Red Hook Star-Revue, December 2018 by George Fiala

DECEMBER 2018

The Sights and Sounds of Red Hook Town

SEE PAGE 34

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

TANK BOMBSHELL DROPPED AT SUPERFUND MEETING RED HOOK INITIATIVE page 3 Red Hook Star-Revue

The MOTH STORY SLAM page 16 www.star-revue.com

page 7

December 2018, Page 1

The

Red Hook StarªRevue

481 Van Brunt Street, 8A Brooklyn, NY 11231 (718) 624-5568

Star ª Revue Community Events December

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December Happenings

Wed.

Join the folks at Hot Wood Arts for their monthly First Wednesday’s ﬁgure drawing session. $10. 7 – 10 pm, 481 Van Brunt Street, 9B.

Voice concerns, ask ques�ons, or meet the police captain at the 76th Precinct Community Council from 7:30pm to 9:00pm atBrooklyn 76th Precinct Police, 191 Union Street Wednesday, December 5 through Saturday December 8 4th Annual ROOTS’N’RUCKUS FEST at the Jalopy Theatre and Jalopy Tavern 9pm FREE

On December 7 there will be a community tree ligh�ng at PS 15 from 4:00 to 5:30. There will Fri. be performances be the Brooklyn Youth Chorus and Mr. Stan’s Christmas Carolers. Contact parent coordinator Melissa Johnson at mjohnson@ schools.nyc.gov for more informa�on.

email george@redhookstar.com. The Red Hook Star-Revue is published monthly. Founded June 2010.

Community Telephone Numbers:

Red Hook Councilman Carlos Menchaca (718) 439-9012 Red Hook Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (718) 492-6334 State Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (718) 643-6140 Gowanus Councilman Brad Lander (718) 499-1090 Park Slope Councilman Steve Levin (718) 875-5200 CB6 District Manager Michael Racioppo (718) 643-3027 76th Police Precinct, 191 Union Street Main phone (718) 834-3211 Community Affairs (718) 834-3207 Traffic Safety (718) 834-3226 Eileen Dugan Senior Center, 380 Court Street (718) 596-1956 Miccio Center, 110 East 9th Street (718) 243-1528 Red Hook East Dev. Office, 62 Mill St (718) 852-6771 Red Hook West Dev. Office, 55 Dwight St. (718) 522-3880

Vendors, including Jalopy Records, the Record Shop, Juxtaposed Crea�ons, Rinny’s Restyle and A�meinplace will be selling records and Sat. more at the 1st Annual Jalopy Holiday Bazaar, at The Jalopy Theatre, 315 Columbia St, Sat. Dec. 8th 3pm-6pm which is the same weekend as the 4th Annual Roots N Ruckus.

9 Sun.

The PS 58 (330 Smith Street) PTA will be hos�ng their second annual holiday gi� fair on Sunday, December 9 from 10 un�l 4 pm. The proceeds will go to PTA funded programs.

Red Hook West Tenants Mee�ng, headed by Lillie Marshal, 6:30pm – 9:00pm, at 428 Columbia Street Tenant oﬃce room 1-C

Please join the Gowanus Canal CAG’s Holiday Party at Lavendar Lake 7:30pm.

Tue.

Thu.

19 Wed

20 Wed

Join neighbors to hear updates regarding Red Hook East and voice any concerns or ask ques�ons of TA President Francis Brown at 167 Bush Street, 1B from 6:30-9:30pm. Thursday, December 20

For more listings, check out our online community calendar at www.star-revue.com/calendar

Join Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and Prospect Park Alliance for Brooklyn’s Tue. most spectacular New Year’s Eve Fireworks Celebra�on at Prospect Park’s iconic Grand Army Plaza. This free event includes live entertainment star�ng at 10:30pm, followed by ﬁreworks at the stroke of midnight. This ﬁreworks display, now in its 39th year, a�racts tens of thousands of revelers to Prospect Park, making it one of the city’s most popular celebra�ons. For religious events see page 28 For tree and menorah ligh�ngs see page 34 Tuesdays Professional dancers teach free dance workshops every Tuesday 6-8pm except Dec. 25, at the Red Hook Jus�ce Center, 88 Visita�on Pl.

ONGOING

E & P George Fiala

email george@redhookstar.com to list your event.

Wednesdays Join Healing A�er Violence, a support group for women who have experienced violence in a rela�onship on Wednesdays from 5 to 7pm at Red Hook Community Jus�ce Center, 88 Visita�on Pl.Call Red Hook CARES at 347-404-9017 to learn more. Listen to Country, rock, blues, Americana LIVE at Pig Beach, 480 Union St. star�ng at 7pm on Wednesdays Thursdays Broadly Entertaining hosts Thursday Night Trivia at Rocky Sullivan’s, 46 Beard St, at 8pm, FREE! 1st place winner gets 50% oﬀ their tab! Fridays

Red Hook Library, 7 Wolco� St, oﬀers one-on-one Resume, Cover Le�er, and Interview Prep from 11am to 1pm. Saturdays Gowanus and Brooklyn Makers sell their wares at Gowanus Holiday Flea Market, Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse, 165 2nd Ave. on Dec. 8, 15, & 22 from 12-4:30pm. If you would like a seller’s table, email: info@seedsinthemiddle. org or call 917-697-3745 Saturday Ac�vi�es for ages 13 and up, including gym, theater, weight room, computers at the Miccio center, Miccio cornerstone center, 110 west 9th street, a program of Good Shepherd Services,(718) 243-1528

PS 676 gi�-giving event on December 20 but it will be just for the school community

NYCHA Satellite Police Precinct, 80 Dwight St. Main Phone (718) 265-7300 Community Affairs (718) 265-7313 Domestic Violence (718) 265-7310 Youth Officer (718) 265-7314 Red Hook NCOs Damien Clarke – Damien.Clarke@nypd.org; (929) 287-7155 Jonathan Rueda – Jonathan.Rueda@nypd. org – 917-941-2185

Page 2 Red Hook Star-Revue

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December 2018

RED HOOK INITIATIVE A Neighborhood and Its Nonprofit

year after Hurricane Sandy, a Columbia University graduate student named Shannon Geiss came to Red Hook to record conversations with neighborhood residents for her thesis project, “Ambiguous Borders: Defining Community in Red Hook, Brooklyn,” an audio walking tour that would earn her a master’s degree in oral history in 2014. Her work found its final interview subject in a 19-year-old, Rasheed Johnson, who had moved to the Red Hook Houses eight years earlier. “Are there any things that have changed since you’ve been here?” Gneiss asks. Johnson’s tone is melancholy. “Just hangout spots, basically. Like I told you, my favorite spot when I was younger was the graffiti spot by IKEA. IKEA moved there, tore down the whole graffiti spot. The only hangout spot that’s actually left is the pier, is Valentino Pier, and I don’t think they knocking that down any time soon.” Gneiss presses further: “I’m wondering about – I don’t know how to put this. Do you spend very much time over on Van Brunt Street, or are there are certain parts of the neighborhood that you spend more time in?” “Now, I spend more time at home than anywhere else,” Johnson says. “If I were to go outside, I’d walk straight to Valentino Pier because that’s the only thing left of what I came to Red Hook with. I have a spot on Valentino Pier – it’s where you see the Red Hook blocks. I’ll go right across there and sit right on those rocks and just watch the waves. That’s the only thing I’ll do.” At the time of the interview, Johnson worked as an assistant to the executive coordinator at the Red Hook Initiative, the local community center, social services provider, and youth empowerment organization at 767 Hicks Street. Gneiss notes that Johnson was “proud of his job. For Rasheed, whose apartment was without power for at least a month after the storm, it was one of the only things that kept him going. Red Hook Initiative got him through the struggles of Hurricane Sandy and has continued to inspire him to do whatever he wants with his life.” Founded in 2002, the Red Hook Initiative offers a wealth of afterschool programming and community building endeavors for youth between the ages of 12 and 24. From homework help and photography classes to mental health screenings and vocational training, RHI’s programs, organized primarily within a three-phased pipeline that takes kids from middle school to college (with additional classes and events for their elders), touch more than 5,000 Red Hook residents annually by the organization’s own calculation. And because of its commitment to community hiring, residents – who account for 93 percent of the staff – also lead many of the activities.

Red Hook Star-Revue

By Brett Yates

Red Hook kids Red Hook Star-Revue file photo.

In a neighborhood whose unemployment rate doubles that of Brooklyn at large, RHI has, over the past year alone, paid over $1.26 million in wages, stipends, and contracts to the people of Red Hook, including teenagers, whom RHI seeks to position as “co-creators of their lives, community and society,” and of RHI itself. In a 2016 interview at TechCrunch, RHI executive director Jill Eisenhard described the philosophy behind her nonprofit when she stated that “it is the people who live in a community who can create the change that is necessary for that community.” This notion that, with the right attitude and methodology, it’s possible for a well-funded, professionalized 501(c)(3) to bypass the paternalism that can plague well-meaning nonprofits whose broad objectives and

day-to-day procedures are determined outside the populations they serve has consistently guided RHI’s self-presentation and, by most accounts, has deeply informed the nature of its outreach. The role of RHI, as it conceives of itself, is not merely to treat a predetermined set of social ills but to create a safe, welcoming space for the creativity and open-ended growth of young people, who, with the help of instructors, social workers, and their own neighbors, may, for example, design workshops on topics like sexual health or dating violence and present them to their peers, or decide on their own that they would like to plant more trees in their neighborhood, with RHI providing the means for them to do so. According to Dr. Anna Ortega-Williams, a professor of social work at Hunter College

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who previously worked at RHI for 14 years, the organization has made its “deepest impact” by offering “unconditional love. That’s not something that’s written into a grant. It’s part of everything; it’s atmospheric. Love is atmospheric at RHI.” Even so, the fact remains that Red Hook did not create the Red Hook Initiative. The bulk of its funding does not come from Red Hook. Its board of directors, which contains no Red Hook natives, resembles that of any flashy, well-connected New York City nonprofit, with the usual roll of app developers, film producers, magazine editors, political strategists, financial analysts, and people whose names, when Googled, yield Vogue articles about their storybook weddings in 12th-century French castles. Taken

RHI continued on page 30

December 2018, Page 3

Community Leaders Convene at Library Summit

n the afternoon of November 17, leaders of local organizations, activists, and politicians gathered at the Red Hook Public Library with the goal of creating – or beginning to create – a “community-based plan” for the neighborhood. Drawing a crowd of about 25, the meeting was dubbed the Red Hook Community Leaders Summit. “If we, as a community, are not planning for our future, then those that are not part of this community are going to plan that future for us,” declared longtime resident Wally Bazemore, who organized the meeting along with Nahisha McCoy, Tevina Willis, and Amy Dench of the Red Hook Houses. Alyce Erdekian, who runs the Red Hook Diabetes Support and Education Program at the library, joined during the planning stages. For resources and support, the group connected with the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety – a “21st century crime reduction approach” by the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice that has focused on lighting improvements, security enhancements, and community programming in 15 crime-plagued NYCHA developments – and, specifically, its NeighborhoodStat initiative (under coordinator Kellen Khelefu), which aims to “bring residents and agencies together” in order to “develop solutions based on combined expertise.” Erdekian ended up emceeing the event.

Bazemore began by summing up the triumphs of Red Hook’s past, including the reduction of the number of waste transfer stations from 22 to one, the constr uction of affordable housing, and the opening of PAVE Academy. “This community has been fighting for years,” he said. “Sometimes, unfortunately, we’ve been fighting each other, and we’re not each other’s enemies. We know who those persons are. We’re here to galvanize this community and plan a future for some of these kids that are here.” After Erdekian and Bazemore’s introduction, representatives from PortSide New York, the Red Hook Community Justice Center, the New York City Council, the River of God Christian Church, Cora Dance, the J.A. Foundation, Falconworks, Realty Collective, the Red Hook Public Library, and the Red Hook Art Project stood up to discuss their current involvement in the community and their goals for the future. While urging support for a new, permanent building for PortSide, founder Carolina Salguero lamented the divide between “industrial Red Hook” and “non-industrial Red Hook” and, especially, the divide

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Page 4 Red Hook Star-Revue

between “NYCHA Red Hook” and “non-NYCHA Red Hook.” Warning of “enormous outside threats coming here to develop,” she opined that “the talent here needs to be more coordinated, so we can help our own internal needs and also deal with external threats.” On the other hand, speaking on behalf of the office of congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Melissa Del Valle Ortiz advised against reflexive hostility toward exogenous forces. “I don’t think anybody ever looks at a community and says, ‘How can we destroy this?’” she observed. Later, Erdekian introduced Bill Knight, a former Occupy Sandy volunteer and community development expert who’s spent most of his career working in Africa, bringing principles of local participation and partnership to foreign aid projects. In the Niger Delta, a region devastated by petroleum extraction, he helped create the Akassa Development Foundation, which seeks to improve conditions sustainably, based on the recommendations of the Akassa tribe. “We managed, working with people in this isolated area, to create a model by going into the community and listening to them and talking to them about what they had and didn’t have and then building up from the bottom a sort of model that worked for them,” he described. The model “spread out to several more communities,” gaining “the attention of various secondary stakeholders, like the oil companies, like the World Bank, like the big international NGOs, et cetera. And they began to come in and participate in this, so we’re bringing people together. It didn’t work perfectly, but it did work, and in Nigeria, anything that works is a bit of a miracle.” Although he made no explicit comparison between Red Hook and the Akassa Kingdom, he stated, “I consider you guys a development organization, or perhaps soon to be a development organization.” Some debate ensued as to which companies operating in Red Hook had fulfilled or neglected their communal responsibilities, with Tesla and the New York City Economic Corporation (EDC) earning particularly low marks. Tesla, which Baze-

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By Brett Yates

more believes should be offering internships to local youth, ignored an invitation to the Summit. EDC leases land from the Port Authority for the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, which, to the consternation of many, has never posted information about Red Hook retail or otherwise promoted the neighborhood. Although the Summit was premised on the idea that the Red Hook Houses and Van Brunt Street could organize around a coherent community identity and mutually held interests, disagreements were frequent, and Red Hook local (and former MAP representative) Damien Scott perceived that, before the group could make plans, it had to sort out what, exactly, it stood for. “Oftentimes, when you’re trying to do this kind of work, instead of trying to create structure, you start with purpose. The purpose will turn into the structure that your organization will take,” he explained. “Start with the values before you start to talk about the details.” Erdekian agreed: “That’s a big gap – the values discussion – and I think it’s an oversight that we didn’t take time to do that, and I’m happy to take responsibility for that.” The much-needed conversation would take place at a later date, but for now the afternoon was winding down. “If we leave here today after four hours without anything actionable, it’s going to be very frustrating,” she warned. In order to “get the ball rolling,” Erdekian hoped to establish committees to take on some of the essential challenges of the neighborhood. The crowd supplied an initial slate of suggestions: there could be a land use committee, an education committee, a health committee, a business oversight committee, a social services committee, a public housing committee, a police relations committee, an infrastructure committee, an environmental committee, a waterfront committee, a committee for seniors and the disabled, a committee for veterans, and more. Salguero, however, cautioned that, for now, subjects like land use and education might best be identified as relevant themes rather than as the basis for preformed committees in advance of the group’s first

Community Leaders continued on next page December 2018

Red Hook Dustup at Police Meeting

Story and photo by Nathan Weiser

n the first Wednesday of each month, the community council of the 76th precinct brings together the police and the public. The latest meeting was held this past November 7th, and was host to some sadness as well as a touch of nuttiness. Council president Jerry Armer began the meeting with the sad news. “Last April, Marie Gambardella, who was the receptionist here, retired after 47 years,” Armer said. “This past weekend she passed away and the wake and funeral were on Monday and Tuesday.” The police commissioner himself came to honor Marie at her retirement party. Deputy Inspector Commanding Officer Megan O’Malley thanked everyone. “The turnout was an overwhelming show of support at the wake, funeral and on social media,” O’Malley said. “This is a testimony to this women’s life. She left a legacy. We appreciate it, and I know her family is astonished.” CRIME STATISTICS Crime for the last four-week period is down 14 percent and the precinct area is down three percent for the year. In the traffic side of things, O’Malley remarked that things are going well. They are down six percent year to date with pedestrian and bicycle collisions having decreased. O’Malley advised being careful when having packages delivered to your home. “It is the holiday season and try to have packages delivered where they can be received by somebody and signed for,” O’Malley said. “Most package thefts are a misdemeanor, and this is something we would rather avoid happening.” NEIGHBORHOOD COORDINATION OFFICERS (NCO) There are two sectors that cover Red Hook and they both have quarterly. Sector C, which covers Van Brunt Street down to Fairway and IKEA, meets on Wednesday, December 12 at the Red Hook Library at 6:30. Officer Rueda, who is one of the two NCOs for Sector D, gave more specifics of the community-oriented Build the Block program. “If you do not want to say some-

Community Leaders continued from previous page truly public meeting. Though technically open to all comers, the Red Hook Community Leaders Summit had not been widely promoted – the goal had been to “define the future of Red Hook” by “connecting community experts,” as Erdekian had put it. Invitations had gone out to select parties. If the architecture of the emergent group were defined before

Red Hook Star-Revue

Megan O’Malley Commanding Officer of the 76th with Jerry Armer, president of the Community Council thing in front of everybody, we can take you aside,” Rueda said. “You can ask a question if you have a problem that is more sensitive. If you want everybody to know about a car parked in the corner for four hours seven days a week we will take care of it.” RED HOOK HOUSES An area resident wanted to know who patrols the projects, especially Red Hook East, as she doesn’t think there has been as much of a presence as there used to be. The resident wants to see the policing increase since it has diminished recently and also wants to see the scaffolding do down. She has seen increased drug criminal activity and undesirable people in her building due to it not being locked. O’Malley said that all the NYCA developments are under the PSA1. However, everything in the 76th Precinct is coordinated between PSA1 and the rest of the 76th Precinct officers. “Everything we do is in partnership,” O’Malley said. “It does not matter to us or to housing who is covering it as long as it is controlled. I have to say that the presence this summer in Red Hook was tremendous.” “Crime is down significantly, everybody had a great enjoyable summer,” O’Malley said. “We had the Old Timers and Family Days with zero incidents. For us not to have to engage in any negative enforcement action implied that community participation was 100 percent.” Then, the nuttiness occurred. Kevin Duffy, who lives with his family in Carroll Gardens and whose kids go to the BASIS school across from

IKEA, had huge issues about walking through Red Hook. “I think people are alarmed,” Duffy said. “I think we take for granted that community (Red Hook). I don’t think there is a magic wand to just wipe up the criminality. He had complaints about the methadone clinic and thinks petty criminals are emboldened and that triggers other things. He believed that he does not feel enough police presence on the street. “What can I do besides telling my kids to run to school and back?” Duffy said. “Is the answer that I should go to paid police officers and put some on the corner? I am on the

streets. I don’t feel the police.” O’Malley questioned if he really feels that his child will be a victim of a crime while walking from Carroll Gardens to the BASIS school. Duffy’s answer was emphatically yes. “I was at the at the car wash one day and police officers were 100 yards away and people went through my car. It was total disrespect,” he said. O’Malley was familiar with the incident at the car wash, and she said it was an unattended purse in plain view in a car, which is a problem all commands struggle with. “This is my son,” Duffy said. “We are talking about my son! The day something happens to my son, you are accountable. Where in the presence in the street?” O’Malley added that they can’t put an officer on every corner and that the officers and walking around. “It was an unintended harm on a vehicle,” O’Malley said in response to Duffy. “It was a property crime. Your child was not assaulted on a soccer field.” Duffy was not pleased and continued his tirade. re pathetic,” Duffy said. “It is really terrible management. Your leadership is really surprisingly weak.” Karen Broughton, Chief of Staff for the local assemblyman, said that she lives in Red and came to the meeting from the Miccio in the dark with no problems.

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incorporating broader public input, this “top-down” approach would generate “blowback,” Salguero predicted. In the end, no formal committees were established, and the group determined that its focus, heading into its second, larger, more inclusive meeting – tentatively planned for January– would be on outreach and recruitment. It would also need to find a larger space.

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Beautifully curated vintage clothing and accessories, vintage smalls and decor, unique handmade arts and crafts. Great gift giving items and festive holiday wear! We buy vintage clothing and high end designer pieces

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applebe Chalk Li Cleme DK Ca Grutch Homemad December 2018, Page 5Return T Simon S

Regina Opera’s Hansel & Gretel make for Holiday Fun

erman composer Engelbert Humperdinck’s first stage work was Hansel and Gretel. It was written in 1893, and was an immediate hit. Its strong Wagnerian themes are wondrous and the folk music and melodies resounding. Hansel and Gretel was given at BAM at a matinee on December 25th 1909 by the Metropolitan Opera on tour. Perfect Christmas entertainment! The Regina Opera had a nice size crowd at Our Lady of Perpetual Help high school auditorium to see this rarity on the afternoon of Sunday, November 18th. When Maestro José Alejandro Guzmán came to the podium, the din of excitement lowered and the opera began. The story begins at their home on the edge of the forest. Carolyn Tye was Hansel, an amiable boob and a bit greedy. Gretel was Christa Hylton. Together they were like Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, silly but lovable and getting into big trouble. Caroline Tye had a strong mezzo that evoked brotherly affection and Christa Hylton’s flexible and sweet soprano made for a Gretel of affability and sisterly concern. Mother was soprano Dawn Kunkel, who indicated her concern for the children living in poverty with no food. She broke the milk jug trying to hit them with her stick, for dancing and not working, and sends them to the woods to go berry picking. Bass-baritone GeeSeop Kim was the Father, powerful of voice and kind of laid back. His theme song “Tra-la-la” was quite irresistible. He

came home drunk Carolyn Tye and Christa Hylton in and happy but was Regina Opera’s Hansel and Gretel very upset that his wife sent the children to the woods, because a child-eating Witch lived there. He pulled out a sack full of food that he earned selling items at a festival. Then they both rush out to look for the children. The second act is in the Forest where Hansel and Gretel are dark bewitching tones and beguiled lost. The Sandman, sung by Elena the children to listen to her comJannicelli-Sandella, appears in a mands. When the Witch goes to the magical outfit and white beard and oven to see how the gingerbread is lovely soprano. Hansel and Gretel doing, Hansel and Gretel push her then are heard singing their hushed in. and haunting duet, “The Evening The oven explodes and the gingerPrayer” so familiar and comforting. bread figures become real children. A beautiful vocal blend lovingly renTh e children take the witch, now dered. The children fall asleep as ana huge Gingerbread cookie, out of gels watch over them. the oven. Everyone thanks God and The third act is the Witch’s house. dances triumphantly. The Dew Fairy (Taerra Pence) with The sets of were alive, verdant a lovely bird like soprano, sprinkles and inviting. The trees and greenery dew on Hansel and Gretel to awaken were splendid and the Witch’s house them. Gretel greets the forest birds a cornucopia of evil transformed with a song, then she awakens Haninto pure joy. sel who starts eating the house made Our friend, the ever present and of sweets, pancakes, and all kinds of joyous Cathy Greco lent her sweet goodies.The horrible Witch appears smile and voice as part of the choand its “Another fine mess you got rus and ensemble. The choreograme into” à la Laurel and Hardy. The phy was lithe and angelic; the cosWitch freezes them as they try to escape. She feeds Hansel, declaring him “too thin.” The Witch was brilliantly played by Ukrainian mezzo Galina Ivannikova, who sang with

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Page 6 Red Hook Star-Revue

‘Tis the season! Eat, drink and be merry! You’re invited to a super special holiday shopping and tasting event!

Friday December 7th, 6-9PM

Birthday Parties

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tumes by Marcia Kresge were beautiful and magical. The clever lighting designer was Stephanie Lim. The set design by Linda Lehr and Wayne Olsen was like a Wizard of Oz Hollywood set. The make-up by Saori Morris was perfect. The stage director Linda Lehr can wear another medal for the holiday joy of the colorful sets. The cheers for the company included Diana Barkan violinist, husband Daniel on the English horn and enchanting daughter Nomi as a cookie-child. The conducting of this glorious score was José Alejandro Guzmán. The orchestral interludes were sophisticated, illuminating, and had real sparkle and zest. Maestro Guzmán really showed us how to enjoy the beautiful music of this talented composer and make it part of the Sunset Park scene. After the opera, we dined at nearby Casa Vieja (Lourdes Peña and excellent staff ) for a Mexican feast (no gingerbread!) The new renaissance of Sunset Park is assured by the good restaurants and the presence of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, whose red seated plush high school theatre is our operatic home in Brooklyn.

Shop our latest collections by more than 30 local artists and designers! Sip complimentary sake and wine! Mingle with the makers We will offer a very special holiday tasting menu by Kuryu New York, the Fusion Japanese catering company owned by Teruo Yoshioka, a chef with 14 years experience at the highly

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reputed Nobu restaurant.* This menu is prix fixe and available by reservation at brooklyncollective.com Artwork 2018 Dara Cerv

December 2018

Photo by Steven Pisano

A review by Nino Pantano

TANK BOMBSHELL DROPPED AT SUPERFUND MEETING

owanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG) members received updates from government and city agencies at the general monthly meeting, held November 27. The biggest surprise involved a last minute request by the NYC DEP to build a giant tunnel, instead of the planned sewage retention tanks ordered by the EPA, to capture raw sewage that now is dumped into the Gowanus during rainstorms EPA Regional Administrator Peter Lopez dropped the bombshell. After finally winning their battle to take over two industrial buildings, which they did using emindent domain, to build the tank on, the city has now approached the EPA to replace the tank idea with an “alternate structure-like tunnel or series of tunnels.” “We’re trying to understand the pros and cons of that, and ultimately the decision from EPA will be “What does that mean for construction progression, timeframe, and – ultimately – tunnel versus tank? Is there an environmental benefit that may come from one or the other?” Lopez said. Lopez made it clear that he is most interested in hearing from DEP if any additional environmental benefits could result from this tunnel proposal. He also emphasized to those in attendance that this is currently at a very cursory level of review. Nonetheless, many in the audience were kind of shocked.

Story and photo by Erin DeGregorio

DEP Project Coordinator Kevin Clarke provided some very preliminary details, saying the tunnel would be between 125 and 155 feet deep and would follow the alignment of the 1.8mile long canal. He said the storage volume would be more than the combined storage volume of two tanks. “We’re currently proposing 16 to 17 million gallons, although that’s something that would need to be further evaluated through some detailed planning,” he said. When Chrissy Remein of Riverkeeper asked Clarke about DEP’s motivation, he said it was money. “As we were developing the plans for [Flushing Bay and Newtown Creek] projects, we were proceeding with the planning and design of the two tanks for Gowanus and the costs of the tanks continued to increase. The tunnel alternative looked more attractive,” Clarke said. “We saw that potentially pivoting to a tunnel could add some additional benefits – as far as scalability into the future, potentially additional CSO capture, potentially less construction impacts, eventually less footprints.” The Newtown Creek project which has proposed a 2.5-mile long tunnel alternative to capture sewage runoff, has options of four preliminary tunnel routes. The volume of the tunnel ultimately determines the preliminary

Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group November meeting probable bid costs.

What’s Next?

EPA Region 2 Superfund Director Walter Mugdan said that a headhouse with pumps and above-ground mechanisms would still be necessary.

Lopez said that EPA is not in the position to say tunnel over tank (or vice versa) yet; right now, EPA is proceeding with the tank concept until DEP provides more information.

Canal Clean-up Progress

“We don’t even know if the tunnel concept is viable. We don’t know if it would be acceptable,” Lopez explained. “So, our recommendation is – as the discussion gets more serious – to have the city tell us more about it. Just because they talk about it doesn’t mean that’s the direction [we’re] headed.”

The 4th Street Turning Basin Dredging and Capping Pilot Project has finally been completed after 13 months. “It’s the first time a portion of the canal has a clean bottom in 150 years!” beamed EPA remedial project manager Christos Tsiamis. As a result, this process has helped EPA determine which means and methods will be used in continuing to clean up the canal. “From a technical point of view, by spring, we will be able to start the countdown of the clean-up in months, not in years,” Tsiamis said.

Mugdan followed up, telling the room that the decision would have to be made in the relatively near future. A presentation will be made by DEP next year. The first CAG meeting of 2019 will take place on Tuesday, January 22, at 6:30 pm at Mary Star of the Sea Senior Apartments (41 1st Street). All CAG meetings are open to the public – one need not be a member to attend. To apply for membership, see gowanuscag.org.

Theater of the Oppressed focuses on Hostile High School experiences By Nathan Weiser

heater of the Oppressed gives teenagers an opportunity and an outlet to share stories and life experiences that they might not be able to otherwise. This program chose to partner with the Red Hook Justice Center because they they both engage young people in social justice issues. They will be wrapping up their third session of the year at the Justice Center in December. There is a long process between finding the participants and the final performance. During the summer session at the Justice Center the group met twice a week but during this fall session they have been rehearsing once a week. The beginning of each session include games, exercises and conversations so that the group can get to know each other. The group will then collaborate on a focus for their play and will form their scenes based on the support of two of the facilitators. A general topic focus for the program is to talk about how systems or outside circumstances can get in their way, or in the way of people close to them. They investigate the social norms or rules that cause problems in their community. The specific focus during this fall session has been on education and the various obstacles that the kids face. “Some are in public schools, some are in charter schools, some are in

Red Hook Star-Revue

religious schools,” Sulu LeoNimm said in a Star-Revue interview. LeoNimm is a facilitator, or what the group calls, a “Joker.” “The focus is noticing how young people in New York are experiencing education very differently. Sometimes that is via the security that is in some schools. Sometimes that is how their teachers treat them / stereotype them,” she said. The performance will be interactive with the audience as the teenagers have been talking a lot about what they have seen from their teachers in school. They will want to know how their experiences might be different than that of the audience. “In our conversation we always mix talking with doing improvisation to show what people are talking about,” LeoNimm added. “The audience will see the play and then they will be participating in a conversation with the actors. They will be asked to identify what the problems are in the situation.” The treatment in school and what they go through has an effect on them and their experience has made them frustrated, annoyed and has even gotten in the way of some of them getting their education. During the performance, individuals from the audience will be invited to come on stage to replay scenes where they think there could be an opportunity for change. The idea is

for this to be collaborative and community members idea about how to fix the issues. This program can have a profound impact on the participants as it is a creative outlet that they don’t get in their day to day life. “We have some people who have been doing this for a couple of years,” LeoNimm. “I think for some of them it’s fun. For some of them it is an opportunity to talk about things that are going on that may or may not be available to them in other spaces. Some of them are doing this with

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their friends, so it is an opportunity to do that together.” The teenagers who have already been involved with the Youth Court Program at the Justice Center have a real interest in figuring out how to change the system and especially issues that affect young people. According to the program director, these individuals associated with the Youth Court Program are frustrated with the schools, courts and how punishment works for young people right now and this is a way to have a wider outlet for this conversation. The new session will likely begin in January. For teenagers who want to get involved the simply have to sign up at the Justice Center. LeoNimm wants youth who know that they will be able to come to rehearsals on a regular basis and actively participate. The participants will be able to get to know everyone the first day and then decide if they want to continue in following weeks. “My best invitation for people who are interested would be to come to the show at Pioneer Works and see what this group makes so they know what they are getting into,” LeoNimm added. “If they are excited to try it, keep your eye out for postings in the neighborhood in January.” The final performance this year will be December 6th at Pioneerworks.

December 2018, Page 7

Trucking the topic at Civic Association By George Fiala

rucks were the hot topic at November’s Red Hook Civic Association meeting. A huge crowd for the association filled a large part of PS 15’s auditorium. Many came to hear councilman Carlos Menchaca speak on a host of issues. The other big guest was Megan O’Malley, head of the 76th precinct. John McGettrick presided over things as always. He was joined this time by MTA expert Robert Berrios, who didn’t speak until the very end, when he did a little update on the B77 bus situation, which is still on hold. The meeting was accompanied, as always when meetings are big enough to command the auditorium, by bouncing basketballs from the adjacent gym. O’Malley was joined by Officers Jovin and Class, who are two of the local NCO officers. They followed up on a previous meeting to say that illegal bus and truck street parking are being ticketed more than ever. John Battis, of Dikeman Street, threw a wrinkle into that one, pointing out that cars with commercial plates are parking all around his home. He says that people with businesses drive to the neighborhood to go to work, switching parking spaces with their commercial vehicles, which are illegally parked overnight, and then repeating the process at the end of the day. He says that this is happening in Red Hook because it’s not being enforced here. O’Malley and Jovin says they will notify the overnight cops to check license plates when they can, but a bigger priority at night will always be to keep the neighborhood safe. Checking plates comes second. Tesla was another big topic, al-

though they do not yet produce trucks. Parking over bike lanes and sidewalks were mentioned, as was the general indifference to Red Hook and it’s community that Tesla seems to exhibit. This was also mentioned at the recent Summit held at the library, and the councilman told the audience that there will eventually be more big companies moving to the neighborhood, and we will probably have to teach them that this indeed, is a neighborhood, and the need for them to be good neighbors is important. Someone, possibly McGettrick, mentioned that the old, possibly historic building across from Valentino Pier is going to be torn down, which is news to this paper. We had thought that Estate Four had kept that one building in their portfolio, earning money from movie and TV shoots. Among the news announced by Councilman Menchaca was a different sort of plan for the impound lot, which is at the end of Columbia Street, abutting the Erie Basin. The police had requested a sort of indefinite lease, which is what they are used to getting, but Menchaca used his powers at the council to give them a ten year lease, with the idea being that having an impound lot where evidence is stored is not good to have in a flood zone. In addition, thought will be given as to how the neighborhood could benefit from the space in 2028, such as a park or marina. A McGettrick project, funding for a permanent groundskeeper at Valentino Pier, was achieved. Another project, express bus service to Manhattan, is still on hold, as the city still is wasting money studying a trolley car alongside shore properties

Councilmember Carlos Menchaca with host, John McGettrick

in Queens and Brooklyn, according to Menchaca. John McGettrick recounted an amazing story about his interaction with a paid supporter of the trolley. The shill was trying to convince John about the wonderfulness of the trolley idea. John countered by saying all we need is the bus to take people to work in Lower Manhattan. “Why would people want to go to lower Manhattan when we could just have lower Manhattan right here in Red Hook,” was the shill’s response. Which is what we have to continually be vigilant against, if we wish to remain the community, we have chosen to make our lives in. In some other business, Carolina of Portside pushed the need to make the ferry entrance more inviting; Joanie from PS 15 announced some participatory budgeting projects that the school is trying to achieve, including an ADA ramp for the pre-

school playground; replacement of the 12 year old AstroTurf in the big kids yard, and some permanent electrical hookups in the yard for when events need loudspeakers and other electric stuff.

The Red Hook Star-Revue is the community newspaper that goes both ways. We work hard to present you with an information and entertaining package of news, events and advertising that makes living in Brooklyn a little more intimate and friendly. We are also here to listen to you. You can send us letters to the editor, that we gladly print, we accept op-ed submissions on interesting topics, and if you have ideas for stories or tips we can use, please let us know. If you happened upon this paper by chance and would like to be able to pick it up near you, drop us a line and we will get a stack of our free newspapers at a convenient location. You can stop by to see us if you like – we are at

481 Van Brunt Street, building 8,

across from Fairway, inside of NY Printing and Graphics.

You can call us most of the time at

Healing & Recovery in an Urban Setting Urban Recovery is a unique rehabilitation facility under development in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Providing residential treatment and services, we combine the benefits of the traditional 12-step program with individualized care that is innovative and cutting edge.

OPENING SOON C R E AT I N G A C O N T I N U U M O F C A R E I N R E A L L I F E S I T U AT I O N S

U R B A N R E C O V E R Y. C O M | D . E P P @ U R B A N R E C O V E R Y. C O M

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718 624-5568. But probably the best way to grab our attention is by email, and here are our email addresses:

News Editor george@redhookstar.com Arts Editor Music Editor Advertising inquiries Graphic Design Reporter Reporter Religion Reporter Investigative Reporter Circulation

mattcaprioli@gmail.com michaelcobb70@gmail.com liz@redhookstar.com jamie@redhookstar.com sonja@redhookstar.com erin@redhookstar.com nathan.weiser@yahoo.com laura.eng59@aol.com brettayates@gmail.com george@redhookstar.com

December 2018

November CB6 General Meeting

Ferry news at CB6

By Erin DeGregorio

adhy Miranda, assistant vice president of government and community relations was dispatched to the CB6 Waterfront committee to answer questions about the NYC Ferry. It was simply a generic presentation, and he was not prepared to speak specifically about ferry service pertaining to the one stop in the community board area – namely the one in Red Hook. No one knew in advance exactly what EDC would be presenting, according to CB 6 District Manager Michael Racioppo. They were invited to speak about waterfront issues. Co-Chair Rick Luftglass asked how many people use the Red Hook. Miranda didn’t know, he said anyone could look it up online. We did - the weekday daily average ridership at Red Hook was 237 and the weekend daily aver-

By Erin DeGregorio

age ridership was 309. In comparison, Dumbo sported numbers of 1711 and 2375; while the Atlantic Avenue stop was 271 and 496. Luftglass also asked Miranda what kind of outreach EDC does for employment, specifically in Red Hook. He responded that he knew, off the top of his head, that the NYC Maritime and Freight Logistics Career Awareness Fair was recently held on October 23 at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Other questions posed by committee members included if the Red Hook landing is being looked at together with the Brooklyn-Queens Connector project, and what the long-term sustainability of Red Hook Container Terminal and Brooklyn Cruise Terminal are. Miranda told the members that he could look further into those questions with individuals who could better answer them.

Community Board 6 gathered on November 14 for their monthly general board meeting at the 78th precinct. In attendance were some real politicians, including Assembly member Walter Mosley, Assistant Speaker Felix Ortiz, State Senator Kevin Parker and Assembly member Jo Anne Simon. District Manager Michael Racioppo reminded those in attendance that there will be a special election for New York City Public Advocate in February. Chairperson Sayar Lonial also elaborated on the third proposal, regarding community boards on the most recent ballot, during his chairperson’s report. This proposal, which would impose an eight-year term limit on members of New York City’s community boards, passed with about 70-percent of voters bubbling in “yes” on the ballot. With this law now becoming effective, Lionel said that, while eight years seems far away to think about, it will quickly approach. “I’m going to encourage all of our chairs to please reach out to your community because, as I’ve stated repeatedly, committees are where the work happens and where training happens for the next community board members,” he said. “I think it’s really important that we start thinking about our future and mak-

ing sure our communities remain empowered.” In other news, all committee recommendations made in October were approved. These included motions to green light new on-premises liquor license applications for Cavo Greco (251 Van Brunt Street) and Collective Arts USA LTD (529 3rd Avenue). CB6 members also approved the motion to disapprove the application to rezone 75 and 79 Hamilton Avenue and 41 Summit Street for development of a 10,000 sq. ft., seven story residential building with seven units – citing that it would be out-of-scale with the neighborhood and would be much taller than surrounding buildings. Mosley informed the audience that the 6th Annual Youth Job Fair and Career Expo will take place in midJanuary. Simon spoke about training, technology and law issues at poll sites this past Election Day, including paper ballots, scanners and same-day voting policies, as well as the negative repercussions that will result when the Brooklyn Heights Promenade closes. Parker spoke about sustainable energy laws and briefly mentioned his thoughts on congestive pricing. Ortiz mainly spoke about NYCHA heating issues.

A RED HOOK THANKSGIVING

Summit Academy held their annual community Thanksgiving, bringing hundreds of people to the gym for a hot and scrumptious meal, hosted by Cheryl Swift, principal of Summit Academy and PS 676 principal Priscilla Figueroa. Among the guests were Assistant Speaker Felix Ortiz and NCO Office Jonathan Rueda. (photo by Nathan Weiser)

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December 2018, Page 9

Staking a claim in Red Hook By Kelsey Liebenson-Morse

recently moved down the hill to Van Brunt from nearby Park Slope. Like many before me, I moved for love, but also for cheaper rent. In comparison to Park Slope’s children, stroller and dog-heavy streets, Red Hook feels, for lack of a better adjective, cool. I was hesitant to leave behind the leafy green oasis of Prospect Park, but I thought it worth a chance because I’d be trading trees for waterfront. I like to think people who choose Red Hook are a bit more tenacious than your average New Yorker, maybe a little weirder, a little more “out there.” Every day I ride my bike to the F train, hitching up my skirt, passing under the expressway, rain or shine. So what if my fingers are numb trying to lock my bike or, if some days, I end up being soaked by the time I arrive home? Red Hook promises a quiet not easily found in New York. The morning vibe was a great introduction. Leaving my apartment around 7:30 there isn’t much action on the

streets. There’s a lack of urgency in Red Hook, a slowness to the rhythm of daily life that reminds me more of childhood in New England then the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. Living next door to Mark’s Red Hook Pizza, my bedroom is filled with the familiar scents of melting cheese and baking dough. At night, the clanging of a dumpster interrupts my reading, as the pizzeria shuts down. My romantic “writerly” side feels it’s gorgeously cliche to be living next door to a pizza place. Most nights I can see the blinking tip of the Freedom Tower out of my window, fulfilling most of the New York fantasy of my youth. Every few weeks a cruise ship docks, blocking the entire skyline from view. I’ve found a lack of pretension in Red Hook. At the same time, the whole neighborhood feels, to me, shrouded in a layer of mystery. There are oddities, ranging from one-eyed stray cats, to random art pieces tucked into alleys. I could live in Red Hook for the next decade and very likely continue

to discover secrets. It isn’t unusual to be completely alone on a side street or pedaling through a deserted Coffey Park. At the same time, it can be difficult to sleep with the noise floating up from the backyard of The Ice House. There’s action in Red Hook, you just have to know where to find it. Even though I’m new in the neighborhood, I already recognize faces. There are quite a few 30 somethings in Red Hook, but there are also a lot of old timers, standing on street corners and talking. I wave to the man who stands sentry outside the corner store, smoking and chatting with all the passers-by. He usually adds a de facto “be careful,” when I ride off on my bike. What I’ve learned so far about life

in Red Hook: Find a good place to lock your bike and stake your claim. I was taught this lesson by a woman on my corner. She informed me, in a matter-of-fact tone that I was using her street sign This was despite the fact that I’d arrived before her. It felt prudent to do as she commanded. I pushed my bike further down the block. When we see each other, I smile. Remember to always smile at your neighbors in Red Hook, because they know who you are.

Jelly Rolls And Junk At 11 Woodhull Street by Tina Portelli

was six and he was sixty, and we got along just fine. He had fingers like chewed animal claws and hands that felt like sandpaper. He would wear other peoples discarded eyeglasses and say they were good enough. I spent a lot of time with him, although we hardly spoke. Being the first grandchild of the family, I think I was really special to him. My nose would be buried in his comic books while he would be involved stacking and bundling newspapers. I would sit at the soda counter for hours at a time with Archie and Casper. Often my little hand would slide like a solider on his belly to the two cent Jelly Roll box sitting inches from my reach. I would eat these delicious chocolate covered jellies thinking I was getting away with something big, until I’d notice my grandfather peering over his second hand eyeglasses grinning at me from across the store. More than running a candy store, his passion was for the junk trade. In the back room of that small store at 11 Woodhull Street was a larger room filled with broken toys, tools,

carriages, radiators and things I’d never seen before. Parts of parts, piled to the ceiling. This was his sideline, selling and collecting junk. I could never understand why anyone would want any of that stuff, but now I do. Treasures of the past is what people will pay for. I wish I had his junk now. I remember this small wiry man always in a sleeveless undershirt and khaki pants, cigarette always hanging from his mouth. He was very clean, always close shaved, hair slicked back, almost dapper in his informal attire. He wore a blue apron with a kangaroo pouch in the front to store his loose change. The driver of the Daily News truck would fling the papers at the store entrance and Ralph would quickly get them on the stand for sale, taking one for himself to read with his coffee. When other kids came into the store to buy gum or soda, I remember feeling superior, sitting up on that high stool thinking, “I never have to pay”. I can read these comic books all day, eat his candy for free, who has it better than me? Sitting here for free.

Treasures of the past is what people will pay for. I wish I had his junk now.

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December 2018

Michelin Star Born in Gowanus

n November, the Mexican eatery Claro became the first restaurant in Gowanus ever to win a Michelin star. Executive chef T.J. Steele, previously of Union Square Cafe, and restaurateur J.T. Stewart, who also co-owns the nearby New American spot Freek’s Mill, opened Claro in the summer of 2017 at 284 3rd Avenue. Generally regarded as the world’s authoritative fine-dining manual, the Michelin Guide has appeared annually since 1900. The French tire manufacturer used the book as a strategy to promote automobile travel. Michelin food inspectors now canvass much of Western Europe, East Asia, Brazil, and four North American cities: New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. For 2019, the Michelin Guide has awarded stars to 76 restaurants in New York City – all but ten in Manhattan. I visited Claro for dinner on a Tuesday evening. If Michelin inspectors have traditionally favored stuffier dining rooms with white tablecloths, Claro subverts expectations with a warm, friendly atmosphere that feels more like that of a cozy – albeit stylish – neighborhood bar. Its menu eschews divisions by course, offering a simple list of twelve shareable plates ($15 to $32), three sides, and two desserts. Especially prominent are tostadas, tacos, and moles. Mezcal dominates Claro’s bar, which proposes several tasting flights featuring varieties of the agave-distilled spirit, including Steele’s own brand, El Buho. It also appears in three of Claro’s seven cocktails, which share a beverage menu with three beers and a medium-sized selection of mostly Spanish wines. My companion and I split four dishes, a side of black beans, and a dessert – starting with the empanada de cangrejo, which had a flaky, soft shell but a somewhat unremarkable crab filling despite a pleasant modi-

cum of heat from its unidentified “market chiles,” per the menu’s picturesque phrase. (One’s heart sinks at the thought that the local market from which the chef whimsically plucks his colorful daily assortment of chili peppers may only be the Whole Foods down the street.) The “tacos campechano [sic]” came next: three tortillas bearing small, tasty heaps of supple beef tongue and sweetbread, salsa verde, onion, and cilantro. Steele makes the tortillas in house from his own masa (corn dough). Masa also forms the base for Claro’s rotating memelas – discs thicker than tortillas, simultaneously crispy and chewy. On the night of my visit, the memela topping was a pleasingly dank, springy mixture of wild mushrooms – too many kinds to name, according to our waiter. Our final savory course was the mole rojo, a delicately chocolatey sauce that set a perfect stage for three chunks of tender pork cheek beside a lively salad of mustard greens, apple, pear, raisins, and nuts. For novelty at the end of the meal, we went for the dulce de calabaza instead of the warm chocolate mole cake, which I suspect to be a crowdpleaser. The more obscure dessert is a straightforward arrangement consisting of a hunk of kabocha squash marinated in apple cider syrup, dolloped with excellent whipped cream. Even with the syrup, it feels virtuous to consume a plant for dessert – it’s pretty good, too. All in all, the meal was enjoyable – if, by the absence of any truly startling combination of flavors, not quite life-changing. It may be better to go to Claro in the warmer months, since it has a large patio in back with plenty of seating and a grill that allows the staff to serve

Claro’s busy interior barbecued goat. The striking pop-art mural inside by the renowned Mexican artist Dr. Lakra – a cheekily reversed image, with a gang of gleeful goats cooking a young woman over a flame – hints at the practice. For an additional aesthetic contribution, Steele and Stewart enlisted a Oaxacan artisan to produce their tasteful dinnerware, which was “handmade by Francisco Martínez Alarzón of Santa María Atzompa, with clay that can only be acquired by birthright.” In the view of the Michelin Guide, the world’s greatest cuisines are, by a significant margin, French and Japanese. The inspectors don’t travel to Mexico, and even though Latino cooks have long powered professional kitchens of all types in America, from the bottom to the top of the gastronomic pyramid, no Mexican restaurant in the United States earned a star until 2013. This year, three Mexican restaurants in New York City received stars, but two of them, including Claro, are headed by white American chefs. Raised in New Jersey, Steele has divided much of his adult life between Brooklyn and Oaxaca City in Mexico. Oaxaca is one of the poorest Mexican

Try Rae’s First to close after a 32 year run T

ry Rae’s First, a clothing store located at 430 Court Street is closing. The store, named after owner Raina Passo’s mother Rae, was one of the first of its kind along Court Street in the mid-80s. Her lease was not renewed by the landlord. She has released the following letters to her clients: My store will be closing on December 31. A heartfelt message to my customers: When I opened my store in 1986, I never imagined the many lives that would touch my heart and the friendships I would make. I have known generations of families. Though it is heartbreaking to leave, I am still left with so many fond memories of holidays, birthdays and special events you have so generously shared with me. Thank you for all of your support and friendship

Red Hook Star-Revue

throughout the years. Much gratitude, Rae

With just weeks to go before closing, Passo has a large photo album with her behind the counter. The pages upon pages of pictures, protected in separate sections of cellophane, serve as reminders of great memories collected and cherished through the decades. She reminisced that she’s been to a number of her customers’ anniversary parties, weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and more, and even helped some find outfits for such kind of occasions. “Any special event in their life is a special event in my life,” she said. “Seeing the excitement and joy with my customers is something so amazing.” She explained that it was the little things that impacted her in a big way. “It’s so special to help somebody find the perfect outfit,” she said. “If I

Story and photo by Brett Yates

can put a smile on their face, it just makes my day.” Passo said the store was able to stay open for three decades because it wasn’t just local Brooklynites (and their kids and grandkids) supporting the mom-and-pop business; it was also shoppers from places like Europe, Long Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Westchester checking out her clothes and making purchases. She believes that it was the customer service she offered – getting to know customers personally and their preferred styles – that helped clients feel comfortable to come back again and again. “It’s not just shopping for the sales; it’s like shopping with a friend here,” Passo said. Her inventory constantly changed with new arrivals based on the seasonal weather, what the latest trends and styles were, and what her customers would typically gravitate toward. For example, summer apparel

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states but has nonetheless emerged as attractive tourist destination with a distinct regional cuisine that has generated two outposts in Gowanus alone: Claro and, just a block away on 4th Avenue, Oaxaca Taqueria. The New Yorker’s enthusiastic review of Claro observed that Steele is challenging the idea that Mexican food should be inexpensive and informal, “using high-quality ingredients to make everything from scratch, and paying rent in a recently gentrified neighborhood.” The notion that serving food traditionally eaten by poor people to wealthy gentrifiers at a much higher price point may count as a culinary innovation seems debatable. Wells at the Times believes that, rather than using “Oaxacan recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation,” Steele crafts original dishes from “ingredients that might furrow the average Mexican grandmother’s brow, like kale and sunchokes,” and “still thinks like a New York chef” for all his Oaxacan inspiration. Claro serves dinner seven nights a week, starting at 5:30 p.m., and offers brunch on weekends from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

By Erin DeGregorio ranged from sundresses and bathing suits to fedoras for men and women, and fall fashion featured sweaters, cardigans and jean jackets. The store also sold sportswear, graphic tees, jeans, blouses, jewelry and bags – anything to help complete an ensemble that could make you look and feel your best. Right now there are men’s and women’s winter apparel available, including waterproof down jackets, sweatshirts and sweatpants, scarves and more in different colors and styles – with everything in the store being on sale. Passo told this paper that neighborhood rents are “too high and too expensive,” which is why she’s not currently looking to open another storefront. But she is encouraging both new and old customers alike to visit Try Rae’s First and to celebrate with her instead. It will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays (noon-7 pm) and Sundays (noon-5 pm) until December 31.

December 2018, Page 11

Publishers Note: We grew in 2018

e end 2018 with the largest ever issue of the Red Hook Star-Revue. It’s kind of exciting to be part of a growing thing, and we’ve definitely been doing that this year. It started with the addition of Liz Galvin to our staff. Liz is well known in Red Hook, she not only sells real estate, but is a frequent visitor at area watering holes, both as a patron and bartender. It seems everyone knows her, and everyone likes her. Liz has brought many local businesses into the paper as advertisers. That has enabled us to boost our staff, and our coverage. A year ago, in December 2017, the paper was 20 pages – half the size of this one. The articles were written by our one reporter, Nathan Weiser, me, and free-lance contributors. With Liz’s help, we have added Erin DeGregorio – a fulltime reporter who not only covers the environmental and community board beat – but writes interesting features as well. Brett Yates has come on as investigative reporter, as well as our resident scholar. His work includes the voluminous study of the Red Hook Initiative, which appears this issue. In just a few months, he was able to put together an 8,000 word article illuminating some of the work that our local non-profit

agency performs, and how they do it. He did all this without the cooperation of RHI, who doesn’t talk to local media, and we think he did a great job shedding some light on an organization that many of only know through their fundraiser. The death of the Village Voice has left a void in this city. It took a while for the Voice to grow from a neighborhood paper to the paper that at one time was read religiously worldwide. I’m not saying something like that will ever happen again in the print media world, but they are a good role model. This year I added two arts editors, as well as a second sales associate, Jamie Yates. Michael Cobb, a musician himself, has taken the reins of our music coverage, and Matt Caprioli is our major domo in the rest of the art world. Making all this look and read great is our new Art Director Sonja Kodiak-Wilder. For the first 100 plus issue of the Star-Revue, it was me, the old codger, designing just about all the pages. I thought maybe that would end up being my role for the rest of my life, that, and the paper’s distributor, but one day I got this great resume in the mail. It didn’t take long to realize I had the real thing in Sonja. She’s

worked for a host of publications, including Marvel Comics, and if you think the paper’s looked better the past few months, or maybe even I sold it to some big shot, well, that’s Sonja. Thanks to everyone, plus our longtime religious news editor Laura Eng; contributor Tina Portell and everyone else who has been part of our journey the past 8 years. Of course, our paper would be much less interesting and dynamic were it not for the great part of the city that we cover. The uniqueness of Red Hook is ulti-

matly what makes us more than just pedestrian. It was a good year for the neighborhood and we with everyone another one starting January. And, as always, thanks for reading! Without you, we are nothing.

Merry Christmas from the Red Hook VFW Post 5195

Seasons Greetings from

Season’s Greetings! Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez Wishes you and yours A Joyous Holiday Season and a prosperous New Year! Serving the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Columbia Waterfront, Gowanus, Park Slope & Red Hook. Sayar Lonial Chairperson Michael Racioppo District Manager 250 Baltic Street Brooklyn, NY 11201-6401 T: (718) 643-3027 F: (718) 624-8410 E: Info@BrooklynCB6.org District Office hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

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December 2018

Op Ed: Time To Pay For Mass Transit Repairs by Assistant Speaker Felix W. Ortiz

n Sunset Park, I can admire the skyscrapers of lower Manhattan and midtown from the top of our beautiful park. But just try taking the subway to work to Manhattan from my Brooklyn district. Some days, it feels like they’re an ocean away. Transit service is bad. Now that the MTA has a plan to modernize the subway, it’s time for the governor and my legislative colleagues to enact congestion pricing to begin paying for it. When the Riders Alliance studied signal problems during the morning rush hour last August, the D and R trains, which run right through Sunset Park, came up dead last. Over 23 weekday mornings, each line was delayed by signal problems 11 times and mechanical problems five times. It’s no wonder. Our signals rely on 1930s technology. Many of our subway cars come from 1960s and 1970s. It’s long past time to modernize them. We need to step up and fund the work. Sunset Park and Red Hook, in my Assembly district, are diverse immigrant communities. Our neighborhoods include thriving commercial and industrial sections as well as dense residential sections. My constituents rely on transit to get to work, get home, and to receive customers and employees from all across the city. In

my district, 60.8% of constituents commute using public transit, meaning a majority of people in my community have to deal with delayed and crowded trains nearly every day. Without good transit service, life becomes more difficult, business is harder to conduct, and we all become more isolated from the larger city. With large Asian-American, Latinx and African-American communities, my district is a microcosm of our city, where people come from all across the world and also put down roots and stay for generations. Newcomers and oldtimers alike rely on the subway like any other basic service — schools, water, fire protection. Without it, we are economically vulnerable and our lives here are at risk.

A cost to the working class Subway delays and overall unreliable service have very real costs for my constituents. Hourly workers lose pay when they are late to work; some lose their jobs. Parents who have to leave earlier each morning and come home later to pick up their kids have to pay more for daycare. Time spent stuck on the subway is time away from the life of our community. The NYC Independent Budget Office puts the cost at 35,000 hours lost every rush hour morning

Last spring, the MTA proposed its Fast Forward plan to fix the subways, a plan that will cost tens of billions of dollars. To pay for it, the state should enact congestion pricing, which will raise up to $1.7 billion for transit improvements per year. New York households with cars earn twice those without cars. An analysis of US Census data by the Tri-State Transportation campaign found that only 4% of outer-borough commuters drive into Manhattan. Meanwhile, citywide, 56% of commuters rely on transit. The Community Service Society, which has studied poverty in New York City since the 19th century, found that 38 times as many low-income commuters rely on transit as drive to Manhattan for work. With the better transit service that congestion pricing will bring, driving to work in Manhattan will be a luxury and privilege worth paying for. While congestion pricing would mostly impact higher income individuals, subway improvements would positively affect the large majority of New Yorkers who commute daily, especially low wage workers who rely on public transit

LOCAL VOICES

Littleford

Good Cops

Great day today for 76 pct and all the awards handed out to the fine men n women who work to keep people safe in your district. Thank you for a beautiful ceremony. Glad to be able to meet many of my son’s fellow officers and hear the commissioner speak at this event.— Dorothy Collins

Red Hook Coffee Shop

I love his story. Never knew he was back there that long. Good luck to him he still has a lot a life in him. Keep the body moving.—Henrietta Perkins

Gowanus CSO update

Community Board members, as most all people, need time to take in and understand a proposal. That time of observing and understanding is not the same thing as accepting and being “satisfied” with the proposal.

Ted has been an illustrator and cartoonist for the Baltimore Sun. See more of his work at www.tedlittleford.com.

Red Hook Star-Revue

to get to their jobs. Furthermore, with congestion pricing, drivers are more likely to carpool or take public transit, easing congestion and making it easier on bus commutes. This will also help immigrants, who make up 55% of bus riders.It’s fair to say that congestion pricing is an economic and immigration justice issue. Progressive legislators should push for congestion pricing in order to fix our decrepit subway system as a way to support low wage workers and immigrants.

There is actually a good bit of “discontent” in the community with this proposal. It is surprising that this article makes no disclosure of the proj-

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ect DEP costs of this project and the resulting impact on water rates, not to forget the extent to which this project achieves the real goal of this project, that is removal of contamination and sewage spilling into the public waters.—Larry

Cats of Red Hook

Oh my goodness, your story has broken my heart. I am a lifelong animal lover and have never been without at least 2 pets (usually cats tho we’ve had lots of other things.) I live near Union Square and have some health issues that would keep me from coming to Greenpoint very much. But I would simply LOVE to foster some kittens for a few weeks (tho we are leaving on vacation on Jan. 1). I have two grown male cats, so I feel that having a mother cat along with the kittens would be problematic. But I can keep the kittens in a separate room until they can get used to my cats. I’m ready to come down there tomorrow to get them.—Sharon Riley

December 2018, Page 13

StarRevue Focus Explores the Great Indoors! Don’t let the cold weather and snow stop you from going out this winter! This area is blessed with a plethora of exciting indoor activities that will keep you and your kids active throughout the cold days ahead. Story by Erin DeGregorio Brooklyn Boulders

Brooklyn Sluggers

Shipwrecked Miniature Golf

Batting cages are $2.50 per token – with 20 tokens costing $45 and 40 tokens costing $90. Half-hour rentals for a tunnel costs $35, and $60 for one hour. One-on-one baseball and softball training lessons with an instructor (i.e. pitching, fielding, catching and hitting) for players of all ages and skill levels is also available year-round for $110 an hour. It is open Mondays through Fridays (3:30-9 pm), Saturdays (9:30 am-7 pm) and Sundays (9:30 am-6 pm). For more information, call 315-230-4222 or visit brooklynsluggers. com.

Court 16

COURTESY OF BROOKLYN BOULDERS

The facility also offers yoga, acroyoga classes and fitness workshops. “Beginner to Badass” and “Learn the Ropes” packages are available. Open Mondays through Fridays (7 am-midnight), and Saturdays and Sundays (8 am-10 pm). For more information or to book a session, call 347834-9066 or visit brooklynboulders.com/gowanus/.

ndoor tennis club Court 16 helps players of all ages learn the fundamental skills of tennis or even get back into the swing of things. It offers group classes, private lessons, and tennis programs curated for kids and for adults. The hour-long Adult Beginner classes are for those with little or no experience, as it introduces the sport through high energy drills. The hour-long tennis fitness program – consisting of highintensity, tennis-based drills and exercises – is a one-size-fits-all workout approach geared toward both beginners and seasoned players. Plus, individuals can also play cardio tennis and recreational racquet sports like pickleball and foam tennis. Court 16 offers complimentary trial sessions – to set up one, call 718-875-5550 or email hello@court16. com. The Gowanus location (526 Baltic Street) is open Mondays through Fridays (9 am-8 pm) and Saturdays and Sundays (8 am-5 pm). For more information on classes and pricing, visit court16.com. Photo courtesy of Court 16.

The Painted Pot

YokeyPokey Virtual Reality Club

Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue

ed Hook’s Shipwrecked Miniature Golf, which opened in April 2016, offers family fun through mini golfing and arcade gaming. The indoor 18-hole miniature golf course, which has been reclaimed and recycled from Maryland, takes guests on an adventure through four themed areas - complete with theatrical scenery, lights and sound. Guests can also choose to get a bag of gold tokens for an additional $5 to bring the story alive through animatronics, video and special effects (strobe lights, sound effects and fog effects) as they make their way through the course. The fees are $14; $12 for seniors, military members and teachers; and $10 for preteens. The arcade has modern claw games and six custom-built machines with a menu of up to 40

okeyPokey Virtual Reality Club (537 Atlantic Avenue) opened in Boerum Hill about a year and a half ago after starting off as a pop-up shop in Coney Island. The family- and kid-friendly VR arcade is recommended for those aged seven and up, and offers three different gaming systems: HTC Vive, PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift. Their library has more than 35 films, experiences and games (including titles like Fruit Ninja, Spider-Man Homecoming, and Minecraft to name a few) – everything from art, car racing, strategy and exploring games, and experiences like being under water or traveling to another country.

he Painted Pot Cobble Hill (229 Smith Street) is one of the three locations in Brooklyn for kids and adults alike to express their creativity through art. You can walk in without a reservation and paint your own pottery - as there is a large variety of pieces to choose from. You can also try acrylic painting on canvas, make mosaics and create glass fusion pieces.

“You can go see Santa at a mall but this time you get to travel to where Santa is and interact [with him],” said business manager George Casseus Jr. “You can have a virtual snowball fight without the snow. It’s a really fun thing that we think children and families are going to absolutely love.”

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December 2018

Red Hook Star-Revue

New this year is the Shipwrecked Escape Desk – three “mini” escape rooms with completely different themed experiences. It’s the first of its kind in New York as they are only 25 minutes long, instead of an hour, and hold up to five people. “It’s not like you come, do one thing and you’re stuck,” said Ryan Powers, managing partner at Shipwrecked Miniature Golf. “The nice thing about it is you can come and do one room and – if you like it – you can do the other two as they’re completely different themed experiences. It’s a ton of fun.”

The themes are: Temple Escape, Mission: Reactor, and Haunted (rated PG-13 and recommended for guests over 13). Each room costs $19 per person, and there must be one participating adult (age 21+) for every two kids under the age of 13. Escape rooms must be booked in advance online or by calling the bookings department at 718-852-4653, ext. 103. Shipwrecked Miniature Golf also serves concession-type food, pre-packaged snacks and beverages. Located at 621 Court Street, it is open Mondays (3-10 pm), Tuesdays (11 am-10 pm), Thursdays (3-10 pm), Fridays (3 pm-12 am), Saturdays (11 am-midnight) and Sundays (10 am-10 pm). For more information, call 718-852-4653 or visit shipwreckednyc.com.

“Destination North Pole”, which lasts about 10 minutes, costs $15 per person and is available every day until December 24. Walk-ins are welcome, but it’s suggested that scheduling a booking online guarantees a spot. Pricing for immerse me-virtual reality gaming, art and 360-degree videos is as follows: $25 for 30 minutes; $40 for one hour; $60 for two hours. But Casseus Jr. said YokeyPokey is not just an arcade to play games; it also features an educational component through offered VR architecture classes.

Just in time for the holiday season, YokeyPokey Virtual Reality Club is offering the “Destination North Pole” experience – a VR trip to the North Pole where participants get transported to the magical world of Santa Claus, elves and snowmen.

INSTAGRAM/PAINTED POT

The Cobble Hill location is open Mondays through Wednesdays (10 am-9 pm), Thursdays and Fridays (10 am-10 pm), Saturdays (9 am-10 pm) and Sundays (9 am-7 pm). For more information, call 718-222-0334 or visit paintedpot. com.

COURTESY OF SHIPWRECKED MINIATURE GOLF

An adult day-pass, which includes full facility access, costs $32. Off-peak day passes are available for $28, Mondays through Fridays, 7 am – 4 pm, but must be purchased in person. The Teen Academy is designed to give climbers aged 12-17 the tools needed to explore climbing. Advanced reservations are required – they are held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 5-7 pm. It costs $49, which includes a day pass and gear rental.

Fun facts: Owner Lisa Mendoza gave up a career in television as a video editor in 1998 to create and open The Painted Pot studios, first in Carroll Gardens and Bay Ridge soon after.

of the all-time best classic games from the 80’s – including Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Frogger, Galaga, and Donkey Kong. The classic games cost only a quarter to play per game.

rooklyn Sluggers, located at 80A Verona Street, has been helping kids and adults with their baseball skills since opening in Red Hook in 2016. The facility has indoor, coin-operated batting cages, live hitting lanes (with L-screens) and netted pitching tunnels. It offers a variety of baseball and softball machines with a variety of speeds to choose from (between 40 and 90 miles per hour). COURTESY OF BROOKLYN SLUGGERS

rooklyn Boulders opened its Gowanus location (575 Degraw Street) in Summer 2009 at the former site of the Daily News parking garage. It has 22,000 square feet of climbing surface available for a climbing training area, climbing classes and private instruction. The 60-minute Intro to Climbing class provides introductory, expert instruction on the basics of climbing, and is highly recommended for everyone new to climbing and Brooklyn Boulders.

“We like to teach kids how to build their own VR experience or game,” he explained to this paper. “We think that’s going to be a tool that they’re going to use in the future quite often. It’s important that children know how to build VR experiences now.” It is open Mondays through Thursdays (2-9 pm), Fridays (2-10 pm), Saturdays (noon-10 pm), and Sundays (noon-9 pm). For more information, call 732-965-3969 or visit yokeypokey.com. Photo courtesy of YokeyPokey

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December 2018, Page 25

Star ª Revue Arts art, culture, music and more fun stuff from brooklYn and beyond

What The Moth Story Slam Says About Us

PHOTO: MOTH/ Liam O’Brien

by Brett Yates see page 16

feature

Well-Read Black Girl Festival Shows Up for Black Literature page 16 Red Hook Star-Revue

reviews

Monsters at SRO Gallery page 20

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Profile

Judith Eloise Hooper page 19

December 2018, Page 15

What the popular storytelling phenomenon reveals about our sorry state of mind. By Brett Yates

Moth StorySLAM at the Bell House in Gowanus, the most remarkable thing is that the live event is exactly as good as The Moth Radio Hour on WNYC. This is surprising because The Moth – a nonprofit whose mission “to promote the art and craft of storytelling and to honor and celebrate the diversity and commonality of human experience” has, since its 1997 inception in New York City, produced a nationwide empire that includes a podcast with 500,000 weekly listeners and two bestselling books – definitely has a hierarchy. ta

town who founded the organization in the hope of replicating the bourbon-scented front porch of his youth on St. Simons Island, Georgia, where, before moving to the big city, he’d sat and listened to his friends’ and neighbors’ stories all night long. The upper echelon of The Moth represents someone’s idea of New York’s greatest dinner party.

example, a woman may give birth to twins on the very same day (!) that her very important novel is published, with a national tour expected of her. Every tale bears the same dependable structure, hitting all the right beats: a catchy hook that subsequently backs up to a personal introduction with an amiable dose of self-deprecation, an economical build-up of tension, a predictable but satisfying

A Moth story is not especially sexual or violent. It may contain a great deal of pain, but it doesn’t lead the listener to any truly disagreeable conclusions about human life.

At the bottom, high school students participate in free Moth workshops, which not only help kids with their writing skills but, more crucially, allow an organization with $7 million in annual revenue to beg for listener donations at the start of every episode of its ad-heavy podcast. For The Moth’s public-facing live events – whose simple premise asks that people stand up and tell stories about themselves – there are three tiers. The lowest is the StorySLAM, which is an open mic, except, unlike a traditional open mic, it charges a $10 entry fee, even if you’re a performer. Due to time constraints, perhaps two-thirds of those who show up looking for stage time will end up paying their money without getting a turn at the microphone. The host delegates judging to a few random audience members, who score ten stories (of five minutes each) from the lives of the crowd’s luckier volunteers. The Bell House’s winner, with the highest average score, moves on to the Moth GrandSLAM at the Williamsburg Hall of Music to compete against other local winners. From here, they have a shot at the ultimate glory: the Moth Mainstage at Cooper Union’s Great Hall or, even better, The Moth Radio Hour, which appears on 400 public radio stations and on iTunes. Theoretically, storytellers at the Mainstage and on the Radio Hour, whose true stories double in length those of the StorySLAMs, could come from anywhere, but for an organization whose self-presentation is populist, many of the performers at The Moth’s highest levels emerge from a curiously elite circle. While some may be nurses or exconvicts who’ve worked their way up the ladder from a StorySLAM, others presumably receive direct invitations from George Dawes Green, the literary man-about-

Page 16 Red Hook Star-Revue

The Moth fits in perfectly between the wide-ranging human interest stories of This American Life and Terry Gross’s up-close-

A renowned animal conservationist tells how he salvaged the dwindling jaguar population of Belize. An astronaut describes the terror and wonder of outer space. A physician explains how he rescued Mother Teresa from certain death by septic shock. Professional raconteurs and beloved New Yorker contributors recycle the well-worn anecdotes and themes that have saved them from performing an honest day’s work in decades: A.E. Hotchner on his wild days with Hemingway, Adam Gopnik on fatherhood, Jamaica Kincaid on her complicated relationship with her mother. Every third person has a memoir to promote. For diversity, an NYPD cop, a Las Vegas card shark, a nun, and a Midwestern homemaker round out the table. The popular appeal of this wellmannered motley crew led the Wall Street Journal to label The Moth “New York’s hottest and hippest literary ticket,” which is kind of perfect: imagine the sort of thing that our preeminent fascist newspaper would think is hip, and you have The Moth. A story for The Moth may be recorded in Phoenix or Milwaukee, but somehow it still sounds like it’s being told inside a townhouse in Park Slope – where, for

climax, an earnest moment of revelation, and maybe a cute tackedon punchline after the resolution to cue applause. It may employ spectacular coincidences that would be considered hackneyed in fiction: an inspiring old woman, just before her death, persuades a goodhearted but aimless young man working in a hospital geriatric unit to go back to school for occupational therapy, where he winds up learning anatomy by studying the brain of that very same woman. Every deep thought or final reflection must be painfully obvious, as when a woman attempts to deal with her parents’ hoarding problem: “I’ve come to realize that your physical space is a reflection of your mental, spiritual, and emotional state, and no matter how much I tried to clean in that house, it was always going to come back,” she observes in the end. A Moth story is not especially sexual or violent. It may contain a great deal of pain, but it doesn’t lead the listener to any truly disagreeable conclusions about human life. The teller has some problems, but he is never a bad person. He has a sense of irony but doesn’t overuse it. He has recognizable and explicable emo-

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Photo courtesy of MOTH/ Denise Ofelia Mangen

Moth into the Flame

tions. Whether he’s discussing his wedding or the death of his sister, you understand where he’s coming from. He will never confuse you. He will always conjure a world that contains more good than bad: surprise and delight and humor in addition, perhaps, to tragedy. He may have an inclination toward whimsy or even a belief in the supernatural, but his story takes place firmly in reality, which is to say that it takes place within the ideological construct that the American bourgeoisie believes to be reality.

and-personal interviews with novelists and filmmakers on Fresh Air, where every work of art is revealed to be less important than its real-life backstory. It’s part of the essential media diet of educated people who still have their curiosity but have fully lost their imaginations. At the Moth, stories are always personal; they’re never political. When the journalist Sebastian Junger remembers Sarajevo in 1993, he remembers not the conflict’s causes or effects but how its sights and sounds made him feel. Bill Clinton’s press secretary recalls the whirlwind nature of the job, not the political agenda he served. For him, the two are utterly separate. The Moth believes that the deepest, most important part of the human heart rests outside of history, beyond the reach of the state, because for the people who participate in The Moth, it always has. Even so, The Moth has implicit politics: it’s liberal, which means that it’s capable of celebrating social progress as long it’s already happened and of lamenting social backwardness as long as the New York consensus has already deemed it backward. A heroic

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Photo courtesy of MOTH/ Denise Ofelia Mangen

MOTH continued from previous page early female recruit at a U.S. military academy in the 1970s faces discrimination because her peers “didn’t get why I wanted to be a soldier and hunt down communists instead of hunting down a husband.” (The listener isn’t expected to evaluate whether hunting down communists was itself a worthy goal.) A Pakistani Muslim in rural Missouri makes unexpectedly great friends in his new home but also sees his mosque burned down by bigots: “I knew that we could not rebuild this mosque, because no matter how much it meant to our community, no matter how much good it did, it was worth nobody’s life – certainly not my family’s. And with that in mind, I pledged to make sure no one would rebuild this mosque,” he narrates. For the audience of The Moth, this conclusion is self-evident: of course, no larger cause or principle could ever be worth dying for. In the world of The Moth, Barack Obama is still the president, and most problems will be solved through TED Talks. Why does anyone pay to listen to narcissistic anecdotes in a theater when it’s bad enough to have to listen to them for free at parties? Fans of The Moth moved to Brooklyn, or to some similar place, under the assurance that they’d meet fascinating, eccentric, accomplished people and share witty evenings with them in bohemian settings. Instead they work 60 hours a week in a soul-sucking office to afford rent for their shoebox, attend dispiriting social engagements alongside similarly drained denizens of the white-collar world, and listen to The Moth, which must know its base because its number-one sponsor appears to be LinkedIn Learning, a tool to help cubicle drones climb the corporate ladder. On The Moth’s podcast, LinkedIn Learning chimes in with complimentary, extremely depressing tips: for example, if you have a terrible boss, try praising him! That might put him in a better mood. The Bell House, a bar and event space at 149 7th St., holds a Moth StorySLAM about once a month. Its participants are not vetted or coached. Anyone with $10 can

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put his name in the hat. Without any real barriers to entry, you might guess that a few oddballs would slip in: people who don’t fit the profile of The Moth, who don’t understand what it’s all about. But at November’s event, at least, this was not the case at all. There were stories of lost virginity, online dating, stage fright, death in the family, college life, and children’s theater. Two sensitive, doting Brooklyn dads separately recounted the experience of witnessing childbirth. A motivational speaker explained how he learned to help entrepreneurs find the confidence to pursue their bold, uncompromising dreams. The eventual winner, a gay man who had written a sex-and-drugs memoir of his youth, described his trepidation at sharing the private details of his life, in print, with his rural Texan father – who ended up loving his son all the more once he’d read the book. Each polished story was impeccably rehearsed, performed without notes or hesitation, usually in the same smartly casual diction used by the literati of The Moth Radio Hour. It was an amazing display, without any of the flakiness associated with open mics. Of course, that was the problem. The Moth offers a crowd-pleasing formula that, on its smaller stages, empowers ordinary people to share their experiences in public for the first time, but in the process these experiences are forfeited to commodification, and the supplier isn’t even compensated. Turning our own autobiographies into digestible products that buttress an existing concept of reality and withhold their natural challenges to dominant overarching narratives can be as soothing as it is to consume such products. But this surrender of creativity condemns us to live in the world we inhabit today. Only the restless, combative imagination can extricate the baffling and spectacular moments of our lives from the sterilizing structures that seek to claim them, and reinterpret their implications. In both fiction and nonfiction, real art isn’t meant to be so palatable. It may not meet The Moth’s standard of good storytelling. We must be willing sometimes to tell bad stories instead.

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December 2018, Page 17

Well-Read Black Girl Festival Shows Up for Black Literature

Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Glory Edim, the 2nd annual celebration brought Black By Carly Quellman women in the literary arts under one roof.

et me put it in one sentence… God’s time is the best,” were the words Glory Edim’s mother, Henrietta, spoke as she watched her daughter address the Well-Read Black Girl Festival audience at Pioneer Works Saturday, Nov 10.

Henrietta, like most of us, were moved by Glory Edim’s conviction, her poise and undeniable profound storytelling felt as if you were catching up with your closest girlfriends. Edim, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Well-Read Black Girl, an online Brooklynbased book club, hosted her 2nd Annual Well-Read Black Girl Festival — but it easily could’ve been her 100th. Edim, author of “Well-Read Black Girl: Finding our Stories, Discovering Ourselves,” “always had her head dipped into books,” according to her mother. “That’s where she got her inspiration from. Her interests revolved around this. It came full circle, it kinda clicked.” Looking around the Well-Read Black Girl Festival, no words seemed more accurate. “I thought about all my friends in the book club. I thought about my mom. I thought about Maya Angelou. I just considered all the people that helped me form my foundation and helped me grow into the woman I am today,” Edim said. “I hope when you read the book it feels like a conversation. It feels like a friend. Something you can hold onto and pass along to your

friends, daughters, sisters, aunties. It can be a keepsake for you.” The Well-Read Black Girl Festival was simply that - an IRL invitation to step into the conversation cultivated from Edim’s digital community. Not only was the festival set to draw its online presence together, but to shine light on what naturally exists: Black, intelligent, exuberant women. We want to be seen. We will be heard. The Well-Read Black Girl Festival was truly a congregation of female literature, laughs, and love. The all-day festival ran from 12 to 7 pm with organizations such as the New York Public Library and A Public Space onsite, alongside the festival’s partners, Penguin Random House Publishing and Greenlight Bookstore. Merchandise coined with the phrase, “Well-Read Black Girl” (inspired by the T-shirt that began Edim’s movement), was available for purchase. Not to mention, an incredible lineup of keynote speakers including poet Patricia Smith, memoirist Veronica Chambers, and Newbery honorees Jacqueline Woodson and Renée Watson were slated to speak. A warm, energetic hue filled the sold-out venue, its vibrancy reflecting off each individual within the space. Bustling chatter, genuine conversation and sisterhood were not only seen, but felt. The Well-Read Black Girl Festival was a safe space for Black women and

their minds, but also a strong and supported one. It’s hard not to wonder why more spaces like this don’t exist.

To see it flourish… It’s amazing,” Connors said, looking around the festival in awe.

The Well-Read Black Girl Festival united women from all over the country. Black women from areas of New York, Glory Edim Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and even California, came together to witness Black Patricia Donkore, Edim’s friend readers, writers, and their voices. from Washington D.C., witnessed While the 500 seats in Pioneer the movement grow from its earliWorks were completely filled, est stages. Donkore, who runs there was room made for everythe Well-Read Black Girl Instaone, reassurement that more gram account (@wellreadblackgirl) spaces for Black females and their labels herself as simply, “a friend literary works would be created in of Glory, the founder.” the future. “I’m thankful Glory finds herself in that community in what she does. It’s good to see that Black women can be empowered and lift one another,” Edim’s mother said.

“It’s inspiring to see some of the same faces from last year, and more new faces. I’m enthusiastic about it, for Black females and readers to network and learn about authors. I hope it’s an inspiration for them on their journey.” For some audience members, the Well-Read Black Girl Festival wasn’t their first interaction with Edim. In fact, one woman’s journey landed her face-to-face with Edim — for a second time. Delores Connors, a reading specialist and author of children’s book, “I Don’t Want To Go!,” met Edim a couple years ago at a bookstore. “I asked her about Well-Read Black Girl, and she said in the humblest voice, ‘It’s just me.’

“I just see it growing,” Donkore said. “For her [Edim] as a writer, and then for the interested Black female readers.” “Well-Read Black Girl: Finding our Stories, Discovering Ourselves” is Edim’s anthology, a collection of stories, poems, and memories derived from the Black experience. The Well-Read Black Girl Festival proves that literary arts have Black voices, ones that are just as integral and necessary as its peers. As said best by Edim, “It comes as a guide and a resource for you to show young black women, young black girls, that they can be anything they want in the world.”

Red Hook expands art scene with Open Studios By Carly Quellman

istoric Red Hook, Brooklyn celebrated its third annual Red Hook Open Studios Nov. 11 and 12 from 1-6 pm as over 80 artists displayed their works and around the surrounding area. Art lovers, collectors, and observers had the opportunity to venture through artists’ intimate studio settings to view and purchase unique pieces from the makers. Katie Lincoln, a jeweler, and Deborah Ugoretz, who works in paper cutting, cultivated Red Hook Open Studios in 2015, when the two felt that the Red Hook art scene needed to be represented. “[Art is] a way of communicat-

Page 18 Red Hook Star-Revue

ing visually. Exploring media ike paint, paper, material. It’s a way of exploring and making things that are concepts real, tangible,” Ugoretz said. “We were like, ‘Why is there not an open studios down here in Red Hook with the talent that is going on down here?’ So we just made it happen,” Lincoln said. Other Red Hook Open Studios coordinators include Megan Suttles, owner of Hot Woods Arts, Ethan Cornell, a painter and graphic designer, and Hilary Lorenz, a printmaking artist. The growth and success of Red Hook Open Studios over the past

Left to right: Hilary Lorenz, Ethan Cornell, Katie Lincoln, Deborah Ugoretz and Megan Suttles. Photo: courtesy of Red Hook Open Studios three years is apparent. While the open studios has always received tremendous support, this year proved to be the most substantial. This was the first year that the open studios ran for a full weekend, oppose to one day. “We didn’t think we wanted to take the time to do two days. It was the first years for us, it was

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an experiment. This year, though, we figured why not do two days?” Ugoretz said. This was also the first year that a physical map of the open studios was necessary. With 35 locations and over 80 participants, the map gave shoppers the opportunity

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December 2018

Star ª Revue Picks Judith Eloise Hooper by Matt Caprioli

Judith Eloise Hooper’s “One St. Marks” captures, with a stark beauty, a glance at a typical street on Staten Island. As she says in a recent blog post, “I got off the bus one day and looked up and was struck by this massive house tethered by all the phone lines and the clouds bringing in change and reflecting that change in the windows.” Hooper’s been involved with clay productions in bowls and landscapes for four decades. The thick brush work is representative of an artist whose tableware designs has been going strong since early 90s. With recent showings at Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Hooper is definitely an artist to keep on your radar. Check out more of Hooper’s work at. https://juditheloisehooper. wordpress.com/

Open Studios continued from previous page to designate where they wanted to go. Since many of the studios contained multiple artists within their studios, this allowed those in the area the opportunity to see multiple artists at each station. “They love it,” Ugoretz said. They’re curious to know what’s going on in these buildings, they’re curious about the art and the art world. They want to learn about art and how it’s made.” Red Hook Open Studios generates most of its money from donations, which is why its continual growth is so impactful. The coordinators work on a volunteer basis, and the artists’ submission fee goes directly to publicity and press. “We started with about 50 artists the first year and now we’re at around 90. I think more people are getting involved, but also, more artists are down here,” Lincoln said. “It’s really great.” Red Hook Open Studios is unlike many art shows in that it brings in a multitude of different art mediums. While there is your “usual art,” there’s also various kinds of interactive and engaging artistic components. “It’s a little bit like a treasure hunt with all the nooks and cran-

Red Hook Star-Revue

We by Ben Barnz

young child.

by Tiffany Venegas “We: An Adoption and a Memoir” by Ben Barnz, the movie producer, is a beautiful memoir that’s vivid as a movie. The main characters are heartwarming, and “We” deals with the important topic of LGBTQ+ families. “We” starts in 2001, days after 9-11. Barnz and his partner, Daniel, start looking for a child to adopt. They bond with the birthmother, and believe that their daughter, Emma, is all theirs to take home. As demanded, the couple demonstrated they could financially support Emma.

But the real challenge start when the birth father decides to try to reclaim their daughter. The rest of “We” documents this emotional roller coaster the looks at the legal limbo gay couples frequently experience. Barnz’ story is framed by his own coming-of-age background in New York City during the 80s. He makes it clear that with the threat of AIDS being constant, he never dreamed that he would one day have a partner, and not one but two children. “We” by Ben Barnz is published by Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing.

The profitable artist by NYFA By Matt Caprioli

Attendees also had the chance to run into some of the artists at Pioneer Works on 159 Pioneer St. following Sunday’s open studio from 4-9 p.m., which coincidentally (and pleasantly) overlapped with Second Sundays, another art installation held at Pioneer Works every second Sunday of the month. Samuel Smith, a Brooklyn resident who visited both Red Hook Open Studios and Pioneer Works on Sunday, said he enjoyed learning and seeing the range of art mediums within one area of Brooklyn. “I’d like to see every community do something like this to bring awareness to the arts,” Smith said. “I’d come back again next year, and bring my friends.” Red Hook Open Studios would like to give a big thank you to Red Hook Star-Revue, Fairway Market, New York Ferry, The O’Connell Organization, and Pioneer Works for the support and donations. Missed out this year? To keep up-to-date with Red Hook Open Studios, visit facebook.com/redhookopenstudios or instagram. com/redhookopenstudios.

It emphasizes how artist’s penchant for problem solving can make simply business decisions to thrive in a culture that (outside of NYC at any rate) to discount most artists. Contributors range from artists, lawyers, and marketing professionals. With nearly a dozen contributors, the guide gains a clear, community-aware prose and tips that can be read from start to finish or on an ad hoc basis. The interviews and case studies are especially illuminating and helpful. Whether you need to help with mission statements or figuring out what constitutes fair use, “The Profitable Artist” is a useful guide from local leaders in the arts scenes.

They also waited for over three months during an agonizing time when the birth mother could change her mind and take her baby back. For the next decade, they go through the typical, heart-felt challenges of raising a nies,” Cornell said. “It’s Red Hook artists, and its various kinds of artmakers and craftsman. Welders, glass demonstration, a lot of great stuff.”

Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). The first issue came out seven years ago; the second edition is out this year with several new features. Despite its commercial-focused name, the book places the art practice first, but figures out to situate it sustainably and ethically within the world we found ourselves. The guide covers marketing, fundraising, finance, legal issues, and strategy.

If you have an artist in your family, consider giving them the invaluable guide “The Profitable Artist” by the at New York

RED HOOK CONCERT CALENDAR! * critics pick SUPERFINE 126 Front St. superfine.nyc

SUN 12/9, 4-8PM Second Sundays with food, art, music, open studios.

EVERY SUNDAY Bluegrass Green Chile Brunch / Evening Jazz and Americana Noon - 3pm / 6 - 8pm

More information at starrevue.com and on page 24 of this very publication!

12/2 Jack Grace / Mamie Minch & Tamar Korn 12/9 The Haggard Kings / Ali Babs and Curtis J 12/16 4 O’clock Flowers / Beat Kaestli 12/23 Jack Grace / 4 O’clock Flowers SUN 12/30 Lounge Leader / Will Scott & Charlie Burnham LITTLEFIELD 635 Sackett St. littlefieldnyc.com THURS 12/20, 7PM Doors The Freaks Action Network Presents: The 2nd Annual Holiday Jam W/ Chris Harford and the Band of Changes (ft. Dave Dreiwitz, Scott Metzger & Joe Russo) Raffle and auction benefiting Cycle for Survival and Metavivor. MON 12/31, 9PM Doors The Sons & Heirs: A Tribute to The Smiths & Morrissey Gigantic: A Tribute to The Pixies DJ Ceremony PIONEER WORKS 159 Pioneer St. pioneerworks.com All Shows 7PM unless noted.

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December 2018, Page 19

Star ª Revue reviews

Essential Essays by Adrienne Rich

by Matt Caprioli

he American, Jewish, lesbian poet Adrienne Rich is the epitome of brilliance is obvious. As a college student in the late 40s to her death in 2012, Rich delivered masterful poems commonly looked at as the work of genius. What may be less obvious but no less surprising to readers in 2018 is just how equally wellcrafted and trenchant her prose is. A politically-engaged writer for most of her life, her piercing readings of Jane Eyre and Muriel Rukeyser and Emily Dickinson, her thoughts on the violence of language and her determination to become a “thinking activist” seem like a heaven-sent compass in our increasingly fraught times. Editor Sandra M. Gilbert chose to title this collection of Rich’s prose as “Essential Essays: Culture, Politics, and the Art of Poetry.” It’s telling that Gilbert didn’t use “selected” or “collected.” Gilbert, a professor emerita at UC Davis and an icon in feminist literature for the 1979 “The Madwoman in the Attic” that she co-wrote with Susan Gubar, carefully gathers from Rich’s wide repertoire of prose for essays that are most essential to the current moment. As Gilbert singles out a line in the introduction that typifies Rich’s eventual stance on politics: a “patriot is one who wrestles for the soul of her country/as she wrestles for her own being.” Rich lived a privileged life with a father who downplayed his Jew-

ishness and a strict Protestant mother who saw that she’d excel as a student. When she arrived at Radcliffe-Harvard, she had a clear command of lyric and a trenchant intellect that would earn her the Yale Youngers Poets Prize in 1950, selected by W.H. Auden, who complimented her technical accomplishments while infantilizing the poems that were “neatly and modestly dressed, speak quietly but do not mumble, respect their elders but are not cowed by them.”

By the 60s, she was involved in the early stirrings of secondwave feminism; she was also a minority of white women to understand the need for intersectional feminism. In reviewing journals from this decade in “Anger and Tenderness,” Rich writes with acuity on the ambivalence of motherhood. She vivisects how patriarchy soured the mother-child connection to the point that Rich, a mother of three, felt severed physically and psychically. But in involving herself with the movement, she changed her life: “Slowly I came to understand the paradox contained in ‘my’ experience of motherhood; that, although different from many other women’s experiences it was not unique; and that only in shedding the illusion of my uniqueness could I hope, as a woman, to have any authentic life at all.” Come the 70s, she was a feminist leader. She’d skewer the poet Robert Lowell over his use of personal letters by Elizabeth Hardwick (his ex-wife) in a collection of his own poetry, “Notebook/

History,” which Rich called “language divorced from its breathing.” In a column for “Poetry,” previously uncollected until now, Rich wrote, “Lowell uses real people, versifies and fictionalizes them at will, and thus attempts to reduce or dominate them…. This is bullshit eloquence, a poor excuse for a cruel and shallow book.”

Rich’s stance as a stalwart and compassionate intellectual was solidified in the queer community with her 1980 essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence.” Many university students have encountered it in excerpts and reading it in full points to how relevant the essay is in the Me Too era. Rich adumbrates eight conditions of abusive masculine power, the third of which explains why Yale professor Amy Chua was so keen to advise would-be clerks to be “model-like” for Brett Kavanagh. Rich writes: “Central and intrinsic to the economic realities of women’s lives is the requirement that women will [quoting legal scholar Catherine A. MacKinnon] ‘market sexual attractiveness to men, who tend to hold the economic power and position to enforce their predilections.’”

Monsters at SRO Gallery

n Nov 16, SRO Gallery in north Crown Heights (1144 Dean St) opened “Ménage/rie Unfolded” curated by SUNY Paltz professor Andrew Woolbright who also had two pieces of his own out of the eight on display.The accompanying sheet on the show composed by Andrew starts out, “Human beings have delineated the space and boundaries of our bodies through a collective fascination with monsters for as long as we’ve shared language.” A whole bunch of monsters occurred to me at once in various languages, the Cyclops in The Odyssey, various devils in The Divine Comedy, Kafka’s transformed Gregor Samsa, frightening depictions of threatening brutishness, the human form distorted by evil, the danger of a hidden insect nature taking over

Page 20 Red Hook Star-Revue

from the human. Yet, in this show most of the monsters seemed funny. Julia Gutman’s “Footstool” seemed a touching sculpture of a footstool that is tired of being a servant and aspires to be hominoid. It has grown tall, over three feet, and seems to be developing a face. Calli Moore’s “Queen Conch” seems to be a shell that also has aspirations, certainly to be royal, but also to have many of the aspects of a unicorn owned by a young girl. The coloring and soft horns would make her happy in an eight-year-old’s feminine room. Casey Jex Jones, “Looking Twice,” seems to represent an encounter between two sets of monsters. “A Peeping Tom,” somewhat

Adrienne Rich Photo: Myriam Diocaretz “Essential Essays” continues with too many astounding essays in form (“The Distance Between Language and Violence”) and insight (“Arts of the Possible”) to discuss here. The latter essay was a lecture delivered in 1997 at UMass Amherst. Rich explores the bond between the arts and social justice: “If we care about the freedom of the word, about language as a liberatory current, if we care about the imagination, we will care about economic justice.” In dark times, this remarkable collection is a torch on why to carry on. For people living through 2018, it’s undoubtedly an essential read.

by John DeWind

lizard like, has come to the edge of a jungle and is looking at two mermaids who seem to be in a pool in a desert setting. The incongruities made this viewer laugh out loud. Daniel Giordano’s “Study for Brother,” was a charming Frankenstein with a jaunty pose made of an amazing collection of materials including glitter, Orange Tang, Nesquik Strawberry powder, 23 carat red gold. Alas, this show will be over by November 21, but if SRO keeps putting on shows with a similar interest, one would be wise to get on their mailing list and become a regular visitor.

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SRO Gallery owner Don Doe stands near a sculpture by Daniel Giordano. Photo courtesy of John DeWind

December 2018

Star ª Revue reviews

The Price of Everything

By Matt Caprioli

here are three quiet plotlines in HBO’s formally exuberant if politically acquiescent documentary “The Price of Everything.” It opens to a fast-talking auctioneer at Sotheby’s, seamlessly reaching one million dollars for a painting, wielding “masterpiece” around as to indicate a prime cut steak. There are quick defenses of the art market: commercial value means these pieces will survive; art and money have always walked hand-in-hand; work that sell well point the way toward other artists. We follow through the characters of dealers and buyers and collectors, none of whom are clear villains or saints, up through an auction months later at Sotheby’s where a Gerhard Richter painting is looking at fetching 20-30 million. Next up is the artist’s artist Larry Poons, who chose to leave the Jasper Johns-Rauschenberg pack to develop another language of his own upstate after the infamous 1973 Scull auction. Poons is to have a sort of comeback gallery at Yares Art in Midtown East. While preparing for that exhibition, his career and worldview is compared to the mega art star Jeff Koons. Director Nathaniel Kahn plays up the Koons-Poons similarities and dissonances not only for pleasurable rhyme, but also to trigger some cutting social insight. Both artists received rewards for their art in childhood; in college, their art was critically acclaimed. One has a net worth of $200 million; the other is like most American artists, i.e. poor. Koons acts as a studio manager directing assistants as they replicate famous paintings; Poons does it all by himself, sometimes with his wife watching. Koons handles well in board rooms; Poons won’t walk into one. Koons loves metaphor, speculation, finance; Poons wants the tangible. Koons welcomed branding; Poons abhorred it. The third storyline follows art collector Stefan Edlis. Having bought early into Johns, Warhol, and Koons, Edlis amassed an astounding collection, spending a few thousand on works that would grow to be worth $10-64 million. Edlis shares some tricks of the trade (never buy pictures with fish; a propensity of red is better than swaths of brown). The documentary weaves the viewpoints of art critics, historians, and artists on one side, and dealers, collectors, and sellers on the other. Contemporary art,

Red Hook Star-Revue

Above: Larry Poons. Left: Stefan Edlis Photos courtesy of HBO like the Maurizio Cattelan pieces that Edlis collects, has become a luxury brand, according to art historian Barbara Rose; the implication is that art that most people hear about has lost its soul. Though it’s probably more complicated than that, and “The Price of Everything” loves complications. Edlis, whose Jewish family escaped Germany in 1941, shows “Him,” a kneeling statue of Hitler. When asked how he squares his heritage with this piece, he says calmly “art is art.” Is this a banker’s surgical ability to separate morality from money? As the documentary progress, his actions show it’s more of a respect for art. Edlis donates $400 million worth of his private collection to The Art Institute of Chicago. As the Sotheby’s auction approaches, he quotes the Oscar Wilde line, “Most people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” It’s a fitting name for the documentary and hints that in this inflated world of art valuation, he’s in on the joke. Even as Edlis is involved with an art market that makes one artist rich for every 999 who are poor, he remains a grandfatherly, amiable figure. For most of its running, “The Price of Everything” is a documentary in the literal sense of documenting a phenomenon. Once can’t help feel that there’s more to be done here: a point of view, a thesis, an opinion. Is simply documenting extreme racial, gendered, and economic inequalities, even in an enjoyable narrative like this, a form of complicity in an unjust system? Probably. But then there’s the fact producers Debi Wisch and Jennifer Blei Stockman used their connections

in the rarefied art market to show it as it is. Perhaps exposure is enough of a commentary. Anyone who values art for expression over profit will be irked to infuriated by this unveiling.

abstract instrument of finance, rather than a personal and social exchange of energy and growth. But as the art market’s bubble continues to inflate, more works will be bought just to bolster one’s assets.

In any case, it certainly won’t charged with hitting racial, class, or gender concerns too overtly. The documentary interviews one person of color, the Nigerian artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby, who appears in the context of the film as a younger artist whose goingprice is rising rapidly. Through the commercially successful artist George Condo, there’s a too brief anecdote of Jean-Michel Basquiat dealing with feelings of being the token black guy and how that negatively impacted his art. But for the most part, the only people of color are behind the welcome counter at Frieze or putting up wallpaper in a new exhibition.

There is some satisfaction when, near the end, Chairwoman of Fine Art at Sotheby’s, Amy Cappellazzo, repines that Jeff Koons is becoming lobby art, a fate that can’t be changed. And when the art collector Gavin Brown admits overvaluation is likely: “I think can small smoke.” The documentary’s stance is subtle, but clear by the end. While the art market is volatile, the art world – typified by artist’s focused on art – is lasting. Poons gets the last words in the film: “It’s the paintings that motivate everything.”

This is a thoughtful look at how the art market injects concerns foreign to the art process: the need to produce, the stress of fluctuating of pricing, the need to perform rather than create. Most of the artists interviewed – Crosby, Condo, Poons, Marilyn Minter – ignore the art market altogether. Condo, whom a Sotheby rep calls a darling of the market, sums up the disparate spheres: “the art market is really a separate entity. It doesn’t have anything to do with the creation of art.” During this interview, Condo completes a piece that, as the credits roll, will be packaged and shipped to a warehouse in Queens. This is a fear both sides of the aisle vocalize—that art will be kept in storage to become an

www.star-revue.com

December 2018, Page 21

Star ª Revue culture news Dec 1. Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club hosts a craft fair of more than two dozen artists around the Gowanus canal. With wares often going for less than $150, it’s a great place for holiday shopping. 165 2nd St. 718.243-0849 Dec 1 On the edge of PARK lies TI Art Studios. From 7-9pm, they’ll open “Form and Function,” featuring the follow ceramic artists: Rana Amirtahamasebi, Thayer Brainard-Porter, Marsha Clarke, Isolde Cortes, Judy Hugentobler, Jessie Lazar, Ellen Moses, Effie Serlis and Sandra Giunta. Curated by Cortes, the exhibition runs through 183 Lorraine Street 3rd floor. Dec 2 Here’s the last day to see “Body of Evidence” at Peninsula Art Space. Johnny Mullen curates the show of Juliana Cerqueira Leite, Ryan Foerster, Christopher Rivera, Fanny Allié, Matteo Callegari, Allison Evans, Gavin Kenyon, Sara Greenberger Rafferty, Borden Capalino, Graham Durward, Eli Ping Leo Fitzpatrick, and Joanna Malinowska. 352 Van Brunt Street. http:// www.peninsulaartspace.com/ Dec 3 The N+1 supported Paper Monu-

ment hosts a discussion on the use and abuse of the art institution. The press’s editor Roger White moderates a panel of curators: Regine Basha, Larissa Harris, and Kemi Ilesanmi, each a contributor to the pocket anthology “As radical, as mother, as salad, as shelter: what should art institutions do now?” 6-8pm. The 8th Floor December 16 will be the last day to see Diogo Pimentao’s “Drawn Towards” at 17 West 17th Street. Kentler Drawing Space. Photo courtesy of Kentler International Drawing Space Dec 6 Learn all about Beaujolais with at Wet Whistle Wines, probably the least pretentious wine in France. The free pairing compares Beaujoulais Neuveau to Beaujolais Cru with wine buyer John De Felice. 6-8pm. 357 Van Brunt. (718) 5763143 Dec 6 Pioneer Works hosts the Greek artist Maria Antleman’s “Disassembler.” Through Feb 10, 2019, the installation takes on two floors and features beautiful collage videos and video sculptures looking at the American West. PW commissioned the video installation “Disassembler” with Athens’ Museum of

Contemporary Art. “Titled after a computer tool that translates machine code into assembly language for humans to understand, the piece raises questions about the physical and psychological impact of automation processes on the individual and society.” Dec 12 Littlefield hosts WayOUT’s first silent auction for queer youth, where proceeds go to Encircle, A Provo, Utah-based LGBTQ+ family and youth resource center. Wear your festive cocktail attire and enjoy an open bar, photo booth, and performances by local artists. 635 Sackett St. 718855-3388

See Maria Antleman’s “Disassembler” starting December 6 at Pioneer Works. Photo courtesy of Pioneer Works

Dec 16 It’s the last day to see Diogo Pimentão’s “Drawn Towards” at Kentler International Drawing Space. 353 Van Brunt Street. Thursday – Sunday from 12- 5:00 pm. Free.

ONGOING Pioneer Works launched Young Pioneers, a fundraiser for the under-45 crowd to support the sprawling cultural incubator. The $50/month membership includes 10% discounts to concerts, classes, and free admission to PW various parties. The membership also offers reciprocal benefits to over 1,000 cultural institutions across the country.

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PHOTO SCHOOL Through the middle of December, Red Hook Labs is accepting applications for its photography schools. High schoolers are encouraged to apply classes in studio lighting, large format photography, short films, VBR, and others. Instructors include Taryn Simon, Laurie Simmons, Adam Fuss, Ryan McGinley, Cass Bird, Penelope Umbrico, Alastair McKimm, James Kaliardos, Jon Henry, Greg Miller, Jamie Hawkesworth, Lucas Blalock, and Ferdinando Verderi.

December 2018

Star ª Revue Music

reviews

previews

happenings in the neighborhoods you love

cover songs The Agony & The Ecstasy BY ANTONY ZITO

ou’re minding your own business one peaceful afternoon, silently arranging your sock drawer, and you make the fatal mistake of turning on the radio. Not the Pandora or the Spotify, but ye good olde-fashioned radio, with the waves and stuff. You’re just but a minute in, when you drop your socks and lunge across the room in an urgent attempt to flip the dial before that horrific Loverboy song can penetrate the creases of your memory center. Eyes rolling, you apathetically spin from one degrading, insulting scenario to another; car commercials, new country, smooth jazz, auto-tuned hip-hop, talk radio, evangelical gibberish, the death report - disaster, disaster, disaster! Finally (Thank you, Jesus!) you land on the intro to Gimme Shelter, a breath of pure, clean air; one last maraca of hope for the FM dial.

You really want to believe in the radio, that it’s actually possible to still enjoy the airwaves, far away from the world of curated playlists. And it’s working. As your booty shakes to the eye-moistening aria of Miss Merry Clayton, you drift back to your socks, away from the dial once again, and go on about your day. And you get your fix for a quarter hour - you get your “LA Woman”, your “Custard Pie”, your “Rock the Kasbah” ... sometimes, somehow, they actually manage to make you feel alright and not add unwarranted stress to your day.

Red Hook Star-Revue

And then it happens. You hear what, at first listen, would appear to be the entry strains of a passably decent stumble down nostalgia boulevard... that Bob Seger tour bus ballad “Turn the Page.” But something is wrong. Something is VERY wrong. Where once was the distant, reverb-drenched sigh of a 70s saxophone, is now the inappropriate, monotonous chugging of a heavy metal guitar “half-gallop.” Your brow forms a questioning frown, but just this one time, your hands are full of socks and, as horrible as it seems, your curiosity allows this aberration to continue.

Then the voice The Atomic Bitchwax Photo courtesy of artist comes in. It’s immediately nauseating, the pathetic, default vocal effect of the standard “hard rock tough guy”, snarling and growling through a cover version of a song that dear old Bob once sang in a pensive almost-whisper. It’s Metallica. Why?! And no. Just no.

feature Notes from the Baritone Army p25

There are some great cover songs out there in the world. We all have heard how Hendrix took Dylan‘s, “Watchtower”, from Zimmerman’s brilliant folk treatise, to an epic, driven, psych-rock anthem. The Pixies version of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s song, “Head On” also wins out over the original. Cobain’s version of “The Man Who Sold the World?” - perfect. And Aerosmith does a dang decent, “Come Together” (but really no-one should cover the Beatles). But the sad truth about covers, is that they almost always fail to faithfully do justice to, or uniquely re-interpret, the original. An unfortunate fact of life is that the list of bad covers is so monumental and enduring, that it is akin to reading the comments below a political thread on Facebook. It’s that level of inanity, plus a whole landfill of “What?!” and “Why?!”

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review Kenniston Live! p26

profile Matt Statler

p25

December 2018, Page 23

THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX Speaking of great cover songs, there is a really kick-ass stoner rock band from New Jersey that I absolutely fucking love, called The Atomic Bitchwax. Although only one founding member remains, the gritty, urgent spontaneity of this band continues to animate its current lineup. Bass player and RED HOOK CONCERT CALENDAR * critics pick

Billy Mintz - Drums

IBEAM 168 7th Street between 2nd and 3rd Ave. ibeambrooklyn.com shows at 8PM unless otherwise printed.

SUN 12/16 Kazuki Yamanaka Quartet Kazuki Yamanaka (alto saxophone) Russ Lossing (piano) Cameron Brown (bass) Gerald Cleaver (drums)

SAT 12/8 Chris Cochrane’s Collapsible Shoulder Chris Cochrane Guitar w/ Brian Chase, Kato Hideki, Kevin Bud Jones two sets SUN 12/9 Deric Dickens Presents*: Erica Dicker, violin Eli Wallace, piano Deric Dickens, drums + Phillip Greenlief, tenor saxophone Angelica Sanchez, piano Michael Vatcher, drums SAT 12/15 Lena Bloch’s Feathery Lena Bloch - Sax Russ Lossing - Piano Cameron Brown Bass

JALOPY TAVERN 317 Columbia St. 718-625-3214 jalopytavern.biz Every FRI, 9PM Papa Vega and the Rocket 88’s Every SAT, 9PM Wyndham Baird and Band 50s/60s rock’n’roll. blues, and soul. WED-SAT, 12/5 12/8, 9PM 4th Annual ROOTS’N’RUCKUS FEST NO COVER! TUES 12/11, 8PM Fatboy Wilson and Old Viejo Bones Samoa Wilson and Ernesto Gomez.

founding member, Chris Kosnik, is without a doubt one of the most mesmerizing musicians to see live. His left hand possesses a veritable Harlem Globetrotters of monkey fingers; frantic, fleshy French fries that flap with ease across the fretboard (like a leaping slam-dunk right over the heads of that poor white team that always loses). And yet, for all his mind-boggling vir-

TUES 12/18, 8PM The Hip Trendersons Charlie Giordano, Andy Statman, Gene Yellin, Tim Kiah, Trip Henderson WED 12/19, 8PM Hannah Lee Thompson THURS 12/20, 9PM AUDRA ROX Presents: Third Thursdays at Jalopy THURS 12/27, 8PM Frankie Sunswept and Band JALOPY THEATRE 315 Columbia St. 718-395-3214 jalopytheatre.org Every Tuesday Night, 9PM Open Mic Night, sign up by 9 sharp! Each performer gets 2 songs or 8 minutes. Every Wednesday, 9PM Roots n’ Ruckus - hosted by Feral Foster. Real deal folk music in NYC. Free!

Every Thursday, 8PM show 10PM jam Brooklyn Raga Massive Weekly: with guest artists Raga Jam: Free entry to musicians who come at 10 and are ready to play! WED-SAT, 12/5 12/8, 9PM 4th Annual ROOTS’N’RUCKUS FEST* As always, NO COVER! LITTLEFIELD 635 Sackett St. littlefieldnyc.com FRI 12/7, 11:30 PM Doors Match My Energy DJ Yaadie, Byfar Mega, DJ Dredy SAT 12/15, 11:30 PM Doors MATTY BEATS X HORRORCHATA PRESENTS: BECUTE BROOKLYN Be Cute is a Dance Party for Homos and Aliens from Outer Space that like to shake it!

for complete listings visit star-revue.com

tuosity, he operates firmly within the Geezer Butler Academy of the tried-and-true “box riff” school of thought - a testament to the pure simplicity of real rock-n-roll. And all three members of this power trio are rock monsters; popping wheelies and pounding the stage with ham-fisted elegance through riff-addled, hard rock, psychedelic anthems at break-neck speed, with bewildering conciseness. There are moments of proggy, space-rock breakdowns; melodic interludes, which inevitably slam headlong back into the mayhem. And the band is laughing wildly, howling into the wind, appearing to be in a state of giddy disbelief at how much fun they’re having. The drums thunder through the grungy, syncopated, distorted guitar/bass calliope; audience heads are spinning, eyeballs rolling back into beer-buzzing brains. The rafters of this Brooklyn bar rumble at a rolling boil. Everyone in attendance has a pint in one hand and a raised fist of goats in the other. The more ardent fans holler every lyric into the deafening void. I love to see these guys! They are gritty, fast, exciting, virtuosic, funny and irreverent. And then, as if that’s not enough, something unexpected happens mid-set. Something so surprising, that the first time it happened, my head just about exploded. They go from all that maniacal, riffing, metallic thunder, straight into the

unmistakable first notes of “Pigs”, by Pink Floyd. Now, I grew up on Pink Floyd. And even as a kid I was starved for substance; melody, intellect, dynamics, and surreal emotional dreamscapes. I’m proud to say that not a damn thing has changed about what I demand from my art, entertainment and culture. From the cosmic-rock, early days when that beautiful madcap, Syd Barrett, spilled his marbles at the UFO club, through The Dark Side of the Moon, to The Final Cut, and The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking, I’ve always been a rabid fan. And when one fan finds another in an unexpected place, it can be a rapturous, tribal reunion. So, when I first heard my favorite riff-mad, stoner rock band drop into one of my very favorite surreal, political anthems from Animals, one of my very favorite Floyd records, you guessed it - my head just about exploded. “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” is, in no small way, an epic song. And as they should have done, The Bitchwax shortened it and sped it up a bit, giving the song that snappy urgency that a live performance demands. It’s a beautiful thing when some of your favorite artists give you more reason to respect them. Especially when there seems to be very little room for improvement. They were already great - and they just got greater! It’s no sin to play cover songs, especially when 90% of your set is original material. On

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SUNNY'S BAR DECEMBER 2018

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December 2018

Notes From The Battlefield 10 years of Baritone Army

008 SEEMS LIKE a LIFEtIME ago. Eight years of the Bush administration were winding down, the economy was crashing, the country was embroiled in wars it didn’t know how to end, Obama was harnessing a lost sense of hope and idealism while the entire world was in the first stages of embracing smartphones and social media as their overlords. Enter Baritone Army, a group, to use the term loosely, that was comprised of a bunch of baritone saxophonists, playing anywhere and everywhere, and confronting the general public with loud, low sounds. Full disclosure: I am in the Baritone Army. Lying somewhere between the disruptive shock-art of The Living Theater and the anarchic humor of The Marx Brothers, the group’s numbers hover between 50 and 200 New York City baritone saxophonists. The musicianship varies from some of the city’s luminary professionals to amateurs and even non-players — but that is part of the aesthetic. Music, connections, and audience transformations can happen in the most unexpected places from the most unexpected sounds. The group wanders (or storms) into laundromats, CVSs, restaurants, and once they even followed a couple in through their front door, down a hallway, and into their home. One of the earliest mantras was a reference to the phrase, “Where does an elephant sit?” Answer: “Anywhere it wants.” For several years, it existed with no stated political, social, or commercial doctrine. A group that had no agenda besides being fully in the moment; immediacy and direct connection, combined with the lack of a definable melody or rhythm, was a way to accept the power and joy of pure sound and vibrations. People would make fun of it, calling it “too loud”, “annoying”, saying “Where’s the melody?”, “Where’s the beat?”, “What’s the point?” But once surrounded by five or six baritone saxophonists, everyone knew exactly what the point was. Yet the social, political, and commercial doctrines were there, and subtly (though not quietly) implied. We treated our attacks as if we were an alien army, sent from a foreign planet to confuse people, shocking them into an alternate plane. We didn’t speak, to each other or the public, but instead barraged them with foreign sounding strange sounds, like something between a traffic jam of car horns and rolling thunder in the distance. Hearing and experiencing this, while in isle 4 of a Duane Reade, is a truly arresting, and powerful, feeling.

Red Hook Star-Revue

by Stefan Zeniuk

Baritone Army seemed to reject any form of social definition, besides some vague idea of “performance art” or “flash mob.” There was no clear idea of how to make it more than just what it was, besides posting some videos to Youtube. Yet through that process, the “word” grew. Events have included marching in the NYC Halloween Parade, appearances at the Socrates Sculpture Park, a few jazz festivals (for one of which we were written about in the New York Times, mistakenly thinking we were actually part of the festival), countless laundromats and pizza spots, and even a few hotel lobbies. Other appearances include several low-budget films, and the creation of our own parody videos, “The Honking Dead” (recreations of The Walking Dead, but with noisy baritone saxophones instead of zombies). In 2014, to celebrate the 200th birthday of Adolphe Sax, we created a “festival” — seven days of events, that included playing for the sunrise, at 6am, in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge, and culminating in performing La Brabançonne, the Belgian national anthem, in front of the Belgian consulate. Through this event, and the steady strange awareness of our missions, we connected with groups of like-minded baritone saxophonists that adopted our events, adding their own style. There are now satellite Armies in Austin, Texas, (led by Joseph Woullard), Vilnius, Lithuania, (led by

“Bariachi” in Austin, Texas 2015.

Photo: Joseph Woullard

Dovydas Stalmokas), and Bristol, England, (led by Craig Crofton), and unbeknownst to me, a group even assembled at Truman State University, Missouri (led by Shelley Washington). The Austin, Texas chapter, known as Bariachi, and the Vilnius chapter, known as The Baritone Army of Lithuania, are quite active on their own now, doing several events per year.

And, to my surprise, its message and mission seem just as relevant now as they were 10 years ago. In a time when physical brick-and-mortar venues are closing down, and the social importance of revolutionary arts seems to be dwarfed by the world’s online presence, the existence (and surprising continuation and growth) of the Army is a cause for celebration.

After the strange, dystopian confusion of the 2016 election, it felt like for a moment, the use of humor and sound were no match for today’s politics. The impending potentiality of authoritarian rule made Baritone Army seem powerless, like maybe it really was pointless. Or at least, completely ineffective. But, much like the human spirit, the group continues to rise again, never able to fully stay quiet, and it just completed a series of events in November.

Look for the Baritone Army confronting SantaCon this month. For more information visit YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, via “/ baritonearmy”. And, as the group’s tagline states, “In Low Notes We Trust.” Stefan Zeniuk is a Brooklyn-based musician, writer, DJ, and animator. You can reach him at szeniuk@ gmail.com

Star ª Revue recordings

BrooklYn’s Lizzie And The Makers tour around the city to promote their latest EP Meanwhile… By Briana Murphy Don’t miss the up-and-coming Brooklyn rock group playing live in Brooklyn and Long Island City this December. LIZZIE AND THE MAKERS is composed of a rather unlikely looking bunch of rock stars. The median age trends a little older than one might initially suspect of an up-and-coming band, but their rise could hardly be disputed. Their November shows at Rockwood Music Hall and Hometown Barbecue featured guest guitarist Reeves Gabrel, of David Bowie fame, who will be touring with The Cure in early 2019. They also just received their official invitation to play at South by Southwest, a major music festival in Austin,Texas and a bona fide certification of arrival on the indie music scene. These exciting developments follow the release of their latest EP, MEANWHILE… - a short

collection of mostly lighthearted sounds, punctuated with lyrics often verging on solemn. For those appreciating the complex musical layers of multi-instrument bands like Arcade Fire or Ezra Furman, Lizzie and the Makers delivers classic rock ballads that are as much fun to listen to live as they are on a morning commute. Front woman Lizzie Edwards’ classical training is evident from the beginning of the album, as soon as her crisp pronunciation cuts through the music. Edwards’ voice is capable of impressive range, and the lyrics ring unmistakably loud and clear. The band works in perfect harmony, and nowhere is this clearer than on the track “Melancholy Hill.” “I’m fine, I’m just fine…I’m fine on the inside, but I’ll be alright,” Lizzie sings. The range of Lizzie’s vocals expertly communicates the contradiction

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apparent in the lyrics. The opening guitar riff illustrates the powerful effect of synesthesia – here is the sound of melancholy, the feeling of disappointing someone. Guitar solos communicate the album’s passionate feeling just as well as the complexity of Lizzie’s voice. Before getting too dark, “Blue Moon,” the following track, offers a more optimistic point of view. The track gives the listener an anthemic response to the problems of the day, with Lizzie singing “We’re gonna take back this country” and “too late to turn back, we must go on till dawn.” Adding to the quirky, fun of this track is the lengthy saxophone solo, at once speaking to the track’s blues-y feel and its defiant stand against hopelessness. It may be night, but “the moon is rising, rising up to the sky” and there is something to hope for yet.

December 2018, Page 25

Star ª Revue profile

Statler Brother

Originally hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Statler’s Americana sound is rooted in country, blues, and folk. The structural simplicity of his music provides a platform for ideas that range from love to the apocalyptic effects of climate change. His songs are cerebral, soulful, and generally optimistic, but occasionally veer into darker realities. Statler sometimes performs solo under the name of Campbell’s Atlas, a composite of his middle name and the fact that his family wrote the first geographic survey of the state of Missouri. He also leads the “hip-neck” country rock group The Bootheel Boss Gobblers and forms one half of The

Sons of Astro, a psychedelic folk duo. Though his sound is Americana, he used to front a thrash band that once opened up for punk pioneers Fugazi. Statler is a scholar with a Ph.D. in Philosophy. His deep knowledge of these subjects seeps into his songwriting. You can catch him live most Tuesday nights at the Jalopy Theatre open mic and at select performances throughout Brooklyn. I reached him for interview by email. RHSR: Did you grow up in a musical household? MS: Yes. My mother studied piano and the church organ through college, and my father played the saxophone in the dance band at his own high school prom. We had a piano at home as well as some heavy Japanese stereo equipment that my dad had bought in Tokyo while on shore leave during the Vietnam War. There was always music playing or being played when I was a kid. RHSR: How did you begin playing

Star ª Revue review! Kenniston Live At The Jalopy Theatre Walking into the Jalopy last Saturday, November 24th, felt like walking into the world portrayed by the Coen Brothers in 2012’s Inside Llewyn Davis: dimly lit, with red and white tea lights hanging from the ceiling, exposed brick walls, a bright, red curtain framing the stage. Most attendees contributed to the coziness of the décor with thickly knit sweaters and flannels. The theater provided an ideal ambiance for burgeoning folk-country musician Kenniston’s debut album OUT OF THE RUNNING, available for purchase on Bandcamp. Kenniston is a Brooklyn based band, the brainchild of Catherine Provenzano, the vocalist and songwriter. Her previous EP, WAKE, was released in 2016; her newest work showcases a broad variety of instruments and more complex production work, thanks to the efforts of Jason Borisoff, who also accompanied her vocals on electric guitar throughout the night. Provenzano’s bandmates hopped on and off the stage throughout the night, as did

By Briana Murphy

Abby Hollander, who opened for them. This quaint act of musical chairs underlined the album’s central star, which is Kenniston and her poetic lyrics. When she set her guitar aside to sing “I’ve got everything to lose and you’ve got everything,” Provenzano, dressed in a black-lace mock neck jumpsuit, looked like a modern Victorian matriarch. The earnestness and sincerity of her voice is reminiscent of Brandi Carlile, and Provenzano keeps the music in the background sparse to highlight it. Nowhere is Provenzano’s poetic lyricism more apparent than in her rendition of “Where You Are.” A song without a chorus, her lyrics navigate the listener expertly through the seasons of someone looking back on a relationship, not entirely regretfully. “Here it’s barely spring” she sings sweetly in the beginning, “But I wonder how things look where you are.” It’s quite specific feeling, but Provenzano nails it, her voice capturing the mature nostalgia of someone moving on

music? MS: My two brothers and I all took piano lessons as kids, and we went to a Lutheran grade school where everybody sang in the choir every day. When it was time to join the symphonic band in junior high, I chose the trumpet and was pretty serious about it, going to summer band camp at Southeast Missouri State University for six years. RHSR: Who are some of your major influences? MS: My early influences derive from my parents’ record collection, which was anchored by the Newport Folk Festival box sets and included lots of Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Donovan, and early folk rock. There was a good bit of cool jazz and plenty of Broadway on the turntable as well. But the first album that I bought for myself was by Waylon Jennings. I have so many memories of riding in the back seat of our van on winding Ozark roads listening to Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash, Hoyt Axton – the outlaw country ethos was indigenous to that part of the country. Of course, classic rock like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath was everywhere in the air. My first real vision of another horizon was when I encountered hip-hop on a radio station out of St. Louis, and I got into Run D.M.C, Whodini, Newcleus, groups like that. After

that in high school my friends and I started listening to punk rock, and we formed a thrash band that carried us into college when we were lucky enough to open up for Fugazi. After college I moved to Nashville and rediscovered American roots music, and that’s basically what I’ve been playing and performing ever since. RHSR: Your songs deal with ideas as wide ranging as love to the apocalyptic effects of climate change, sometimes with esoteric historical references to things

Continued on page 29

Tuesday Night Open Mic At The Jalopy Theatre By Mike Cobb Located at the end of Columbia Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn, The Jalopy Theatre seems to exist in a world all its own. Nearby, the Carey Tunnel provides a swift route to lower Manhattan. The BQE roars in the distance. Occasionally, one can hear tugboats blare, and massive shipping cranes silhouette the sky. The Jalopy’s muted facade belies the bustle inside. It serves as a performance space, a cafe, a school, a tavern, and in many ways a community center. With events happening six nights a week, it harbors an idiosyncratic scene built on a love of roots music. For the past three years, I’ve been a semi-regular at Jalopy’s Tuesday night open mic. I usually avoid open mics as they can be sonically stressful, but the level of talent here is generally quite high, and the venue attracts a real cast of characters. There is something special that keeps bringing me back. Walking through poster clad

Page 26 Red Hook Star-Revue

Matt Statler

Photo courtesy of artist

The peaceful brownstone blocks of Brooklyn frequently hide a staggering amount of talented characters. We are often surrounded unusual people and don’t even know it. As a musician and a writer, I am intrigued by those who should be better known but aren’t. One such fellow is singersongwriter-guitarist Matt Statler.

An interview by Mike Cobb

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Jay Tanner at the Jalopy Theater. Photo by Mike Cobb doors, a small shelf with records for sale, most from the Jalopy’s own label, lies to the left. To the right stands a bar serving coffee and beer. Pictures of performers hang above, and if you look hard, you’ll find illustrations by the great R.Crumb, a sometimes attendee. A bit further in the walls are covered with the colorful covers of 78 rpm records while proprietor Geoff Wiley’s collection of

Continued on page 29 December 2018

RELIGIOUS NEWS

be joined by the outstanding choirs of the historic Sacred Hearts – St. Stephen Church is a moment of coming full circle for me as my childhood memories meet my present.” Also immediately preceding the lighting will be a countdown and refreshments will be served inside the church afterward. Local residents shared what the Christmas star means to them. John Zodda, a longtime parishioner, who with his wife Carolyn is a Eucharistic Minister, noted “The star symbolizes light, light from above, given to us by our Lord...it is the light that gives us the ability to see and do anything in our path and ultimately leads us to our eternal life in heaven.” Lifelong parishioner LouAnne Manus

Christmas Star Steeple Lighting on Saturday, December 8 following the 5:30 Mass. Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church Summit & Hicks Street

BY LAURA ENG

Christmas Star to Shine Over Carroll Gardens

above the Gowanus-BQE trench n Saturday, December 8th, and being visible from the Brooklyn Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Bridge and from many points in New Mary-St. Stephen Church, York Harbor, the star does serve as a will continue the parish tradition beacon to the thousands of lighting a five-foot Christmas Production, who travel past it each Christmas star atop its 210-foot steeple. Dinner and Ugly Sweater day during the Advent and Christmas seasons. The tradition of the Contest on Sunday, Massie summed star lighting dates back December 23. Call the Msgr. up the star lighting sayto the 1950’s but had been suspended for a church at 646-226-6135 ing “Our parish comfor details. munity displays this star number of years. It was resumed in 2012 after River of God Christian as a reminder to all, that in this big city, the light the arrival of the curCenter of the star shines for the rent pastor, Monsignor 110 Wolcott Street hope of peace. Guy Massie. That year, The Christmas star in the devastating afterwith four strands of LED lights atmath of Super Storm Sandy, Msgr. tached, each over two hundred feet Massie felt the star would serve as a in length, will grace the 140 year old symbol of hope for all, not just Chrisfacade of the gothic church until the tian Catholics. Indeed, perched atop end of the Christmas Season which the 210 foot steeple standing directly

Religious Services Christian

River Of God Christian Center

110 Wolcott Street, 646-226-6135, Secretary, Sister Roslyn Chatman. Sunday- Family Worship 11- 1 pm Scripture, Wednesday- At The Gate 12 noon, Prayer 7-7:30 pm, Bible Studies 7-8 pm, Thursday Prayer 7:30-8:30 pm, Fri. Youth ABLAZED Ministries 6- 7:30 pm, Senior Pastor, Donald Gray

Visitation Church

98 Richards Street, (718) 624-1572. Ofﬁce open Mon-Thurs. 9 am- 3 pm. Sat. Mass at 5 pm English; Sun. 10 am Spanish, 12:30 pm English. Community Prayer on Tuesday and Thursday at 8 pm. Call to arrange for Baptisms, First Communion, Conﬁrmation and Weddings.

New Brown Memorial Baptist

609 Clinton Street, 718 624 4780 Pastor A.R Jamal. Sun. School at 9:30 am. Sun. Worship at 11 am. Bible Study-Wed. at 7:30 pm. Communion every ﬁrst Sunday

Redemption Church Red Hook

767 Hicks Street (Red Hook Initiative), (347) 470-3523, RedemptionRedHook@gmail.com Pastor Edwin Pacheco Sunday Service at 10:30 am, Children’s Bible Study provided.

RH Ministries

72 Van Dyke Street (Corner of Richards Street), 718-624-3093, rhministries@bgtintl.com, Senior Pastor: Rev. David W. Anderson, Rev. Dr. Linda D. Anderson Sunday Worship Service at 11:00 am, Mid-week prayer on Wednesday at 7:30 pm, Pantry every Saturday at 9:30 am

St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church 157 Montague St., Brooklyn Heights. Phone: 718-875-6960, ofﬁce@stannholytrinity. org, Fr. John Denaro, Rector. Sunday Worship-Early Church at 9:30 am, Sunday School and Playgroup at 10:15 am and Holy Eucharist at 11:15 am, Weekday Worship on Wednesdays at 6 pm.

Stretching Far and Wide Global Ministry, Inc.

382 Hamilton Avenue, Studio B 1-800-948-9042 Archbishop Dr. Barbara Jackman, Overseer Rev. Dr. Dwayne Barnes, Pastor Services are held every Sun. @ 10 am Communion every First Sun. stretchingfar.webs.com stretchingfar@aol.com

St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish

Page 28 Red Hook Star-Revue

467 Court Street, (718) 625-2270 Rectory Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am- 11:30 am, 1 pm-4 pm, Fri. 9 am- 12 noon. Masses: Sat. 4 pm, Sun. 10 am, Monday- Thursday, 9:30 am.

Saint Paul Saint Agnes Parish

Church Ofﬁce 433 Sackett St (718) 6251717 Hours: M-F 2 PM-5 PM. E mail: stpaulandstagnes@gmail.com. Saint Paul, 190 Court Street- church open daily for prayer and meditation 7 am- 8 pm. Sat. Vigil Mass 5:30 pm, Sun. 7:45 am, 11 am (Spanish). St. Agnes, 433 Sackett St. Sat. Vigil Mass 4 pm (English), Sun. 9:15 am (English), 11 am (French), 12:30 PM (Spanish). M-T-TH-F-S 8:30 am St Paul’s Chapel 234 Congress St.; Wed. 8:30 am St Agnes.

Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary- Saint Stephen RCC

125 Summit Street at Hicks Street, (718) 596-7750, info@sacredhearts-ststephen. com Ofﬁce Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am- 5 pm, Fri. 9 am- 3 pm, Sat. 9 am- 1 pm Sat. Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm, Sun. Masses at 8 am, 10 am, and noon (Italian/English) Weekday Masses Mon. at 12 noon and Tue. thru Sat. at 8:30 am. Confessions: Sat. at 4:45 pm and by appointment. Baptisms every third Sun. 1 pm.

St. Paul’s Carroll St (Episcopal)

199 Carroll Street, 718-625-4126, info@stpaulscarrollst.org, www.stpaulscarrollst.org, Sun. Mass at 11:00 am, Weekly Morning Prayer Mon.-Thurs. at 7:30 am, Weekday Mass on Fri. at 9:00 am, Church open for prayer on Sat. from 2-4 pm. Holy Days as announced.

Jewish Kane Street Synagogue

236 Kane Street, 718 875-1550 http://kanestreet.org/ Fri. night services, 6 PM Shabbat services, 9:15 AM Sun. Services 9 AM

Congregation B’nai Avraham/ Chabad of Brooklyn Heights

117 Remsen St., 718 596 4840 x18 www.bnaiavraham.com, www.heightschabad.com Morning Services: Sunday: 8:45am Monday- Friday: 7:45am Holidays (during the week): 8:45am Saturday: 9:45am Evening Services: Sunday: Shabbat candle lighting time Monday- Thursday: 9 pm Friday: Winter: 5 minutes before Shabbat candle lighting time Summer:

Congregation Mount Sinai

250 Cadman Plaza West, 718-875-9124, info@ cmsbklyn.org, www.cmsbklyn.org, Rabbi Hanniel Levenson Fri. services at 6:30 pm, Sat. worship at 10:00 am with Kiddush at 11:30 and Bible Study at 11:45. All are welcome.

culminates on January 6th with the Feast of the Epiphany. As in prior years, the lighting will be preceded by scripture readings Annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Children’s Party at St. of the Christmas Paul on Saturday, December 8 following the 5:30 Mass. Will story and singinclude refreshments, games, pictures with Santa, gifts and ing from the SHSS much more! Free and open to the public! Adult, Youth and Children’s Choirs St. Agnes/ St. Paul’s Parish who this year will Hoyt & Sackett Streets/234 Congress Street accompany the young and very remarked “Our church steeple was talented Charlie Romo. Mr. Romo always my marker that I am nearwho has been likened to crooning home. When we light the star ers Bobby Darin, Dean Martin and atop our steeple, it Christmas Eve Services on December 24: becomes the lighted beacon to what was Children’s Pageant and Family Service at 4:00 pm; Community Carol Sing at 8:30 pm; and Festival Service and still is ‘Home’ for me.” of the Nativity with Holy Eucharist at 9:00 pm. And as the late St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church John Iovine, a former parishioner who 157 Montague Street passed away last summer, commented several years Michael Buble, offered to provide ago, the SHSS Christmas star is “the a concert of time honored holiday crowning glory of Carroll Gardens.” songs and remembered “as a child seeing the star atop Sacred Hearts” Rose Sunday and Creche Service on as his family drove through Brooklyn to Manhattan on their way to obSunday, December 16. serve other NYC holiday traditions. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Mr. Romo reflected “Being able to be Clinton & Carroll Streets there to turn the star on this year and

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights Hanukkah (or Chanukah), also known as the Festival of Lights, begins at sundown on Sunday, December 2nd and ends at sundown on Monday, December 10th. The word hanukkah means “dedication” and the holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem following the victory of a small band of Israelites known as the Maccabees over Syrian-Greek soldiers in 165 B.C.E. After they regained control of the Temple, the Maccabees sought to purify it by burning oil in the Temple’s menorah for eight days. They discovered that unfortunately there was only one day’s worth of oil left in the Temple; a miracle occurred when they lit the menorah anyway and the small amount of oil burned for the full eight days. Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews around the world with the lighting of the menorah, also known as a Hannukiah, each of the nights of the the eight-day holiday by the helper candle, with another candle added every night so that by the eighth night, the

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entire menorah is burning brightly. Some menorahs are still lit with oil, reminiscent of the one the Maccabees used to purify the Holy Temple. Blessings are recited as the menorah is lit.

HANUKKAH PARTY

Friday, December 7 with prayer at 6:30 and live music at 7:15. Latkes, doughnuts, crafts and presents! Congregation Mount Sinai 250 Cadman Plaza West RSVP admin@cmsbklyn.org The holiday is also celebrated by giving to charity and giving token gifts, including small monetary gifts (gelt) and chocolate coins, especially to children, each of the eight nights. Also during Hanukkah, families play games with the dreidel, a four-sided top, and eat foods fried in oil such as latkes (potato pancakes) and jelly donuts.

December 2018

Open Mic continued from page 26 exotic instruments fills in nooks and crannies. To the right is a small sound booth, and beyond that, wooden church pews about ten deep provide audience seating facing a lovely little stage equipped with a real piano, a massive iron sculpture of man’s head, and a scale, all enveloped by red velvet curtains. Master musician and emcee Ernie Vega does an outstanding job of cultivating an environment built on respect. He establishes ground rules for newcomers and typically sets the tone with the following words. “Welcome to the Jalopy Open Mic. Every performer gets eight minutes or two songs, whatever comes first. Please be respectful to the people on stage. If not, we may ask you to leave. Our motto is be cool or leave.” Often with the help of “The Legendary Sticker Dude”, aka LSD, names are drawn at random. This means you could be performing shortly after nine or much later. It’s

Covers continued from page 24 the contrary, I think it is important to tout your influences, to tip the hat and say, “This is where I came from, where I learned my licks.” Your audience deserves to know that. And what a great revelation it can be. MONSTER MAGNET On an intriguing note of context, there is a peculiar love/hate revolving door of band members between The Atomic Bitchwax and major label, Jersey stoner-rock kings, Monster Magnet. Monster Magnet is a super fun, hook-laden, tongue-in-cheek hard rock outfit. And by now, three Atomic Bitchwax members are in, or have been in, Monster Magnet - and Bitchwax has only ever been a power trio. It goes like this: bassist Chris

Statler continued from page 26 like 16th century German poetry. Where do you get your ideas & how do you work them into your songs? MS: For many years when I was looking for lyrical ideas I would go to the bookshelf, pull a random book and open it to a random page and start there. I was inspired by accidental approaches, found poetry, automatic writing and the like. So, my approach still involves getting myself, my own thoughts, my ego out of the way so that other ideas, other spirits can speak through me. Since having kids, I’ve felt obliged to edit lyrics so that they are appropriate for family singalongs, but that has forced me

Red Hook Star-Revue

the luck of the draw, but it’s worth waiting your turn and witnessing the variety of talent. In addition to the classic fare of singer-songwriters strumming acoustic guitars, I have seen hiphoppers, poets, Pakistani Raga, incredible classical-jazz fusion, and once, an Italian guy who tricked the audience into singing along to an impossible tongue twisting tune. When the crowd realized the joke was on them, hilarity ensued. Campbell’s Atlas is a regular favorite who plays cerebral and soulful tunes that speak of love and the apocalypse, sometimes within the same phrase. Nando Pelusi offers up dry wit and plays piano covering classics by Elton John, Elvis Costello, and Fats Domino. “This is the best night of my week. But that ain’t saying much.”

Sons of Astro sing cosmic folk tunes about clones. Jim Pennea’s country ditties can be slightly naughty while Johnny Burke’s original “Rockabilly Baby” recalls the sincerity of Buddy Holly. Former cabbie and open mic documentarian Jay Tanner snaps pix of performers and rasps classics by Chuck Berry and The Everly Brothers. Pete Coogan can croon like Dion and channels Roy Orbison likes nobody’s business. Sometimes, Jay and Pete join forces as a dynamic duo. The Jalopy’s positive atmosphere allows for such spontaneous collaborations to happen easily and organically. Jay shares his photos on Facebook and aptly labels them as “Ernie’s Friend Ship.”

Johnny Leal gets jazzy with riffs about a Monkey King, and The

If there’s one consistent quality, it’s that there’s always a surprise. I recall an evening when an apparently homeless black man took the stage and began ranting at onlookers in a drunken drawl. You could cut the discomfort with a knife. But when he started slipping in dirty jokes, the audience slowly, painfully realized this was comedic sabotage that challenged our assumptions on identity, race,

Kosnik and guitarist Ed Mundell form The Atomic Bitchwax, with drummer Keith Ackerman in 1992. Ed is already playing in Monster Magnet, who is about to sign a major label deal and soon, they do. In the meantime, the smaller band records two incredible records; The Atomic Bitchwax, and The Atomic Bitchwax II, on Tee Pee Records. There is a vibrant, rugged, freshness to these debut LPs that illustrates the inspiration of a new unit, just formed, grinning and wide-eyed, all full of big ideas. Many years, many tours, many cancellations of Bitchwax shows due to Ed’s Monster Magnet obligations, and the band eventually splits. Feelings are hurt, egos are bruised, but soon Finn Ryan replaces Ed on guitar, and the Bitchwax rides again. At some point, the original (and super badass) drummer, Keith, leaves Bitchwax

and is replaced by current (and super badass) drummer Bob Pantella who is, you guessed it, presently employed as skin-slapper for Monster Magnet. Oh, the webs we weave! And of course, some years later, as fate would have it, Chris Kosnik is called in to fill the bass slot with Monster Magnet, bringing it full circle. Holy Jersey Band-cest! It’s a particular type of Greek tragedy that takes place in the New Jersey stoner rock community, with a plot as thick as two drunk guys who get in a fight at a bar and eventually end up in blackout bromance mode, as best pals. And in the end, The Atomic Bitchwax is once again, as it was in the beginning, the more experimental, side project of members of Monster Magnet. MM is their “day job” that pays the bills. They tour the world to massive crowds, then come home and whip off

to work with double entendre and irony in ways that I’ve found really productive.

play that recording, work out some chord changes, and play that while humming along, vocalizing sounds that later become lyrics. The original tune that I would consider my ‘theme song’ is called Sweet Inertia, and it’s a riff on the folk classic Cornbread and Butterbeans, re-written in the voice of a tired but happy Brooklyn dad.

Anna Witiuk belts out blues in a baritone with a yodel that she can trace back to her Ukrainian roots while Bobby Blue refashions Madonna’s music as Mexican rancheras. It works surprisingly well.

RHSR: Can you tell me more about your songwriting process? What are some of your favorite original songs? MS: I bike to work, and it’s about thirty minutes coming and going. I get most of my ideas during those intervals. I’m alone with my thoughts, I’m engaged in a rhythmic movement, and the sights and sounds of the city push me in all kinds of directions. Usually, I’ll get a little groove or melody in my head, and I’ll repeat it until it feels good. Then I’ll stop riding and use my phone to record myself singing the phrase. Then later at home I’ll

RHSR: What are some of the things on your mind today as a songwriter? MS: We’re living in wild times, so I’m all over the place psychologically and emotionally. The other night onstage at Jalopy I joked that a friend had been giving me a hard time for only writing about death, so I tried for a while to write

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and the limits of humor. This is the brilliant Dekunle Somade, who is well worth catching live. If for some reason you need a breather, you can catch one outside with the smokers or pop your head in next door where there’s also live music, food, and drinks at the Tavern. Friendly bartender Aimar will treat you right and can tell you tales about the Basque country. They also have a cool back garden where films are sometimes screened. The Jalopy Theatre’s Tuesday night open mic begins at 9pm and ends around 12am. Arriving 10 minutes early is recommended. Put your name on the list, step up to the stage, and give it your best. You’ll find a warm and welcoming crowd to support you. The Jalopy Theatre is located at 315 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY 11231. For more information visit their website: www.jalopytheatre. org Mike Cobb is a Brooklyn based musician, writer, and multimedia producer. Check him out online at www.mc-obb.com

a Bitchwax US tour and regular stints throughout Europe where, as opposed to America, they are received like kings by sellout crowds. Sorta typical. You can go see two thirds of The Atomic Bitchwax playing with “The Spacelord”, Dave Wyndorf, in Monster Magnet on Sunday, December 30, 2018 with The Ribeye Brothers at House of Independents, Asbury Park, NJ. Wear your leather pants. You will have a blast. But do yourself a favor… go see The Atomic Bitchwax when they come around. You will NOT be disappointed. Antony Zito is a NYC & New England-based artist, curator, filmmaker, and writer. Reach him at zitozone@gmail.com and see him visual art at www.zitogallery.com

love songs, and then decided to split the difference and just write about the apocalypse. So, I’m trying to respond to the political and social dynamics of our time, while channeling deep and ancient vibes to wake people up and give them some hope. RHSR: How does your work as a teacher influence your music? MS: Professionally I’m a philosopher who teaches ethics and leadership at a business school, so I’m performing all the time. The music helps me connect with my students, while in turn the challenges they face give me plenty of inspiration for topical songs, protest songs.

December 2018, Page 29

RHI continued from page 3 literally, Eisenhard’s statement that “it is the people who live in a community who can create the change that is necessary for that community” produces an obvious question: why, then, does the Red Hook Initiative exist? An easy way to answer this somewhat abstract query would be to remove it from the realm of abstraction, by simply pointing to the countless lives that RHI has improved by setting up shop adjacent to the second-largest New York City Housing Authority complex, where public services are lacking and opportunities hard to find. Young people in the area can tell important stories attesting to the quality of their personal experiences at RHI. But over the course of its 16 years in Red Hook, RHI has also become bound up in a larger story of a neighborhood marked by the large-scale destruction wreaked by a natural disaster, the acceleration of gentrification, and the decline of an increasingly mismanaged and scandal-plagued NYCHA, whose arguably criminal failures under Trump’s defunded HUD to meet the basic needs of its tenants have by now fully undermined its longstanding reputation as America’s most successful big-city housing authority. In Red Hook, most people would say that, since 2002, some things have changed a lot, and other things haven’t changed at all. It’s in the context of the community’s wider history, and of the prospective futures and non-futures that seem to issue from it, that an inquiry into the nature of the Red Hook Initiative and what it aims to build begins to make sense. FOUR OUT OF FOUR STARS Charity Navigator, a website that evaluates the efficiency and transparency of nonprofits, rates RHI four stars out of four. Locally, its reputation is just as strong. Each year, nearly every restaurant in Red Hook jumps at the chance to help volunteer-cater its annual fundraiser, Taste of Red Hook. Pierre Alexandre, co-owner of Dolce Brooklyn, called the organization’s work “amazing” and “very helpful,” and Jo Goldfarb, the director of communications at the private school Basis Independent Brooklyn, affirmed that RHI “has spearheaded meaningful, needed programs for the youth of the neighborhood.” Judith Dailey, a retiree who operated a play therapy program at P.S. 27 until 2008, recalled that children under her care regarded RHI as a “place where they could go and talk about anything and everything.” Today, “they’re doing the same self-esteem building, the same motivation, so it’s continued, and it’s really helped a lot of young people,” she observed. “And many of the children that have gone to Red Hook Initiative have gone on to college, and they come back and pay it forward.” She identified her own granddaughter, now a college student, as one of the beneficiaries. Raised in the Red Hook Houses, Tedron Cuevas came to RHI in 2009. “I was 15, and I wanted to maybe start working, and I was getting my thoughts together to get a job, and the Red Hook Initiative had this pro-

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gram called the Youth Leaders,” he recounted. “Over time, after I did the Youth Leader program, I just fell in love with the rest of the programs that was there.” While the Youth Leaders gave Cuevas “job readiness skills” (and a reasonable stipend) and helped him get his “résumé started,” the Peer Counselors had a more profound effect. At the start of the program, “we sat down for about six hours, and we talked about peer counseling, the everyday problems that our peers go through, how it affects us, how it affects them, how does it affect their family, how does it affect their future, and how we can help.” Learning how to talk about these problems, “instead of just cursing at each other and throwing foul language at each other,” was “a big, important thing.” Also a founding member of the Red Hook Art Project under the tutor Deirdre Swords, who began creating art alongside Red Hook students on Saturdays in Coffey Park in 2006, Cuevas went directly to Jill Eisenhard at RHI when RHAP needed a new indoor space to hold its art-making sessions. Because RHI was less busy on weekends than on weekdays, Eisenhard was able to make room for RHAP inside the Hicks Street building. Eventually, Cuevas found another outlet for his creativity in food, and he joined RHI’s Teen Chefs, which “made me understand why I wanted to join the food industry, what I wanted to do in the food industry, and how I wanted my food to affect people.” The program “was a little bit of how to cook, because a lot of us teens didn’t really know how to cook, but it was also about the food industry, so you got to talk to a lot of local chefs, a lot of local business owners. You got to try out a lot of local foods. But the main thing was really understanding that a lot of the people we met were just like us. They were artists, they were – I don’t want to say poor, but they were from low-income communities, and they found their way to make their dreams. Whether it was a small restaurant or a big restaurant, they found a way to make it happen.” Before long, Cuevas was employed as a prep cook, dishwasher, and busser at Narcissa, the restaurant at the Standard hotel in the East Village. He now works at the Brooklyn Moon Cafe and hopes one day to own his own restaurant. “RHI kept me constantly employed – just going there, using the computer, and then they always had jobs on the board when you first walked in. I would always go up to the board and just check to see what jobs are available,” he remembered. Cuevas knows plenty of other kids who profited from their years at RHI, including his younger siblings, one of whom took a robotics course there. “All the people that go there, I’m pretty sure they appreciate the quality of people that works there. When you meet one person that really cares for something that you care for, or one person that really wants to help you move forward in life, that’s cool, but when you meet a group of people that’s working in this nonprofit organization that really wants the best for the whole neighborhood, that really wants the best for everybody and

wants to help them as much as they can, it’s almost shocking. It’s like this is the first time you’ve seen kindness being put to another human.” He continued: “I know kids that was selling drugs and doing stuff that they shouldn’t be doing, and going to the RHI has helped a lot of these kids get out of that path, pushed them away from that path. And it’s not like they wanted to be on that path, but the way life gave them these cards they was dealt, they had nothing to do but play them.” As Cuevas put it, RHI managed to “get them a whole new set of cards, a whole new dealer, and get them away from the streets.” Eisenhard’s personal involvement set an example that still inspires him. “It really grew on me to want to help to people – just help them realize how much they’re worth and how much they can really accomplish in their own life and how they can be, truly, honestly, whatever they want to be,” he said. Asked whether he could think of any negative aspects of RHI’s operations, Cuevas paused to think for a moment and then gave a succinct reply: “No.”

“Love is atmospheric at RHI.” —Anna Ortega-Williams

RHI AND THE TA If, for whatever reason, one does want to hear something negative about the Red Hook Initiative, the easiest place to go may be the Red Hook Houses West Tenants Association. Bea Byrd, who served as TA president from 1995 to 2000 and remained involved thereafter, provided some historical background to an animus that still exists, in some form, to this day. As president, Byrd’s “first task was to establish that the tenant association was an inviolable organization in the community that represented the tenants of public housing.” At the time, the larger political structure in Brooklyn had marginalized Red Hook on the whole and the Red Hook Houses in particular. At Community Board 6, until Byrd earned a seat, “Park Slope was recognized, Carroll Gardens was recognized,” but if someone from Red Hook “stood up to say something, you

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were sort of written off.” NYCHA tenants “had no vote on the community board.” Later on, Byrd found that, in a way, the Red Hook Initiative had co-opted her mission to give her neighborhood a voice. “They would have things like, ‘Let’s go out into the community and find all the problems that the residents are having that the tenant association is not taking care of,’” she described. “I’ve never had any real connection with Jill. I would see her – she would know who I was; I would know who she was. But there was never any feeling of ‘let’s form a partnership, and let’s work collectively.’ It was: ‘Red Hook Initiative is doing everything in the community, and the tenant association is not.’” Besides bringing public housing concerns to CB6, Byrd’s priority was “helping people to get jobs. The businesses around the neighborhood didn’t hire locally. All of the people would come to their jobs from out of the community, and I’d argue that we had people here who were qualified – just give us a chance to place them.” RHI has played a similar role more recently, and Byrd acknowledged that the two organizations’ “goals, of course, were pretty much the same, if you’re looking to uplift people in the community and help them have a better quality of life. So I never had any problem with their goals and aspirations.” But RHI was “funded by the mayor’s office. They had their fundraiser where they would raise millions and millions of dollars. The tenant association had nothing like that; we only had volunteer people. Only on one occasion, we got a grant, and I was able to hire someone to be in the office during the daytime hours, because I always had to work for a living.” Byrd herself, as TA president, acted as a volunteer. “But recognizing leadership, whether you are the leadership of Red Hook Initiative or leadership of the tenant association or the leadership of other organizations in the community – certainly one leader should recognize another, and I just don’t think that was reciprocal.” Lillie Marshall, the current TA president, who succeeded Byrd, was blunter: “Personally, I call it disrespect, because I was here before [Eisenhard] came here. She never once tried to reach out to me, so I have no reason to reach out to her, because I was already here.” In Marshall’s view, Eisenhard “does not serve anyone in Red Hook. A few kids go there and work for her periodically. I personally feel she’s done nothing. Red Hook was here before she came here, and Red Hook will be here when she’s gone.” Red Hook stalwart Wally Bazemore attributed the apparent feud to a simple cause: the TA presidents are “jealous. And I spoke to them before – at least Lillie – about, hey, look, you got your own 501(c)(3): you need to put in a program where we could do some holistic stuff for the youth, because it’s not a one-shoe-fit-all.” But Marshall “has to focus on the kids and not how much money is going to RHI. She could get the same grant. There’s

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RHI continued from previous page plenty of money in this city. There’s a pipeline of money, but you have to find that pipeline and write a proposal. She could do exactly what Jill does. Stop backbiting.” Bazemore approves of RHI. “I always thank the executive director every time I see her for the things that she’s doing for the kids in the community, giving them a stipend, giving them another outlet, showing them a specific direction. They’re the only ones doing it, so we could all criticize what they’re not doing, and it’s obvious, but if we’re not doing anything, we should just shut up and allow them to do something.” The most recent public records show $4 million in annual revenue and $2.5 million in assets for the Red Hook Initiative, whereas NYCHA allocated $19,519 for the West Tenants Association in 2018, to add to $61,086 in held-over funds. The question as to whether a facility for fundraising should determine community leadership is a complicated one, but there can be complications, too, in the role of the tenants association within a public housing community. It may appear as a more organic model of self-organization and selfdetermination than RHI’s system of supervised empowerment, and indeed it may be, but to assume so automatically ignores a history of occasional complicity, in American cities, between tenant leadership and public housing authorities, where the former can sometimes function as a puppet regime, working to quell dissent on behalf of an inadequate state or city agency. According to Red Hook Houses resident Karen Blondel, Marshall’s monthly TA meetings regularly ignore the established bylaws that are supposed to govern the structure of such meetings, and the resulting chaos makes it difficult for residents to organize effectively around problems in the development or the deficiencies of NYCHA. Blondel claimed that, when she tried to run against Marshall in TA elections, she found herself subject to police intimidation and the threat of eviction. She believes that NYCHA keeps Marshall in power, despite impeachable derelictions of duty, because “they know how far she’ll go. They’re more comfortable sticking with the status quo.” By contrast, “when organizations like the Red Hook Initiative come out here and embrace our children, it’s a threat to the powers that be. No, it doesn’t work perfectly, but they have programming. What programming does [Marshall] have?” Blondel alleged that the bulk of Marshall’s TA excursions have exclusively served the members of her own church. “She wants to be a dictator over Red Hook forever, and it can’t happen anymore. Conditions have deteriorated. Rents

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are high. It’s unacceptable.” In Blondel’s view, one of NYCHA’s worst offenses during her time in public housing has been its refusal to uphold the mandates of Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, which “requires that recipients of HUD funds, to the greatest extent feasible, provide job training, employment, and contracting opportunities for low- or moderate-income residents in connection with projects and activities in their neighborhoods.” Although the purpose of the law was to force HUD contractors to employ public housing tenants for construction and maintenance proj-

ects in the complexes where they live, in New York City it technically allows for the hiring of anyone who makes less than $48,000 a year in the five boroughs. Blondel thinks that NYCHA permitted its contractors to practice employment discrimination in Red Hook (and elsewhere), by which they deliberately ignored local candidates and filled out their positions instead with new high school graduates from less impoverished areas. In part, this neglect on the part of NYCHA created the need for a nonprofit employment and job training center like RHI to enter the neighborhood. THE NEOLIBERAL MODEL Nationwide, the rise of the nonprofit sector can be traced alongside the neoliberalization of the United States’ political economy and the erosion of the New Deal. Between 1980 and 2008, the number of registered 501(c) organizations doubled. In 1985, Governor Mario Cuomo echoed the prevailing wisdom of the Reagan era when he declared, “It is not government’s obligation to provide services, but to see that they’re provided.” This included social services. Instead of directly addressing the needs of the public, the government began to channel a portion of the funds that had once powered large-scale social programs, now dismantled, into a competitive marketplace of tiny nonprofits, which jockeyed for grants

of young people, we wanted to continue their growth and development within the organization, so I designed a Peer Counselors program as their second level of training.” From there, “we started to think about where we wanted our focus to be and where we could have the most impact and what our strengths were.” Incidentally, however, RHI’s youth focus also reflects a preference in philanthropy for an opportunity-based model of social change. Whereas any demand for decent wages for the uneducated and the working class or a guarantee of material comfort even for the unemployed would amount to no less than a call for revolution in the United States of the 21st century, the language of “opportunity” can countenance vast inequality in the class structure, as long as accessible pathways exist for ascent from the bottom to the top. These pathways are designed for the bright, ambitious youngsters of underprivileged communities, not for their parents or grandparents, who have already missed their chance. RHI board member Brandon Holley extends the ladder of socioeconomic mobility to local kids by hiring them at her startup. “I have employed a number of them, one of whom is [now] with Goldman Sachs, which is kind of cool. She’ll make more RHI event 2014. Star-Revue ﬁle photo. money than I ever will,” she remarked. It’s hard to imagine a clearer distillation of the insufficiency of “opportuAndrea Smith describes how, “after nity” than this invocation of Goldman being forced to frame everything we Sachs, the Wall Street gangsters whose do as a ‘success,’ [nonprofits] become inveterate greed and criminality just a stuck in having to repeat the same decade ago helped erase $22 trillion strategies because we insisted to of American wealth, with blue-collar funders they were successful, even if families and immigrants footing the they were not. Consequently, we bebill in one way or another. (Goldman come inflexible rather than fluid and Sachs Gives is an RHI sponsor.) If, in ever changing in our strategies, which order to get ahead, a kid from a poor, is what a movement for social transblack neighborhood ends up particiformation really requires.” Stephapating in the system of finance capinie Guilloud and William Cordery of talism that works to ensure that the the Atlanta-based nonprofit Project majority of black people in America South elaborate (circa 2007): “Our will be poor forever, we might want work becomes compartmentalized to envision a society in which getting products, desired or undesired by the ahead is no longer quite so essential. foundation market, rated by trends Red Hook Houses resident Henrior political relationships rather than etta Perkins worries that RHI’s lesson depth of work. How often do we hear for young people is to “escape from that ‘youth work is hot right now’?” the projects; don’t look back.” In PerBy Ortega-Williams’ account, the kins’s words, RHI is “very informative Red Hook Initiative, which began unas far as teaching people things,” but der the auspices of Long Island Col“they’re not checking to see whether lege Hospital as a temporary public whoever they’re giving this informahealth program for adult women, tion to is improving the neighborcame to youth work naturally. “The hood. They’re improving people, but first program was Community Health they’re not improving the commuEducators, so they were women in the nity.” community, leaders in the communi“To garner funding, nonprofits are ty, who wanted to learn about reprousually required to develop singleductive health and share this informaissue campaigns that address some tion with their peers. For the second oppressed group, based on age, race, program, after these women brought sexuality, disability, or some other in their children or their neighbors, identity,” writes College of Staten Iswhich were young people, we decided land professor John Arena, who posto design a Peer Health Educator protulates in a 2012 book that this fraggram for 14- and 15-year-olds. And that was our first adolescent program. After we trained this fantastic cohort RHI continued on the next page from other sources to fill out the rest of their budgets. Entrusting the social welfare to a patchwork of small, private entities – each of them relatively powerless in comparison to government itself – helped not only to save money but to ween Americans off the idea that the state had an obligation to provide a minimum standard of living for all its citizens, who thenceforth could expect only charitably disbursed scraps. In the absence of a guaranteed, taxpayer-supplied budget, these nonprofits had to function, in some ways, as pragmatically as for-profit corporations. Writing in 2017, the activist

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RHI continued from previous page

apartments. There’s evidence that the RHI environment is conducive to civmented approach is designed not to ic-mindedness for its young people, yield any cohesive mass movement who take part enthusiastically in Disfor social justice. For RHI, the focus is trict 38’s Participatory Budgeting and, young people, but in fact the organisome years ago, even initiated a study WHERE THE MONEY COMES zation also has an all-ages sideline in of their own to demonstrate the large FROM emergency preparedness, thanks to discrepancy in the number of pubthe role it played in the aftermath of lic trash cans between the Front and The Red Hook Initiative gets 20 perHurricane Sandy. Back of Red Hook, which, in addition cent of its revenue from government When Sandy struck in 2012, the to explaining a litter problem in the sources like the New York City DeRed Hook Houses lost electricity, underserved Front, pointed usefully partment of Youth and Community heat, and water, but the RHI building to a larger theme of the city’s neglect. Development and the New York City remained intact, and the organizaEarlier this year, RHI assembled Human Resources Administration, 13 tion quickly opened its doors to proan Anti-Violence Research Group of percent from individuals, 12 percent vide hot meals, flashlights, and medieight young people to “investigate the from corporations, one percent from cal assistance, serving as many as roots of peers’ violent experiences and earned income, and 55 percent from 1,200 people a day at 767 Hicks while ways to reduce violence within the private foundations. canvassing NYCHA homes and enneighborhood.” The researchers idenFaced with the prospect of loscouraging volunteers from all over to tified “aggressive policcome to Red Hook to ing” as “a major conhelp. In the process, RHI Annual Revenue vs. Expenses* tributor to experiences it became the public of violence for young face of Red Hook’s people.” When the Starrecovery effort, and 5 Million Revue glimpsed an earthe report it issued $4,022,056 ly presentation by the in 2013 is surprisingAnti-Violence Research ly candid about the Group and published extent to which the 4 Million $3,091,413 a pro-police response, crisis had generated RHI regarded this press positive publicity for intrusion as an invathe nonprofit, noting 3 Million sion of privacy and an that, soon after the endangerment of its storm, the number young people and deof RHI’s Twitter fol2 Million termined to shelve the lowers jumped from report indefinitely. 350 to 3,700 and In America’s culture its Facebook Likes of authoritarianism, anfrom 150 to 2,760. 1 Million ti-police sentiments, no Its financial documatter how valid, will ments tell the story always attract controeven more clearly: in 0 versy, and RHI’s reluc2011, RHI pulled in 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 tance to garner media $744,144 in revenue, attention (whether hosand the next year, Revenue Expenses tile or sympathetic) for that figure rose to RHI changed its accounting so that its fiscal year would begin on July 1 instead of January 1, so technically the figures for 2016 and 2017 reflect funds received and its own project prompts $2,471,008. According disbursed from 7/1/2015-6/30/2016 and from 7/1/2016-6/30/2017. The information for 7/1/2017-6/30/2018 isn’t publicly available yet. the question whether to Byrd, the “percepthe study was meant tion was that they were to be only an internal the ones that, when a exercise in simulated activism, deall, to present it as something that ing 40 percent of their wealth (or, in hurricane comes through – I’ll give fanged by the private, academicized should never threaten winners. In the old days under FDR, as much as credit where credit is due; they were context into which the findings would an age defined by a chasm between 77 percent) to the estate tax, aging very involved with it, helping people, be channeled. Left without guidthose who have power and those who plutocrats commonly elect instead but so were other organizations,” inance, adolescents in the Red Hook don’t, elites have spread the idea that to funnel huge chunks of their forcluding neighborhood churches and Houses, whose childhoods witnessed people must be helped, but only in tunes into tax-exempt private founthe Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health the trauma of the NYPD’s brutal 2006 market-friendly ways that do not updations, which, through donations, Center. drug raid, might come to theorize, for set fundamental power equations.” convey these monies back into serSubsequently, RHI developed a diexample, that – because the presence Giridharadas promotes a more demvices primarily for plutocrats: elite saster readiness curriculum for Red of the police in black neighborhoods ocratic method, noting that “if you are universities; opera houses; and, Hook residents called Local Leaders. fundamentally amounts to a military trying to shape the world for the betmost crucially, right-wing think tanks Andrea McKnight, who graduated occupation, transforming daily comter, you are engaging in a political act, that promote anti-welfare policies, from the program in 2014, values the munity interactions into potentially which raises the question of whether supply-side economics, and impetraining she received: she learned deadly scenarios in any number of you are employing an appropriately rial wars. In order to legitimize these CPR; identified potential hazards in ways; or because the police, as depolitical process to guide the shaptax havens in the eyes of the public, her building; took note of elderly and fenders of private property, serve only ing.” foundation-based philanthropists infirm tenants who might need extra to contrive social order (violently if sometimes make donations to orgaassistance in the event of an evacunecessary) within a system in which FOUNDATION-APPROVED nizations that meet a more traditional ation; and helped develop an action poor people are exploited – perhaps ACTIVISM standard of what constitutes a charity, plan for a future disaster, with five the NYPD shouldn’t exist at all. But like the Red Hook Initiative. meeting points spread across the it’s difficult to picture the Rockefeller Organizations like RHI operate, in RHI’s most generous donor, for neighborhood. “We did a lot of stuff,” Foundation donating to an organizapart, as functionaries of the foundaexample, is the Carson Family Charishe said. tion seen promoting such ideas or the tion world, whose funding allows table Trust, which also gives to DartAlthough the notion of leadership direct action that such ideas would them to offer much-needed social mouth College; the Columbia School here is not strictly limited to the subcompel. services while simultaneously probof Business; charter schools; the freeject of emergency management, PerRHI’s official 2018 Impact Report lematizing their relationship to social market Manhattan Institute for Policy kins, also a Local Leader, agreed on sums up the anti-violence research: change. Yet RHI’s mission statement Research, which has pushed for Medthe merits of the course but finds it “The team developed a report includemphasizes “social change to overicaid cuts, advocated against raising strange that so much of RHI’s limited ing findings and recommendations, come systemic inequities, ” and its the national minimum wage, and adult programming remains Sandyand utilized the findings to fuel advoslogan is “We Are the Change.” While championed fracking; and the neocentric six years after the storm. “They cacy. Over the next year, RHI will sup501(c)(3)s are legally prohibited from conservative American Enterprise keep repeating the same classes we port the team’s recommendations to advocacy on behalf of candidates for Institute, whose senior fellows have took. . . . How many times can you reduce violence by increasing opporpublic elective office, RHI has conincluded Trump’s national security redo these classes?” she wondered. tunities for youth to imagine, design ducted studies and surveys that have advisor John Bolton and former vice In a 2015 interview with LinkedIn, and lead community activities, events helped lead the push to remove danpresident Dick Cheney. In 2016-2017, Eisenhard admitted to the “potengerous lead and mold from NYCHA the Trust gave $1 million to RHI. tial for mission drift during Sandy,” RHI continued on the next page

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but RHI managed to stay largely in the business of youth work. Even so, its funding has never come close to dropping to pre-Sandy levels.

The IRS requires private foundations to dispense only five percent of their assets in a given year (administrative costs can account for part of this figure), and while most prefer to grow their endowments than to spend them in full, the wealth of private foundations – half of which have appeared within the last 20 years – nevertheless confers upon them an outsize role in determining America’s prescriptions and solutions for the problems of poverty and social injustice. In his 2018 book Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World, Anand Giridharadas posits that “when elites assume leadership of social change, they are able to reshape what social change is – above

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December 2018

How does RHI compare to other charities?*

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RHI

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*Information provided by Charity Navigator which calculates the difference between the financial health of the institution and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s accountability and transparency. For more information, visit: charitynavigator.org

RHI continued from previous page and programs.â&#x20AC;? In other words, the solution to neighborhood violence is more RHI. The police go unmentioned. THE NONPROFIT INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX Per Arena, nonprofits can provide a â&#x20AC;&#x153;protective functionâ&#x20AC;? for capitalism, â&#x20AC;&#x153;centered on their capacity to undermine, contain, or prevent the emergence of social movements that challenge the power and prerogatives of the ruling class. One key way nonprofits contain movements is through co-optation of leaders or, as Hester Eisenstein puts it, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;by sopping up the energy of activists.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; . . . Central to the recruiting and co-optive powers of nonprofits and their foundation sponsors is the material rewards they can provide intellectuals â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;jobs and benefits for radicals willing to become pragmatic.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; These perks, along with the legitimation that comes with being associated with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;progressive,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;humanitarian,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and/or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;social changeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; organizations, can be useful in both peeling away working-class, grassroots, organic intellectuals or preventing others from even dabbling in radical politics.â&#x20AC;? Arena is loosely describing a concept known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;nonprofit industrial complexâ&#x20AC;? (NPIC), and UC Riverside professor Dylan RodrĂguez, in a 2007 essay, extends the point: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The NPIC is not wholly unlike the institutional apparatus of neocolonialism, in which former and potential anticolonial revolutionaries are â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;professionalizedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and granted opportunities within a labyrinthine state-proctored bureaucracy that ultimately reproduces the essential coherence of the neocolonial relation of power itself.â&#x20AC;? For those who believe that, in the modern era, foreign-aid NGOs have replaced colonial governments as a means for the Global North to exercise dominion over the Global South, it may be worth asking whether certain demands for structural decolonization are warranted in the domestic nonprofit sphere. While some may argue, possibly correctly, that Red Hook residents power the internal engine of RHI, with board members primarily in charge of fundraising to support their activities, Holley claimed that RHI board members are â&#x20AC;&#x153;very active. I think we have a really good, almost model board. In fact, a lot of people say that our board is a model for their organizations because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re actively involved in every aspect of [RHI].â&#x20AC;? Byrd believes she could have been a candidate for a board seat if RHI had had more trust in the community it served. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been a president

Red Hook Star-Revue

of the NAACP for the entire borough of Brooklyn. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been on the Community Board. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been on the Housing Authority board. I just recently left the Joseph P. Addabbo board. I know that boards and board members are very important. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OK to say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I hired a young person from the community to be an outreach person.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; But whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sitting on the board of directors of Red Hook Initiative? They could all be wonderful people, but how many of them actually live in the Red Hook Houses where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re located? When you talk about the body that makes the decisions, who do you have from the Red Hook Houses thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s making those decisions? Probably no one.â&#x20AC;? The 2007 anthology The Revolution Will Not Be Funded (South End Press) notes the â&#x20AC;&#x153;immense social divisionâ&#x20AC;? between â&#x20AC;&#x153;foundations and marginalized social groups,â&#x20AC;? especially groups of color, whereas, for â&#x20AC;&#x153;the white Left capitalist, foundations are often only a phone call away.â&#x20AC;? This volume, compiled by the nonprofit INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence after the Ford Foundation withdrew a $100,000 grant in reaction to the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support for Palestinian liberation, begins with a simple selfdirected question: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you think the system is really going to fund you to dismantle it?â&#x20AC;? RED HOOK REAL ESTATE While foundation dollars dwarf corporate donations at the Red Hook Initiative, the corporations that contribute to RHI tend to have a greater involvement in the Red Hook community, which invites increased scrutiny. For companies whose philanthropy functions as a public-relations tactic, charitable donations donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily entail the same expectation of quid pro quo as political contributions: the donation is an advertisement, true or false, of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good will for the community and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t inevitably carry a set of instructions for its recipient. But it does reveal a relationship of some kind between the company and the charity. For example, if the goal of the company were to gentrify Red Hook, it would be unlikely to make its donation to an explicitly anti-gentrification organization â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which one might logically assume any organization serving low-income people would be. Especially prominent among RHIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sponsors are real estate developers, including Forest City Ratner, Two Trees, the Sitex Group, and the Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell Organization. The plans of the real estate interests to change the character of Red Hook in ways unlikely to benefit low-income residents are

clear. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Possible upzoning of Red Hook could allow for more FAR [floor area ratio] and might make this ideal for a boutique condo development,â&#x20AC;? hints a recent Red Hook property listing at Corcoran Real Estate, another RHI sponsor. Local activist Robert Berrios sees it this way: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Their whole idea is to convert Red Hook into another Williamsburg or Chelsea or one of these yuppie neighborhoods.â&#x20AC;? In some cases, real estate donations appear nakedly transactional. In 2016, while pursuing plans to build a 1.2-million-square-foot waterfront office complex called the Red Hook Innovation Studios, the Italian company Est4te Four donated to RHI; in 2017, after giving up on the idea and unloading all but one of its Red Hook properties onto the Sitex Group, Est4te Four disappeared from the list of sponsors, replaced by Sitex, whose vice president Zach McHugh now sits on the RHI Associate Board. Meanwhile, in 2016, the engineering juggernaut AECOM released an unabashedly grotesque plan to transform the Red Hook Container Terminal into a shiny, towering wall of 45,000 subway-serviced luxury condominiums. A Thrillist article quoted a subsequent remonstrance by Eisenhard, whose objection related to AECOMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lack of

Why do real estate developers like RHI? community outreach, not to the substance of the proposal: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The [correct] process would be engaging residents to ask, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What are the needs you see?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; . . . And take that and then develop a plan.â&#x20AC;? In 2017, AECOM became an RHI sponsor. Why do real estate developers like RHI? While any suggestion that a well-loved community-based organization could be in a good position to smooth out legitimate local opposition to the sort of massive, disruptive development favored by Forest City Ratner, the company behind Downtown Brooklynâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unpopular Pacific Park (formerly Atlantic Yards), might carry some tone of a conspiracy theory, Byrd mentioned that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been fascinated by New York real estate developers since the emergence of Donald Trump in the 1970s, and in her view, such businessmen â&#x20AC;&#x153;are not doing something for nothing. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not giving you money out of the kindness of their heart. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re giving you money because they expect something in exchange.â&#x20AC;? Whether or not RHI can sway local opinion, the imprimatur of a nonprofit intimately ensconced in the neighborhood might, for city officials weighing land-use approvals, plausibly stand in for the notion of community support.

EISENHARD SUPPORTS BQX So far, Eisenhardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal advocacy for the Brooklyn-Queens Connector â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a project conceived to boost waterfront property values, pushed by the real estate lobby and adopted by Mayor de Blasio â&#x20AC;&#x201C; has yet to convince Red Hook that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good idea. While light rail may not outperform bus service in terms of speed, convenience, or reliability, it does have the advantage of being far more expensive, which allows it to function as a symbol of the overall civic investment bestowed upon wealthy neighborhoods. Rich people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ride buses. They may not ride the BQX that much either, but its presence will hearten them because, from it, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll know that the city has wrested Red Hook from its former squalor and poured in a bunch of money in anticipation of their own arrival. In short, it tells them that Red Hook belongs to them now. Supposedly, the city expects a financing model known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;value captureâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which refers to the increased property tax revenue that comes from growth in property values in the wake of improved public services, without an increase on the tax rate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to fund the BQX, but last year a leaked memo from City Hall acknowledged that this mechanism was unlikely to cover the cost. The most recent BQX map has abandoned the plan to run the streetcar down crowded Van Brunt Street, shunting it instead onto Columbia Street and Bay Street, which, since the Red Hook Houses and the Red Hook Recreation Center sit on publicly owned land, would largely invalidate the premise of â&#x20AC;&#x153;value capture,â&#x20AC;? at least in Red Hook, unless some of that land were privatized. Berrios said that he knows the BQX isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meant for anyone in the Red Hook Houses because de Blasio has yet to secure a guarantee from the MTA for a free transfer between systems, despite promises to do so; by and large, Red Hook natives canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to pay twice for their commute to work. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the thing: if [RHI is] supporting this, all these students that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been teaching and helping, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all going to be gone because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to move out of the neighborhood,â&#x20AC;? Berrios explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re saying theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here to help the community, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re supporting this. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mix well.â&#x20AC;? NATIONWIDE THREATS TO PUBLIC HOUSING Berriosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apparent implication â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that the BQX, if it were built, would spell the beginning of the end for public housing in Red Hook â&#x20AC;&#x201C; may sound hyperbolic. NYCHA, which owns 328 campuses, has knocked down only one in its 84-year history. But public housing residents in many other cities have been less fortunate, and for some observers, NYCHAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent dysfunction has suddenly made eerily plausible the notion of giving up, on a collective level, on its 178,895 homes. In March, the New York Daily News opined that â&#x20AC;&#x153;New York City is at a crossroads. If its public housing is allowed to dete-

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December 2018, Page 33

Holiday Happenings And Events

By Erin DeGregorio • Cirque Dreams Holidaze, a two-

hour long Broadway musical and cirque adventure, will be at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre for four more performances. The show features more than 300 imaginative costumes, 20 world-class acts, original music and seasonal favorites that celebrate Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s. Show dates are Dec. 1 and Dec. 2, 2 pm and 7:30 pm each day. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www. ticketmaster.com/artist/1347585. • The largest menorah in Brooklyn, standing at 32 feet tall, will be lit every night of Chanukah at the Grand Army Plaza. There will be live music, hot latkes and gifts for the children nightly. The event, organized by Chabad of Park Slope, is free and open to everyone. Schedule is as follows: 1st night of Chanukah, Sunday, Dec. 2: Live kickoff concert begins at 4:30 pm, menorah lighting at 6 pm 2nd night, Monday, Dec. 3: Lighting at 6 pm 3rd night, Tuesday, Dec. 4: Lighting at 6 pm 4th night, Wednesday, Dec. 5: Lighting at 6 pm 5th night, Thursday, Dec. 6: Lighting at 6 pm 6th night, Friday, Dec. 7: Lighting at 3:30 pm 7th night, Saturday, Dec. 8: Lighting at 7 pm 8th night, Sunday, Dec. 9: Lighting at 6 pm • The 10th Annual Latke Festival, produced by Great Performances and benefitting The Sylvia Center, will be held at the Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway) for the third year in a row. It is a city-wide competition that celebrates traditional and creative interpretations of the potato pancake and features a panel of celebrity judges. The festival will take place on Dec. 3, 6-8:30 pm. Regular admission tickets ($75) and VIP admission ($125) are still on sale and can be purchased on the ticket page of its official website (latkefestival.com) or at latkefest2018.eventbrite.com. • Brooklyn’s tallest Christmas Tree will be lit at MetroTech Commons (2 MetroTech Center) on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 5-6 pm. Students from Brooklyn Music School will be performing a set of holiday songs before and after the tree lighting ceremony. The event will also feature other local Brooklyn talent. • The Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph

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will be hosting its 4th Annual Christmas Concert and Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 6. The Christmas Concert will feature a 13-year-old operatype soloist and Kelly Wright, former news anchor/reporter at Fox News. The event will take place at 856 Pacific Street, 7-8:30 pm. • Atlantic Avenue’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, officiated by Council Member Stephen Levin, and Holiday Tree Lighting Party will be held on Thursday, Dec. 6, 6-8 pm. It will take place at St. Cyril of Turov Belarusian Orthodox Church (401 Atlantic Avenue, at Bond Street). Guests can meet Santa, have fun at the family dance party and enjoy food and refreshments. There will also be caroling along the avenue with Brooklyn High School of the Arts from 5 to 6 pm. • Join Court Street Merchants Association, Friends of Carroll Park, elected officials, neighbors and even Santa Claus at the Carroll Park Holiday Tree Lighting on Friday, Dec. 7, 6-7 pm. Caroling and counting down to light the tree will happen at the Louis Valentino, Jr. Ballfield, followed immediately by food and fun in the Robert Acito Park House. Friends of Carroll Park will also be collecting goods for the City Harvest

Cirque Dreams Holidaze. Photo courtesy of Cirque Productions • Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, parishioners from Brooklyn and Queens, and local politicians will gather to light Prospect Park’s largest-ever Christmas Tree at the Diocese of Brooklyn Christmas Tree Lighting. It will take place at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Grand Army Plaza on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5-7 pm. The tree, which will be over 35 feet tall, will remain lit and can be viewed until January 2019. • Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s 10th Annual Celebrate Kwanzaa event – also known as the largest family Kwanzaa event in New York City – will take place Dec. 26 to Dec. 30 at 145 Brooklyn Avenue. Over five days of culture and fun, guests will learn about Kwanzaa and explore its seven principles. Admission is $11 per person;

A Christmas Story from 2002

ike the Empire State Building, Lady Liberty and 9/11, everyone has heard of Macy’s. The largest department store in the world. At Easter, Macy’s sponsors The Annual Flower Show with thousands of colorful blooms throughout the store. At Thanksgiving, we are gifted with the Macy’s Day Parade, featuring every cartoon character we’ve known since childhood. At Christmas, the store is alive with lights and magnificent display windows depicting scenes of Christmas past. Its eight floor is a Winter Wonderland, and can dissuade anyone from suicide. Going to Macy’s at Christmastime is the ultimate medication to induce Holiday Spirit. And empty your wallet. I make it a point to get to Macy’s for my Christmas shopping every year, as stores compete for my cash. The coupons I have received in the mail from Macy’s entice me to buy more gifts than needed. Wow, 40% off the ticketed price, plus an extra 15% today and tomorrow only. But that is not true. The sales will last through January and will get bigger and better with each passing day. I need my gifts by December 25th, but hope to have extra green leftover for the sale days of January. I will make purchases at 75% off the ticketed price whether I need them or not. Macy’s does a great job of retailing, they know how to grab the consumer’s attention and hold it. They make you want to buy everything you see. I spent nine hours shopping at Macy’s New York this weekend, four days before Christmas, not an easy task. Not

only did I get good buys, but sore feet and lower back pain at no extra cost. My shopping expedition has become a military experience. Dressed lightweight, water bottle in place, money tucked in my front pocket to elude pick pockets, coupons in hand, spirit in tack, dodging the longest lines, finding the nearest restroom, it’s all basic training. I am ready for action. Task done, I am exhausted. Bags in tow, I am back in Brooklyn, almost home, I realized I forgot to buy two gifts. Not having the energy to board the subway for a second trip back to the city, I decided to go to Macy’s in downtown Brooklyn. It’s a short walk from where I live. The Brooklyn Macy’s on Fulton Street is the former home of A&S, Abraham and Straus. It was a grand store in its day. A&S had the biggest tree of any store and the best Santa in town. It had the same displays and decorations as Macy’s New York does today, but that was fifty-seven years ago. It’s how I remember it, the best store in downtown Brooklyn. I now realize that all Macy’s are not created equal. The Brooklyn store can be described as the neglected child of 34thStreet. It does not adorn the trim and sparkle of its flagship sibling. It is colorless and dim, a shadow of its former grand occupant. Merchandise is strewn like garbage, a bargain basement fire sale has offered better. The aisles are not flooded with crowds and the shoppers wear grim expressions on their faces. The lines are long and slow moving, making Motor Vehicles seem like a day in the park. The salespeople show no sign of selling joy or

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Largest Menorah in Brooklyn Photo courtesy of The Largest Menorah Brooklyn Children’s Museum members and children under the age of 12 months are free. Check out brooklynkids.org/kwanzaa/ for scheduling and more details. • Mark your calendars for the New Year’s Eve Fireworks Celebration at Prospect Park’s Grand Army Plaza, Monday, Dec. 31, 10:30 pm to Tuesday, Jan. 1, 12:30 am. This free event includes live entertainment, followed by fireworks at the stroke of midnight. Fun fact: The family-friendly fireworks display is now in its 39th year. RSVP is encouraged but not required (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ new-years-eve-fireworks-in-prospect-park-tickets-49289017779).

by Tina Portelli spirit. No sign of life. The restroom is dirty and the store is hot. Being second on line to make a purchase, I overheard the woman in front of me having a conversation with the cashier. She was telling her that her daughter died four years ago at thirtyseven of cancer and she, now fifty, was raising her two young grandchildren along with her own teenagers. Christmas is always sad for her. When it was my turn at the register, I commented to the cashier how sorry I was for that woman. It was then that she revealed that she was a cancer survivor. While I was happy to hear that good news, I could feel the cloud of gloom descending upon me. Before I knew it, I was telling her about my mother’s death twenty years ago, fourteen days before Christmas. I put my purchase down and decided not to buy. I needed to get out of that store. I needed fresh air. I left the store at once. It was not the place I wanted to continue shopping. Instead, tomorrow I will return to that miracle on 34thStreet, the biggest, overly decorated, most crowded, merriest store in the world, to buy my last two gifts. Where bright colored lights and silver Christmas tinsel will lift my holiday spirits and sad thoughts will be returned for credit. PS: As of 2018, Macys Brooklyn has been renovated and updated, but I still prefer Macys 34th Street. They tried! Tina Portelli is a lifelong resident of the neighborhood, and a frequent contributor to these pages.

December 2018

Seasons Greetings from these

388 Van Brunt St.

Happy Holidays!

neighborhood

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December 2018, Page 35

Local Holiday Gift Guide 2018 Story and photos by Erin DeGregorio

‘Tis the season to be giving! With our first snowfall of the winter already in the books, we are excited to kickstart the holidays and look for gifts for family and friends. The neighborhoods are full of cool goodies and hidden treasures, so there’s bound to be something for everybody on your list!

With retailer Toys R Us closing its doors earlier this year, shoppers can look no further than Nest Egg Kids to find great toys, puppets and plush animals from the U.S. and around the world. This toy store has educational puzzles, wooden blocks and eco-friendly toys that are geared toward for children, from newborns to eight-year-olds. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, Nest Egg Kids also has tabletop games (including air hockey and foosball – $45 each) and eco-friendly play dough made from fruit and veggies in an olive oil base. It is open daily Mondays through Saturdays (10 am-6 pm), and Sundays (10 am-5:30 pm). 109 Atlantic Avenue • 718-625-2088 • nesteggkids.com Need some cute stationery before you handwrite your holiday cards and send them through snail mail? Kwohtations is a one-woman handmade stationery company and letterpress print & design studio, based right here in Brooklyn. Owner and artist Janine Kwoh makes cards, prints and other curiosities that reflect and celebrate a diversity of identities and life experiences. She also believes that humor is key to savoring the good times and surviving the hard ones. Kwoh prints each card one at a time on an antique printing press and then paints them in by hand, so that each one is truly handmade and unique. You can learn more about Kwohtations and see the full selection of products at kwohta-

tions.com, and can direct custom inquiries to info@kwohtations.com. Who doesn’t love a good, fresh cup of coffee? Though Kings Coffee closed its location at 37 Carroll Street, you can still purchase decaf, espresso and Americano blends – in 8.8-oz or 17.6 oz bags ($9 and $18 respectively) – online. The coffees used to create Mister Joe’s blends are 100% Arabica, and each coffee is roasted individually in Brooklyn to ensure optimal quality and taste. kingsroasters.com Collyer’s Mansion is your one-stop-shop for home decor, including holiday-themed, embroidered pillows ($92$236) and table runners ($248), stockings ($64-$88) and tree ornaments. They also sell ecofriendly furniture, handmade jewelry, original artwork and vibrant textiles. It’s open daily 10:30 am-7 pm. 179 Atlantic Avenue • 347-9873342 • shopthemansion.com Swallow is a unique gift shop that sells artsy housewares and a variety of jewelry crafted with precious and semi-precious stones. Shoppers are sure to find interesting knick knacks and stocking stuffers here as well, including vintage skeleton keys ($13 for small sizes and $20 large sizes) and animal stamps. The store is open daily from noon until 7 pm. 361 Smith Street • 718-222-8201 • dearswallow.com Those who love history AND Gowanus are in for a real treat at the Gowanus Souvenir Shop. It is a “small-town tourist and antique books and map store rolled into one” that’s dedicated to the long history and complex story of the Gowanus Canal. It sells typical tourist gifts – including but not limited to t-shirts, temporary tattoos, postcards and shot glasses – and

Gowanus Canal-themed home goods. They also have signed copies of Joseph Alexiou’s “Gowanus: Brooklyn’s Curious Canal” in store and online for $29.95. Various maps of the neighborhood are printed to order and range in price from $60 to $140, with or without frames. The shop is open Tuesdays through Sundays (10 am-6 pm). 567 Union Street • 424-888-2869 • gowanussouvenir.com/ For those who enjoy listening to vinyl because it has a better sound or reminds them of memories from yesteryear, the Record Shop in Red Hook has got you covered. Music lovers can browse and purchase used and new records from every genre imaginable. Just in time for the holidays, the shop has holiday records from the likes of Ray Charles ($25), Perry Como ($5), Run DMC ($10), The Beach Boys ($8) and more. It also has modern-day artists, like Adele and Artic Monkeys ($20 each), original motion picture soundtracks, and a section devoted just to The Beatles. It’s open Wednesday through Sundays, noon – 7 pm. 360 Van Brunt Street • 718-855-0360 Duman Home, which has a brickand-mortar on Court Street, offers national and locally made home essentials and high-end linens, bathroom goods and glassware. For those looking to spice up their homes with pretty and/or holiday smells, they also sell candles and diffusers from Thymes, Voluspa and Vance Kitira, which are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and scents. Duman Home is open seven days a week (10:30 am-7:30 pm. 213 Court Street • 718-576-3331 Know somebody who just cannot keep his/her nose out of a book? Books Are Magic, an independent book store in Cobble Hill, is the place to go and find new releases (even signed copies!) best sellers and beloved classics. Plus, you can sport “Books Are Magic” through t-shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, mugs and tote bags. Business hours are Mondays through Fridays (10 am-9 pm), Saturdays (9 am-9 pm), and Sundays (9 am-7 pm). 225 Smith Street • 718-246-2665 • booksaremagic.net

Rustic-modern boutique Woods Grove sells vintage and new gifts from around the world, including jewelry, clothing and barware. For fans of celebrities, musicians and influential icons – like Mr. Rogers, Tupac, David Bowie and Betty White to name a few – you can find their faces on glasses ($14) and in the forms of wooden magnets ($6), pins ($5) and keychains ($6). Woods Grove is open every day 10 am-7 pm. 302 Court Street • 718-8584851 • woodsgrovebrooklyn.com Chilly temperatures got you shivering in your snow boots? Try Rae’s First is your destination for discounted men’s and women’s winter apparel, including down jackets, sweaters, scarves, gloves and more. Try Rae’s First will be open until December 31 with the following business hours: Tuesdays through Saturdays (noon-7 pm) and Sundays (noon-5 pm). 430 Court Street • 718-935-9573 Modern Anthology offers a curated selection of vintage furniture, home and personal accessories, plus well-crafted clothing for men. You can also showcase your Brooklyn pride with neighborhood pennants ($28), like DUMBO, Cobble Hill, Coney Island and Red Hook!The store is open seven days a week: Mondays through Thursdays (11 am-7 pm), Fridays and Saturdays (11:30 am7:30 pm), and Sundays (noon-6 pm). 123 Smith Street • 929-2502880 • modernanthology.com Kempton & Co. is the go-to store for high-end accessories and leather goods that can complement your outfit of the day, any day of the year. Stocking stuffer ideas include key clips ($30) and mini metallic rain gold drawstring pouches ($24) that are ideal for carrying AirPods or jewelry. It’s open every day from 11 am to 6 pm. 392 Van Brunt Street• 718-596-2225 • kemptonandco.com

Discover what you love. 357 Van Brunt Street Brooklyn, NY 11231 T: 718-576-3143 WetWhistleWines.com mon

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4-9pm |

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Gowanus Pie Social Serves Up Slices and Smiles Story and photos by Erin DeGregorio

he Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of P.S. 32 Samuel Mills Sprole School hosted its first-ever Gowanus Pie Social on November 10, where professional and amateur bakers fought to be named the best pies — all in good fun, of course for school fundraising.Parent Lea Feng explained that the PTA voted to integrate two after-school programs — PTA’s pay program and Good Shepherd’s free program — at the end of the last school year. As a result, the PTA pledged $50,000 to help fund this new concept. She said that though the idea of a pie event is “not new,” it came out of a desire to create different and fun fundraisers that could help meet that monetary goal. “We challenge the notion by inviting area bakeries to compete in a professional contest, alongside a homemade contest,” Feng said. “It gives home bakers a chance to practice their pies before the big holiday [Thanksgiving], [and] it gives area bakeries an opportunity to have their pies tasted by a whole bunch of new people.” The local eateries who participated in the Professional Pumpkin Pie Contest were: Betty Bakery, Blue Stove Bakery, Butter & Scotch, Buttermilk Bakeshop, Kos Kaffe, Mia’s Brooklyn Bakery, Miss American Pie, Petee’s Pie Company, Poppy’s, and Trader Joe’s. Attendees had to try all 10 pie samples and cast their highlighter yellow ballots into handmade, miniature shops — boxes crafted by Feng that resembled the business’ actual storefronts. “We at Petee’s are so thrilled to take part in the Gowanus Pie Social,” said Petee’s Pie Company’s owner and head baker Petra Paredez, who served classic pumpkin pie made fresh with kabocha pumpkins and maple whipped cream. “It’s really fun to try the great variety of textures, flavors, and styles of pumpkin pie — the quintessential American dessert — while also supporting the amazing students of P.S. 32.”

It was Betty B a k e r y ’s pumpkin pie (creamy yet firm with notes of caramelized sugar and spices) that secured the most votes from the public and took home the coveted first place title. Blue Stove Bakery’s Pumpkin Pie (fluffy and spiced pumpkin with a hint of brandy) and Poppy’s Brown Butter Pecan Pie came in second and third places, respectively. The Best Homemade Pie Contest, however, had no limitations as 35 bakers presented two of their any-typeof-pies to hungry pie lovers. Flavors, fillings and types ranged from classics like cherry and blueberry to everything in between like s’mores, key lime meringue and vegan and glutenfree coconut cream pies. In terms of getting the neighborhood involved,

Dayna Solomon’s Raspberry Almond Custard Pie won third. The winners received cash prizes and cute, wooden ribbons for their achievements. “Participating in the Gowanus Social Pie was important to me, to be a part of this great, new school fundraiser — but I had never baked a pie in my life!” said P.S. 32 parent Dayna Solomon. “I was so excited and flattered to learn that [my pie] was among the top pies.” School principal Denise WatsonAdin showed her support for the chefs and kids alike by attending the Gowanus Pie Social in a P.S. 32 T-shirt. “I’m so excited about this new opportunity to fundraise for our school programs as well as a way for our talented families to show off their baking skills,” she said. “When we work together to think of creative ways to draw our school community closer together and raise money…I’m all for it!” The social also featured hot coffee Above: Tables and pies with volfrom Abbotsford Road; a free cookunteer parents. Left: Pumpkin pie book swap; and kids’ activities, arts by Miss American Pie. Below left: and crafts from the Gowanus SouveWinner Dayna Solomon and Princi- nir Shop, Textile Art Center, and Curipal Denise Watson-Adin ous Jane. It was sponsored by Abbotsford, Fairway, Millennium Steel Rack Fairway’s Marcy Rosenblum, Michel Rental & Sales, and Michel et Auguset Augustin’s Lily Dionne-Jermanovtin — all who support programming ich, Abbotsford Road’s Faryal Jahanfor P.S. 32 students. gir, Baked NYC’s founder Renato PoAs a fundraiser it raised more than liafito, TASTE’s Editor-in-Chief Matt $3,000, which will go directly toward Rodbard, and a police officer from the current and future school program76th Precinct served as judges for the ming that serves students in Pre-K homemade pie contest. to 5th grade. The school has already By the end of the afternoon, Arlene stated that it is looking forward to the Novick’s Apple Pie won first place; Ken Second Annual Gowanus Pie Social Travis’ Apple Pie won second; and next year, as per its Instagram page.

The Dyker Heights Lights A Sight to See! Story and photo by Erin DeGregorio

It’s that time of year again to ‘ooh and aah’ at the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights, an annual holiday season tradition that draws hordes of tourists to the neighborhood. Homeowners deck out their front lawns, porches and windows with giant inflatables, twinkling lights, holiday wreaths and much more. While many decorate after the Thanksgiving holiday, some began as early as the first week of November. Most displays can be seen on 83rd-86th Streets, between 10th and 13th Avenues, until the New Year. It’s one thing to see the spectacles on social media and through local media outlets’ television reports, but it’s an entirely different thing to see and experience in person, especially after the sun sets. So, grab your hats and gloves, and cross this off your holiday bucket list. If you’re going by subway, take the D train to 79th Street, or possibly the R to 86th Street, although you’ll have a bigger walk that way….

Red Hook Star-Revue

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December 2018, Page 37

Shop ‘til You Drop Holiday Market Guide: Nine local markets to spend an afternoon at this month By Erin DeGregorio ❄ Winterfest at the Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway) is taking place daily until Monday, Dec. 31. Their Makers Market features more than 50 artisans and vendors selling crafts, holiday decorations and food. Winterfest admission is free and open to the public with select paid attractions, such as photos with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, chocolate tastings and holiday scavenger hunts. Visit winterfestbrooklynmuseum. com for more information and to purchase tickets for paid events. ❄ The first-ever Gowanus Holiday Flea takes place every Saturday this month: Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22, noon - 4:30 pm. Twenty-seven Gowanus pioneering artists, most of whom have lived, worked and have been inspired by the Gowanus Canal for many years, will have small works for sale, less than $150 on display. Vendors will also offer an array of eco-friendly and natural gifts to wear, for the home and wellness. Shoppers can also enjoy Brooklyn-made food and drink, particularly from borough distilleries and local holiday bakers. Entry to this family-and dog-friendly indoor flea is free. There will be face-painting for kids and other activities by Murrow High School students on Dec. 1. It will take place inside the Gowanus

Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse (165 2nd Street). ❄ Artists & Fleas at Williamsburg Market (70 N. 7th Street) showcases what’s new and exciting in fashion, vintage, art, design and more. It takes place every weekend on Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am-7 pm. ❄ The indoor Smorgasburg and Brooklyn Flea Winter Market in Atlantic Center (625 Atlantic Avenue) is open to the public every weekend: Saturdays, 11 am-6 pm (Smorgasburg open until 8 pm) and Sundays, 11 am-5 pm. ❄ A “Polar Vortex”-inspired Greenpointers Holiday Market is happening on Saturday, Dec. 2, at The Greenpoint Loft (67 West Street, 5th floor) from 1-7pm. There will be free fun activities, live music and festive holiday cocktails. ❄ Brooklyn Collective’s Holiday Gift Fair will be held at 212 Columbia Street on Friday, Dec. 7, 6-9 pm. Guests can shop from the latest collections by more than 30 local artists and designers, and sip complementary sake and wine. A special holiday Ftasting menu will be by Kuryu New York, the fusion Japanese catering company

owned by chef Teruo Yoshioka – this menu is prix fixed at $45 and available by reserving a spot with bklyncollective@hotmail.com. ❄ Made By Hands Holiday Market will take place on Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Old First Reformed Church (729 Carroll Street), 1-6 pm. Products from the fields of fashion, jewelry, food, accessories, art, home and lifestyle goods will be available for purchase. There will also be live musical performances by Zamy Maa (3 pm) and Cole Collective (4 pm). ❄ NY Handmade Collective presents the 11th Annual Holiday Handmade Cavalcade, which showcases a wide range of handmade wares – like jewelry, natural bath and body products, and decorative home goods – from more than 50 indie vendors who are all from the tri-state area. It will take place on the weekend of Dec. 15-16, 11 am-6 pm, at Brooklyn Historical Society (128 Pierrepont Street). ❄ Shoppers can discover one-ofa-kind handmade items, purchase unique stocking stuffers and indulge in locally crafted artisanal food and drinks at FAD Market’s Holiday Pop-up Series. Held over the span of three weekends, there

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RHI continued from page 33

“You want all the best for people and undernourished bodies of America’s know that, literally, there are enough sacrifice zones back to subsistence riorate further, the buildings will soon resources for everyone to have what farming than to let them keep waitseem too dilapidated to save. They they need.” To her, the role of the noning in vain for legitimate local investwill become more dangerous, the cost profit is, in part, “to stand in the gap ment within the free market, it abets of repairs ever-more insurmountable. along with young people and their their marginalization, hinting that – Some terrible harm to residents will families who are saying they deserve in a country whose citizenry has othcome to define NYCHA’s cruelty, and more. . . . I think RHI does a really erwise largely been liberated from the value of the real estate on which great job of seeing people heartened agriculture – they may ultimately the buildings sit will emerge as an irand hopeful and imagining. Having have to fend for themselves nutriresistible lure. By then, demolition a fueled imagination is important.” tionally, with the help of a few greenwill be hailed as the only solution.” (“The logics of the NPIC may structhumbed do-gooders, rather than Arena, in his book Driven from ture the work that takes place in any ever receiving an equal share in turing unique travel experiences, given organization, but it does not New Orleans: How Nonprofthe bounty of the nation. home decor, high-end beauty, fully account for or subsume it,” write its Betray Public Housing and fashion and fine art.” 260 ConoverSoniya Munshi and Craig Willse in the Promote Privatization, writes, PHILANTHROPISTS, Street. 6-9pm. (718)IMPROV858-6782 INCITE! anthology.) “Central to the gentrification of HUMANITARIANS, U.S. cities has been the destrucThe Red Hook Initiative didn’t inERS OF THE CONDITION OF Sept 26 tion of public housing,” which is vent neoliberalism; it simply does THE WORKING CLASS Seven comedians come together generally seen as “a blight on the what it can with the model for social at Littlefield to celebrate the glorineighborhood,” its dilapidated aid that’s possible under its dictates Writing in 1848, Karl Marx ous ridiculousness that is the Real buildings as “physical and social of austerity and privatization, and the and Friedrich Engels assert that Housewives of New York (RHOobstacles to economic regenresults, all considered, appear strong. a “part of the bourgeoisie is deNY). “The Boat Ride from Hell: a eration.” Published by the UniBut at a time when the truth may be sirous of redressing social grievRHONY Live-Read” reenacts a trip versity of Minnesota Press, the that everything except radical antiances, in order to secure the The taste of Red Hook annual fundraiser, formerly taken by a group of rich, vainglorivolume of the noncontinued existence of bourMintells Jinthe Leestory Jennifer Egan, Kevin panels, artistic lectures. Highlights held at Pioneer Works, for the Red Hook Initiative ous women to Cartagena. Their capitalism essentially amounts to cliprofitYoung) organizations that, purmate denial, some kids in Red Hook geois society. To this section include on restaurants Press Freedom this event could only hap-donors invites to try“Attacks all the best in boat in paradise had severe engine porting to represent low-income may, finally, look elsewhere for social belong economists, philanthroininMexico”; “Future Imagemakers pen in New York. The fun begins Red Hook all one place. trouble, and the women freak out And Nowcity-dwellers but compromised change. Soon enough, even Valentino pists, humanitarians, improvers Speak Out”; and conversations with a dance party at Pioneer in fashion. Comedians Leigh by their ties Sept to government andChildren’s between Taslima Akhter, Robin Pier will be privatized, at least in a of hilarious the condition of the working Works 10, 7-11pm. Ziwe Fudmudoh andmembers Liza Treygercertain sense – that is, it’ll be claimed ments real estate interests, paved the way for class, organizers of charity, ternet at home. One can connect to Day is Sept 15 at MetroTech Com- Benson, Miranda Barnes, and Stella lead the debauchery. 635 Sackettby the rising sea levels created by the e an AI the full-scale destruction of the HousRed HookInWIFI in year, the streets, its 7th the pub- of societies for the prevention of crumons. Sept 16 sees their flagshipRHI’sJohnson. 8pm. (877) 435-9849 archives, ing Authority of New Orleans, which rapacity of private industry. When elty toSt. animals, temperance fanatics, but lic it (including doesn’t penetrate Red dogs) arethe welcome. event around Borough Hall where rawings. at its peak housed 60,000 people and that happens, RHI will still be working hole-and-corner reformers of every Hook Houses. Even so, it generates Opening gala: Sept 12, 6-9pm, over 250 large and small pub*If unspecified, all quotes from respective Sept 8, now owns only a few scattered buildpress releases and company websites. nobly to raise the high school graduaimaginable kind. ” reams of feel-good media coverage, tickets start at $80. (718) 801-8099 lishers present their wares. For 8) 499- ings. The rest were demolished in fation rate in public housing. The CarFor her part, Ortega-Williams acand in this way, the problem is psyschedules and full list of writers, SEPT 16-21 vor of lower-density, mixed-income, son Family Charitable Trust will still knowledged the smallness of an invisit brooklynbookfestival.org. chologically resolved, even if the digSt. Paul Community privately managed developments be pouring its benevolence into the stitution like RHI in the face of largeital divide remains – societyBaptist is taking hosts(sort several SEPT 8-23by way of HOPE VI’s – first, slowly, world it simultaneously seeks to ruin scale injustice. “Even though it’s an care Church of the issue of ), productions without Red Hook of “Eradicating Slavery’s Red Hook Labs launches “Soft t Off!” promise of superior housing; then, for all but the elite. And in Red Hook, organization that would be considany need for us to stand up toLegacy” govreckoning with the Middle Passage. international unique onceCriminal,” Labs Hurricane an Katrina had givencolthe the young people will have to decide ered mid-size, it’s small in the face of ernmental austerity. its 24th year, event annually lection African work for city an excuseon to the evacuate thediaspora. projects launches for themselves what must be done. the historical patterns of violence that InInOctober, RHI the acquired felattracts more than 3,000 people. people have experienced, the his-“Soft United by bore a mythic narrative, als. Lead (some of which only minor dam-the low nonprofit Added Value Farms. Sept 16, had 6pm;operated Sept 17,the 7pm; Sept torical patterns of racism,” she said. includes ierro, age),exhibit more rapidly, in photographer a manner that KrisAdded Value Red Criminal regarded as an ethnic cleans7pm; Sept 21, 7pm. 859 HenMoolman (South African), Hook20, a sliding manytin-Lee Community Farm on ColumSept. 8. For public housing residents drix Street. 257-1300 Ibrahim Kamara (Sierra- bia Street, hop to ing. designer which(718) grows more than on a floodplain during Gareth global and designer ColumbialivingLeonean) 20,000 pounds of produce annually; In the season of giving the history of New OrleansSept and, Sept 24 Wrighton (British).” Through excep- warming, in partnership with the Ameriwhich tenantsSept associations and133 Corps “Taste of Red Hook” is aForce, fundraiser we enourage you to think about those Opening: 8, 7-10pm. 395-3214 – in 23. program Green City mainstream activist groups gave for the Farm Red Hook Initiative, which who give to our community all year long. Imlay St. (718) 797-1103 the NYCHA on Wolcott Street, in to demolition and privatization, manages research and which “engage[s] residents inresources urban empowerand students. More than SEPTthere 13-23was no alternative – fair takesbelieving food to production healthy eating.” Founded by puts forth a chilling warning. 50farming restaurants will beemerged present. Around Brooklyn Bridge Park, ) BrookUrban has recently David Sharpes in 1986 The author points out that, after solution to theviews problems “Take in miraculous of the “bookend” Photoville exhibits more than 600as a trendy www.waterfrontmuseum.org nonprofit relief efforts, like of food andwaterfront unwholesome Newdeserts York City and bid artists in 90 outdoor exhibitions. h. With Katrina, for are Humanity and thefor Make dietsin in underserved communia 70+ item silent auction feaThere also tutorials all ages, n Amis, Habitat It Right Foundation, helped “foster ties, where, thanks to the efforts of the illusion that philanthropic efforts plucky locals (and, now, RHI kids), Red Hook Rise could rebuild the city,” ultimately diorganic kale and zucchini spring up Since 1994, athletics and literacy, verting “hundreds of thousands of on formerly abandoned lots. In fact, founded by the Hall Brothers volunteers into repairing and conthe United States already produces www.redhookrise.org structing homes and providing other more food than any nation except Irreversible Entanglements Quartet services rather than incorporating China and India – so much, indeed, 4TH ANNUAL Bene’s Record Shop 9/29 them into a movement to defend N AMERICANA MUSIC FESTIVAL that 30 to 40 percent of our food ends public housing and&advocate a up in the trash. If any household in 2018 in DUMBO, Red Hook, Brooklynfor Bridge Park Red Hook Art Project public works program to rebuild America experiences food insecus spanning the range of Americana music including Newcomers doing some great New and the gulf.” It can rity, or if anyone is cut off geographintry Blues, OldOrleans Time, Bluegrass and Jazz. work with kids: art, music and seem cruel to blame private Star-Revue is the media sponsor foraltruism this event!cally or economically from fresh, exploration. for providing “political cover for the healthy Read all about it on page 18! produce, it speaks only to a www.redhookartproject.org government’s abandonment,” but monstrous system of resource distrithe idea deserves engagement. bution, to aLee need Sept 23*** Sept 13 Tcheser Holmes - drums Missnot Sophie (Newfor individuals Littlefield Tyrone Co� on (Louisville, Mor�ﬁed Orleans), 7 pm to pick up the slack by growing more Mara Kaye, 8:30 pm 635 Sacke� Street Kentler International Drawing Space KY), 5 pm BRINGING INTERNET food.Sept 23 Sept 14 Sunny’s Bar Sept 10, 17, 24 ***As part of the Brooklyn Hats Off, since 1990. 353 Van Brunt TO RED HOOK Planet Body As part of environmental the Brooklyn Whatever or ethi253 Conover Street Bu�erboy with Jo, Aparna Americana Fes�val www.kentlergallery.org Americana Music Fes� val cal problems may exist withinand ourMaeve, Guest Host Sept 15 Sept 08 Sept50 25to 60 percent Superﬁne Bluegrass Brunch Michelle Buteau By RHI’s estimation, Tinder Live! with Lane More industrial food system, the limited Bluegrass/Folk & Country Colin Brown, 9 pm (12-3 pm) of families Jam, 9 pm Bring your axe!in the Red Hook Houses Sept 11 Sept 22 proliferation of urban farming – Sept 26 Jalopy Theatre Comedy Central Standup Be Cute Brooklyn don’t have internet access in their conceived more often as a sort of Sept 11 Smokey’s Round Up 315 Columbia Street featuring Ryan Beck, Hannah Colin Brown, 9 pm While the FCC allows for homes. horticultural therapy with edible Dickinson, Tom Thakkar, Chris Sept 25 Sept 27 Sept 9 We Bee a Spelling, by broadband to be priced as a luxury, Sept 12 rewards for a pathologized underThese fewHosted of the groups who are inCo�on, Natasha Vaynblat,are only Aquarium Solarium Exceedingly Good Song Alex Greer and Ahri Findling Smokey’s Round Marie Faus� n, Ian Lara it’s inUpfact an essential utility, and class than as a popular movement Night, 6 pm; Old� me and Sept 28 strumentalSept in26maintaining the unique fabric of Sept 13 those without it face enormous, unFolk Slow Jameffectively with Hilary challenge Sept 12 – doesn’t Stevie from St. Lou, 8:30 pmfor all Here for Drama Presents The Four O’Clock Flowers not only in finding and - 6 jobs pm and a certain Literary Death MatchHook. at Red Please consider fair obstacles it. It Hawke, offers 3:30 some S�llhouse Serenade “The Boat Ride from Hell: a visiting their webBrooklyn Books Fes�val; Sept 14 Sept 12, 29,by 26 more subtly proposholding jobs but in participating in RHONY Live-Read” skill set, but Sept 29 site and Jordan Klepper, Chris� ne making a donation. Stevie fromsociety St. Lou, 8:30 Roots n’ Ruckus on apm basicBluegrass/Folk level. Outside the Sept 27 & Country ing that in the end it may be anNangle, act Jenn baker, Hosted John Pinamon� 2018 Miss Subways Pageant Jam, 9 pm Sept 13 logic of neoliberalism, the obvious Adrian Todd Zuniga Holidays of greater kindness to transitionbythe Happy and Happy New Year from Steve’s Authentic Brooklyn Raga Massive Sept 15 solution to the “digital Sept 30 divide” in PHOTO COURTESY OF RED HOOK LABS

PHOTO COURTESY OF TASTE OF RED HOOK

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Red Hook would be to demand that NYCHA provide free broadband in every housing unit. Inside neoliberalism, the answer is for the Red Hook Initiative to hire kids (called Digital Stewards) to install a resilient mesh network of antennae on neighborhood rooftops, thus demonstrating the power of local resourcefulness and innovation while also teaching valuable tech skills to young people who, technically, still don’t have in-

PHOTO COURTESY OF IEQ

Bluegrass/Folk & Country Jam, 9 pm

Max Johnson, 5 pm jazz/bluegrass bassist Red Hook Star-Revue Sept 18 extrodinaire! Rob ‘Bobby Hawk’ Hecht Trio,

Superfine

Weekly: K.G. Westman and Robin Samlal 8:30, jam a�er Sept 16

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Hank Williams 95th Birthday

December 2018, Page 39

SPORTS Summit Academy undefeated after 5 games by Nathan Weiser

he Summit Academy boys basketball team dominated Cobble Hill School of American Studies 85-45. The home win came Monday, November 19 and follow two wins on the road. On Saturday, the Eagles beat Taft Educational Campus, at A division school from the Bronx, 81-48 at Our Savior Lutheran in the Bronx as part of the X-Men Invitational. On Sunday, the team defeated Medgar Evers Prep 68-55 in the Hersh Memorial Classic. Jordan Council, coming off a standout sophomore season, led the team with 19 points and had many impressive passes. The team had a balanced scoring effort as four players scored in double figures. “It was exciting,” Coach Grant said. “We have a lot of new guys. Our fans were excited to see them. My son got some playing time. We have great fans here and our students are real fans. It was a great atmosphere today.” At the end of the first quarter Summit was behind 14-12. Council made a deep 3-pointer to begin the second quarter. Shortly after, Mickens made a corner 3-pointer to give Summit a 20-19 lead, a lead they never relinquished.

Senior Shamal Grant Jr. made a corner jumper to put Summit ahead 29-21. The Eagles would go into a halftime with a 33-23 advantage after sophomore Jared Reyes made a layup at the buzzer. “I think guys were a little tired at the start of this game,” Grant said. “That is why we got off to a slow start. But once

the second half came, we got our second wind, guys got their composure and we opened the game up.” The third quarter is where the Eagles really seized the momentum and made sure they would not lose the home opener. Summit went on a 6-0 run to make the score 39-23 when a timeout was called with 6:09 left in the 3rd quarter. Council, who averaged 17 points a game as a sophomore, scored 14 of his team high 19 points in the second half. “Jordan got off to a slow start,” Grant said. “He missed a couple of shots early and had a couple of turnovers early. Again, same thing with him, he played a hell of a game last night, so I think he was just tired because in the second half he settled us down, he started making some shots, he got other guys some easy shots. He sparked our run in the second half.” Grant also singled out Mickens as playing well in the second half.. “He had another huge dunk,” Grant said. I didn’t realize he was that athletic. I don’t see him do that in practice. I’ve never seen him do that in a game until yesterday. Summit then went 18-11 run the rest of the quarter to make the score 57-34 at the end of the 3rd. In the 4th quarter, Cobble Hill cut the lead to 69-40 with a layup and then Phillip Grant, the coach’s son, answered with a corner three to make the score 72-40. Grant was impressed with how the

Summit players scramble for a loose ball. (photo by Nathan Weiser) young players including his son played in the first home game. “My son is a freshman here,” Grant said. He actually got the MVP of the game on Saturday. He came in off the bench and played really well. Jared knocked down shots and played well. Our young guys are coming along.” He was able to extend his rotation after not being able to do so in the previous game on Sunday because the score was a lot tighter. “I enjoy games like this, I am not trying to embarrass the other team, but I like games like this to get my younger guys an opportunity too.,” Grant said.

However, he is pleased that he has been seeing incremental progress from his team and that it is more important to peak later on in the season. “As long as we are improving every game I am satisfied, and our guys are improving every game,” the 3rd year coach added. Through three games, he was pleased that the scoring has been balanced, the squad is sharing the ball and with that everyone has been getting the ball where they like so they can succeed.

Two more wins

Even though the squad won by 40 points, Grant had some ways that he would like his team to improve on as the season continues. His main takeaways were decreasing the turnovers not giving up so many offensive rebounds.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the Eagles edged Erasmus Hall High, 82-75, in a non-league game at Paul Robeson High in the Paul Robeson Classic. On November 26, they had an away game where they defeated the Brooklyn Community Arts and Media High School, 73-60.

“We are still throwing the ball away too much and not rebounding as well as we should,” Grant said.

The Eagles record is now 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the PSAL Brooklyn B West Division.

BASIS SOCCER HAS IMPROVED SEASON by Nathan Weiser BASIS Independent Brooklyn, just finished their second year of HS Boys soccer. “This year has been leaps and bounds better compared to last year,” coach Marvin McCollum said. “Having a proper pre-season allowed us hit it in stride by our first,” McCollum said. BASIS Independent plays in the Charter School Athletic Association. There is a 10-game regular season schedule followed by playoffs. Corban Jones stood out to McCollum as being a standout performer for the team. “He is methodical in his approach and dedicated to his play,” McCollum added at BASIS. “Overall, I think that he is a player who pushes the team forward by his performances alone. He plays with a passion and commitment that I want all of our players to play with.” Jones is the leading scorer even though he is not a forward. This team of students from many neighborhoods and ages has grown

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in confidence and has been able to have increased team spirit, which are vital aspects towards building any successful team. “We have a hometown boy on the team from Red Hook,” McCollum said. “He loves this area. He lives close, about 10 minutes away. He usually walks to school.” “It is much more of a tight knit group now than it was at the start of the season. That most definitely helps a lot,” McCollum said. McCollum, who has playing experience, is honored to be coaching at the BASIS school. The Brooklyn Patriots, a Brooklyn organization that combines an intramural program with travel teams, and the Dwight School are among the six teams he has coached.

December 2018