food. Like, I don't know where pitchers be getting stuff from, but I take stuff to the homeless, homeless shelters, something like that. Give to homeless people that be on the street that I'll probably never see again.
PHILANDER:
And if you do see them again in life--
SUBJECT 4:
I don't have to worry.
PHILANDER:
They gonna be-- they might be better than what they was.
SUBJECT 2:
You ever see a person few months later, they got a house, they got a job.
SUBJECT 1:
Some people--
SUBJECT 2:
When the first time they homeless.
Q:
What were you saying? You say your mom helped? They would give you?
SUBJECT 4:
Like clothes I never wore or stuff I ain't wear in a while, too small for me or something. My mom would-- she would put it up, and then later she would donate it. Like it would be bins you can put the stuff in for people who don't have stuff can get it.
SUBJECT 3:
Clothes box.
Q:
Like a clothing drive, yeah. So you saw her like donating and helping? You had that? Yeah.
SUBJECT 4:
Stuff me and my sibling don't wear no more. Stuff like that.
SUBJECT 1:
Some people, they just need some support or something. Like everything don't fall back on violence. I can say that though. If somebody's trying to be great, I ain't gonna say you need nobody, but then you will. You can't do it by yourself. You gonna need some support. Like if you're trying to be an NBA player you got to have connections. It ain't gonna just happen.
SUBJECT 2:
They gonna try to get it by any means necessary.
SUBJECT 1:
Because anybody that play ball because don't basketball.
Q:
But you need that support--
SUBJECT 1:
Yeah, skills.
Q:
Like everyone needs.
SUBJECT 1:
To train and stuff.
Q:
To get better. Yeah. Yeah.
In what ways do you think that your community or your family experiences taught-- or, not even taught, but like-- made you think about what you want to do as you get older and as you think about the future? SUBJECT 2:
My dad used to play basketball. And, actually, he was real good. Like, he could go to NBA. He said he got his knees messed up and stuff like that. That's what made me want to play basketball. And I like basketball, so that's my chance to be in the NBA.
SUBJECT 1:
I ain't going to lie. I ain't going to lie. I want to be great. But not just for myself. It's to make my momma happy. And when I'm grown up-- I wasn't always this size, I was like, chunky. I know it was chunky for football players, but I just wanted to get that up off me, but that wasn't the only reason I did it. I did it because I liked it. I wanted to play football because my body type. Everybody tells me I should. So I'mma play it.
Q:
What were you saying, Philander?
PHILANDER:
[INAUDIBLE] I wanna go to [INAUDIBLE]
SUBJECT 2:
WWE is easy, bro.
SUBJECT 4:
He always acts-- he always so--
SUBJECT 2:
[INAUDIBLE] like that's actual wrestling.
Q:
Wait, why?
PHILANDER:
That's not--
SUBJECT 2:
It's fake.
PHILANDER:
It's not fake. It's scripted.
SUBJECT 1:
It's like a play, little bro.
PHILANDER:
It's scripted. [INTERPOSING VOICES]
SUBJECT 4:
It's fake.
PHILANDER:
No, no.
SUBJECT 4:
They don't even hit each other.
PHILANDER:
Yes, they do. So most of the wrestlers, they hit for real, but it's scripted. So they shouldn't hit for real.
SUBJECT 4:
They hit for real on accident.
PHILANDER:
Exactly, that's why they shouldn't, because it's a script. But I don't care if it's a script.
SUBJECT 4:
Why you never see blood?
PHILANDER:
I still give my money for, and I still get billions of dollars for it. So that means a easiest job in the world just to do that and get billions of dollars. Yes, yes, yes. That's how good that company is.
Q:
That's why you like it?
SUBJECT 4:
UFC does--
PHILANDER:
Because I get money. I can't wait-- and if I do make it to WWE, I can't wait for my first paycheck.
SUBJECT 4:
If you on the UFC every fight you--
PHILANDER:
I'm going to get knocked.
SUBJECT 4:
You get a million dollars every fight. Just to fight. You get a million dollars just to show up.
PHILANDER:
You could lose all you want.
SUBJECT 4:
Just to show, you get a million dollars.
PHILANDER:
And guess what. Guess what. And at WWE, just to lose, you still get millions of dollars. So stop. It don't matter.
SUBJECT 1:
I got a little stuff I like to do on the low.
Q:
Like what?
SUBJECT 4:
You talking about every fight? I'm talking about every fight.
PHILANDER:
Bro, I'm going to get knocked out every fight. The UFC is real. I'm getting knocked every fight. [LAUGHTER]
Q:
Oh, we switched to the UFC now? [LAUGHS]
PHILANDER:
No, I ain't switching. I'm gonna get knocked.
Q:
OK.
PHILANDER:
So I'm going to go to where it's scripted. To the point where they can't knock me out.
Q:
That's a good choice.
SUBJECT 1:
I invest in like stuff like-- to get easy quick money like selling perfume or cologne or something. That's something simple, I could go to Dollar Tree and get that.
SUBJECT 4:
Selling some socks.
SUBJECT 1:
But it's cheap. But that's because-- that's just the start of it. I could get the exclusive stuff. I want to, if that don't work, I want to be a floor installer or a plumber or something.
PHILANDER:
A what? A floor installer?
Q:
Like flooring, yeah.
PHILANDER:
That install floors.
SUBJECT 3:
I have two dreams.
Q:
What's that?
SUBJECT 3:
I want to be a veterinarian or in the NBA.
Q:
Why vet? You like animals?
SUBJECT 3:
Yeah.
Q:
Yeah. You have any pets?
SUBJECT 3:
I got four. Four dogs.
Q:
Nice, I just got a dog.
SUBJECT 4:
I'll be a model.
Q:
OK. That's--
SUBJECT 4:
I like clothes, stuff like that. [INTERPOSING VOICES]
PHILANDER:
And I know that if I do get in WWE, I'm gonna meet some fine women there, and I need to smash one them.
Q:
Wow, OK. [LAUGHTER] All right. And we're recording. [LAUGHS]
PHILANDER:
So I'm just going to need to find one fine woman. And just live my life with her. And they make it-- they either making more money than me, or the same amount of money as me. So I know that it ain't going to be no funny, funny business going on, because the same treatment see think she finna give me. First, I'm gong to take her money, and then
SUBJECT 4:
Whoa.
PHILANDER:
And then I'mma take her out.
Q:
OK. [LAUGHTER] I have a question that I've been thinking about.
PHILANDER:
What?
Q:
Since I started. If you could tell like people one thing about your community that you don't think they would expect, what would it be?
PHILANDER:
Greatness.
SUBJECT 2:
That you want it to be, or--
PHILANDER:
That they wouldn't expect it to be.
Q:
That they wouldn't expect it to be the--
PHILANDER:
Greatness.
Q:
It is. Yeah? In what way?
PHILANDER:
Like when nobody expect for our community to just love one another.
SUBJECT 1:
Right, I think I know-[INTERPOSING VOICES]
PHILANDER:
That's what everybody wouldn't expect from. Let's say your community is violent and then, two years later, 10 years later, two years later, the count is good. Everybody love each other now. Ain't no disrespect going around. No beefing. None of that. And that's what nobody expect.
SUBJECT 1:
Well nobody expect our neighborhood to like it being in the books. I know-- look, all right, think about Little Red Riding Hood. Think about what the narrator described in there. The beautiful trees. So nobody expect our neighborhood to be like getting along. Everybody on the block-- like you see barbecues and stuff no more. That's gone. The garbage cans again sitting up. No trash fallen out. No garbage laying around. Grass cut. Looking nice and good. No houses look bombed.
PHILANDER:
Just a great place.
SUBJECT 1:
With dirt on it. Holes in the walls inside the houses, well nobody expect that.
Q:
What parts are-- will you say-- they're already or there is something that's there already that someone wouldn't expect?
SUBJECT 1:
What? That's already here right now?
Q:
Yeah.
SUBJECT 1:
I gotta think about that.
Q:
I think I already wrote-- Were you saying something?
SUBJECT 1:
Gotta think about that. That's tough.
PHILANDER:
What was the think again?
SUBJECT 1:
The question for--
Q:
It was the question, yeah. It was what's something that-- is there something that's already there in your community that you don't think other people see? Or that they wouldn't expect.
SUBJECT 1:
A little communications.
Q:
Communication?
SUBJECT 1:
Like, I'm your neighbor and we getting along. Like that just-- like you gone-- like, say you travel-- you out of town and we communicating. I'm babysitting your pet or something like that. I'm mowing your lawn or something. Making sure your house good.
SUBJECT 4:
Cutting your lawn.
SUBJECT 1:
You know the neighborhoods who be having a lot of house watches or something.
Q:
Right.
SUBJECT 1:
Stuff like that.
SUBJECT 3:
Like, say, our neighbors-- we neighbors and we don't like each other, but our kids they friends though. Like that something they wouldn't expect.
PHILANDER:
They won't-- some parents not like this-- but, let's say, you got kids and then the other neighbor got kids. Let's say the kids get along, but the parents don't. They ain't trying to separate no kids from they friendship because the parents are not getting along. Not every parent does this, but some do because some are petty like that.
Q:
You were saying-- this was like two things, but you were saying despite the beef the parents might have, you can be friends with the people on your block. Whoever you choose to be friends with.
SUBJECT 4:
Say this, y'all neighbors, and y'all don't like each other, but the neighbors that don't like each
other, they help they kids. This neighbor help this kid neighbor that is don't like him. SUBJECT 1:
That's important but-- say, for instance, he my neighbor, he got to work, he can't pick his kid up, but I do it for him. Helping.
SUBJECT 4:
But we don't like each other. That's something we wouldn't expect.
Q:
But it's still that support.
PHILANDER:
It's a bond. Like, when it comes to kids, when it come to kids, people will put they disrespectness aside.
Q:
To the side.
PHILANDER:
And they help the kids. They do it for kids. Like, literally. I'mma be my hundred percent-- my relationship is not going to be great-- see, if I got a baby momma that I didn't know about that I got pregnant. I didn't know about her. And then she ends up getting pregnant-- and I ain't know-- I would daunt me. You know what I'm saying? I didn't know. And then I end up getting her pregnant, and then I-- 10 years later, two years later-- I find out I got a kid. Like that-- and I'mma still be living a good life. I'mma take care off my kids, but I'm gonna get married just so I don't have to pay child support. Because I'm already going to be supporting--
SUBJECT 2:
If you marry, you still pay child support.
PHILANDER:
I mean that's--
SUBJECT 1:
I feel like we need more get-togethers as a neighborhood. Every different neighborhood. Like, you know how you have a family reunion? Stuff like that. You would throw a like-- you would have bounce houses and stuff. Stuff like that. You would play trivia games. Pin the tail, stuff like that. That'll bring you closer. I think we need stuff like that.
SUBJECT 2:
Like, I get a girl pregnant I'm just going to do what I gotta do as a man and get it over with I get out oh I know me an apparent man a my mind gotta be together though still to meet and take care of my child.
Q:
So we're wrapping up. Now what do you think that is the most-- I mean, and this is going off of what we were just talking about-- but if you want people to know, right? So people that aren't from-- like people in New York, people in Florida, or wherever, the thing that's unique or special about-- again, this could be our broader community-- but that like keeps you motivated?
SUBJECT 4:
Keep my community motivated. The violence. People want to stop violence and make the world a better place. Like, you with your kid growing up thinking they gonna get shot any second. Because then they go to school. Have fun.
Q:
All right. You can close it out there. You gonna say something? OK.