Final Essay

                                       Income In NYC: Poverty Being A Source Of Inspiration.

The term ‘Poor’ means “lacking sufficient money to live at a standard considered comfortable or normal in a society”, illustrating the lives of many college students in New York City. The topic ‘poverty’ should be more carefully used and appreciated because being poor usually tends to be variable of motivation for many students. According to ‘Mayor de Blasio Announces New York City Poverty Rate Hits Historic Low’ it states, “Mayor de Blasio this week announced the federal poverty rate for New York City has dropped to a historic low. According to the 2018 American Community Survey, the poverty rate for New York City fell to 17.3% in 2018, a 3.6 percentage point drop since 2013 and the lowest rate recorded since the American Community Survey was released in 2006”. Exposing the fact that life has been difficult for those who are trying to overcome poverty, and turn their lives around by trying to go to college. Although poverty is looked upon in a negative perspective by society, it also motivates individuals to “persue their goals because they want better for their future selves and or future family” which we can see playing out in community colleges in New York City. My map will cover poverty in the past ten years in New York, which community college has the most enrolled students, least enrolled students and also the poorest neighborhood in New York City.

Poverty has been looked upon negatively for many years. But for a lot of people is due to society, they blame society for looking at them with shame and suppressing them to be less of what they are instead of encouraging them to do better or dream bigger. According to ‘Why Poverty Is Not A Personal Choice, But A Reflection Of Society’ author Shervin Assari states, “In fact, poverty and other social miseries are in large part due to social structure, which is how society functions at a macro level. Some societal issues, such as racism, sexism and segregation, constantly cause disparities in education, employment and income for marginalized groups. The majority group naturally has a head start, relative to groups that deal with a wide range of societal barriers on a daily basis.” (Assari, Shervin). Indicating that if society got together as a community and not shame those who have a lower income than the upper class, things would be different. When society shapes the lower class with a negative perspective, or label them as people who will do no different, the people around them will too. Especially for the kids that are growing, and they will grow up to do the same, and it would not be any different.

Poverty frequently functions as a cause of motivation or as a need to be determine. A large portion of the low income families or the poor tend to come from another background, so when they come to any of the five boroughs within New York City (The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens or Staten island) they have a different perspective. A perspective of opportunity. According to ‘Hard Work and Motivation’ it states, “The NPR/Kaiser/Kennedy School poll, in fact, showed that 52 percent of the American public believed that lack of motivation was a major cause of poverty; another 35  percent  believed it was a minor cause of poverty. Differences in response by poverty statues were surprisingly small. Most Americans, including the poor, said they strongly believe that America is a land of opportunity. Their responses suggest  they believe that motivation and hard work can pull people out of poverty, regardless of their background.” Illustrating that a very low percentage of the population sees poverty as a deficiency of lacking their individual education. Meaning that having a low income should not interfere with your motivation for going to school and obtain a title. Also exposing the fact that being poor may affect your focus level of pursuing your dreams but if you work hard for your dream career and stay loyal to it, your background or where you come from or how bad it is, you can still persue your dreams just like everyone else.

See the source image

For whose who let poverty be a source of motivation and continue their education at college, tend to go to a community college in New York City. According to ‘The City Of New York’ the community college with the most attending students go to, Borough of Manhattan College (B.M.C.C.). But the least attending community college students go to in New York City and Guttman. And in between is Kingsborough Community College, Kingsborough Community College, Bronx Community College, and Hostos Community College. On the other hand, the borough with the lowest income or the poorest is ‘The Bronx’ and the wealthiest borough is ‘Manhattan’.

See the source image

In Conclusion, students who tend me be in a low income household have the same opportunities as everyone else if they commit to staying focus. In addition the term “poverty” should be a label for them. But, that is how a lot of people label them, as poor. but, without knowing what is behind the word poverty. Everyone has their own definition for ‘being poor’ or poor. For many is clearly a sense of motivation but on the other hand it’s a curse. You choose.

Works Cited:

  1. “Colleges & Schools.” The City University of New York, https://www.cuny.edu/about/colleges-schools/.
  2. “Mayor De Blasio Announces New York City Poverty Rate Hits Historic Low.” The Official Website of the City of New York, The Official Website of the City of New York, 1 Oct. 2019, https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/449-19/mayor-de-blasio-new-york-city-poverty-rate-hits-historic-low
  3. Scholarships.com. “The Pros & Cons of Community Colleges.” Scholarships for College Free College Scholarship Search 2019-2020, Scholarships.com, 1998, https://www.scholarships.com/resources/college-prep/choosing-the-right-school/the-pros-and-cons-of-community-colleges/.
  4. Zimmerman, Alex, et al. “New York City Touts Record Number of Students Heading to College.” Chalkbeat, New York Topics, 26 Nov. 2018, https://chalkbeat.org/posts/ny/2018/11/26/new-york-city-touts-record-number-of-students-heading-to-college/.

 

 

First serial killer: H. H. Holmes

Amy Rivera 

Professor Michael 

November 19, 2019

Eng 110-216B 

 

Research paper 

 

          Henry Howard Holmes, also known was H.H. Holmes was the serial killer that started off the actions of mass murdering in America. After Holmes was caught with the claim of killing 24 people. Many people went to the building he had built and started naming each room for what the room consist of, like was on the walls, the amount of doors in the room, or what was found there. Later on someone made a map that consisted of all the names and rooms of the building. You would think that Holmes would be caught faster with how all the things about him seem suspicious. This case would bring many people, in any work environment, to change the way they observe things going around them. Although H.H. Holmes was the first known serial killer, to have the ability to not get caught for change names, building a suspicious house, and females around him going missing is fault on the police and Community lack of commonsense. 

          Throughout the year from 1891 to 1894, America’s first serial killer was known to the whole world. H. H. Holmes was a man born with the name Herman Webster Mudgett. Before he became Holmes he was a family man. In order to do his crimes without anybody noticing he chooses to leave his family and pursue murder and fraud. “As an adult, he abandoned his young wife and child in 1885 to move to Illinois, (History)”. He knew that if he stayed with his family they would’ve found out what he was doing and he would have to silence them to keep his secret. In this part of time Holmes moves from city to city in order not to get caught by the police. People started to notice that they were getting ripped off and having fraud used on them. So he chose to move and start his crime somewhere else. Finally, Holmes landed in Chicago and he decided to stay for awhile. He got a job under the name H. H. Holmes, so he would fit in good and people wouldn’t get suspicious of him. “Holmes took up work at a pharmacy located near Jackson Park, (History)”.  This pharmacy that he worked at was in fact his. He brought the place and used the job to help him integrate himself with the people in that community and get to know what the city was about.

          Holmes was indeed a smart and charming man but he had gone unnoticed from all the crimes he did and suspicious behavior. Holmes was a man who was intelligent enough to know what to do when trying to pull off a crime. He knew what he can do without his neighbors or the police catching on what he is doing. Holmes brought a piece of land that was right across from his pharmacy he owned. “He required a plot of land at an intersection. Here he began the construction of the murder castle,” (Zepherus, YouTube). Holmes had the whole building plan out. He brought workers to build this building but he didn’t pay them any money. The building had many trao rooms, doors with no room behind it, trap door and vents that lead to the basement in every room. Holmes had this places figure out for his killings. The map (the one explain in the beginning) shows us what his building looked like on the second floor. There are rooms that were named after what was found in them. Like the hanging room, the secret hiding place, or the asphyxiation chamber. This building he also used as a hotel to get his victims. Holmes was assumed to have killed five people in the hotel. The five victims were all young females, Julia and her daughter Pearl Connor, Emeline Cigrand and sisters named Minnie and Nannie Willians. These victims (expect Pearl) were all somehow tricked into leaving their partners, getting married, or sleeping with him. Even though all these women around him have gone missing, the police did nothing to look into his reason or background. Later on, when they finally caught Holmes for killing his partner in crime, for an insurance fraud, and asked him about his women victims. He stated “that Julia and Emeline died while undergoing illegal abortions,” (Biography) and ‘that Minnie was the one that killed Nannie, after Nannie fall into a jealous rage when she walked in on them. He claimed that after that happened, he helps her dispose of the body and leave the country’ (Joe, YouTube). Holmes wouldn’t claim theses women as his victims even when there was evidence piling up stating he clearly did. 

          Even though Holmes did get caught and sentenced to be hung in the year 1896, the police and community he lived in took too long to catch him for his crimes. Holmes neighbors or even the people who lived in his hotel for long periods of time should have found it suspicious that whenever someone went missing he would use the same excuse, “they lifted to a different country or city”. There’s a report that a man who was living in the hotel found it weird that “he saw rooms of furniture that were just empty the next day,” (Joe, YouTube), but he didn’t find weird that women he probably knew and interacted with just one day disappeared without telling anyone but Holmes. Given the benefit of the doubt, people did just go missing a lot back then because there were no phones to track or credit card purchases to go through. However, that doesn’t give the people in that community and the police to not have common sense to think it is suspicious that people are going missing and all the evidence they have lead up to Holmes. I believe Holmes know this very well and used it to his advantage. He knew that he could use the people lack of attention to gain more victims. All he had to do was lie a little bit, use his charm and show some intelligence and manipulate some people in order to not get caught and for his it work for some years. Another thing that nobody thought was suspicious was the layout of his hotel. The building was built for one purpose only, to confuse and keep something in. However, when the worker building this hotel didn’t seem that concerned on what they were building. Did they ever question why they were building false walls, trap doors or vents that were big enough to fit an adult human was in every room? ‘Even when the hotel was finished being built, he started donating skeletons “he made” to universities to help them in their medical department’ (Hulu). 

          Of course, many people will probably disagree on the grounds that H. H. Holmes was caught in reasonable time and the community and police did everything they could to catch him when Holmes had a warrant for his arrest. However, the only reason Holmes had a warrant out for his arrest was because he got to cocky, due to the fact no one suspected a thing about him, which led him to make some mistakes that caught people’s eyes. His arrest wasn’t even for the murders, it was for stealing a horse in Texas. The police was also able to get Holmes arrest for his insurance crimes he did. Holmes was in jail on bail for selling mortgaged goods and while he was in jail , he told his former cellmate at the time, Marion Hedgepeth, all about his “schemes for swindling an insurance company of $10,000. And promised Hedgepeth that, if he would recommend him a lawyer suitable for such an enterprise, he should have $500 promised him,” (Mentalfloss). After Holmes got out on bail, he just never paid Hedgepeth what he promised, so Hedgepeth got his revenge by telling the police about his insurance scams. This led to Holmes getting arrested and being caught for the murders he did a few days later. After Holmes execution everyone found out what his hotel actually was and got the name, Murder Castle. This is where my map comes in. My map, like I explained previously, is a layout of Holmes hotel second floor. This blueprint shows everything like the layout of the rooms, which rooms had trap doors, nooses, how many people die there, and the piping, the red lines, that Holmes used to put his victims to sleep.  The way I connect to this topic is the way Holmes used his intelligence to help him get things done they way he wanted and not having people notice. What I mean by that is he didn’t use his murders to gain power or attention. I can relate to that, on a sense of using my intelligence to get something done but not wanting attention for it.

 

Word Cited Page

History.com Editors. “Murder Castle.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 13 July 2017, https://www.history.com/topics/crime/murder-castle.

 

Scott, Joe. YouTube, YouTube, 9 May 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAYeIXTc1NQ&feature=youtu.be.

 

Staff, Bio. “The Victims of Chicago’s First Serial Murderer, H.H. Holmes.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 19 June 2019, https://www.biography.com/news/hh-holmes-victims.

 

TheFamousPeople.com, Editor. “Who Was H. H. Holmes? Everything You Need to Know.” H.H. Holmes Biography – Facts, Childhood & Family of Serial Killer, 18 July 2019, https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/h-h-holmes-29982.php.

 

Warycka, Andrew. “H H Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer: Who He Murdered, the Way He Operated, and How He Was Caught.” Click Americana, 10 Dec. 2019, https://clickamericana.com/topics/crime/h-h-holmes-hanged-for-his-many-crimes-1896#H_H_Holmes_many_crimes_1896.

 

“Watch H. H. Holmes: Original Evil Streaming Online: Hulu (Free Trial).” Watch H. H. Holmes: Original Evil Streaming Online | Hulu (Free Trial), https://www.hulu.com/movie/h-h-holmes-original-evil-a03abb70-ff02-4302-9734-c4f54114895c

 

Zepherus. YouTube, YouTube, February 8, 2016,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drfRQvK0jUw&t=130s.

 

“9 Things You Didn’t Know About America’s First Serial Killer, H.H. Holmes.” Mental Floss, 16 May 2017, https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/72642/9-things-you-didnt-know-about-americas-first-serial-killer-hh-holmes.

 

THE GENTRIFICATION WILL BE TELEVISED.

Although gentrification has improved infrastructure and provided better jobs in low income communities, it still remains a form of socio-economic discrimination because it has displaced many lower income residents. In the discussions of racism and discrimination, it has continued to act as a perpetuous way to  subtly displace the poor in their neighborhoods which are deemed as future financial hubs for wealthy investors and private capitalist companies for example in Brooklyn such as Green point and Williamsburg which I will be elucidating on. On the one hand lower income residents and minority races of blacks and hispanics contend that they have been displaced socially and economically whereas on the other hand, the wealthy and middle classes see it as a sign of modern urban revolution that is simply beneficial in  the upgrading of poorly built neighborhoods.

My own view suggests that despite the positive influences witnessed, the poor households and members of these communities have been marginalized through the increasing rental charges and inability to afford the bare minimum of basic food and shelter which consequently have been displaced by the arrival of ‘transplants’ usually people from out of state and far away countries. This interpretation has challenged the opinions of critics who believe some races are just born poor and some genders just unfortunate which is a subconscious opinion of discrimination. Ultimately what is at stake is the losing of cultural identities and economic welfare.

Millennials normally called ‘hipsters’ in Brooklyn tend to come in pursuit of better education and to experience the thrills of the fast paced lifestyle together with the the nightlife in Green point.However they instead have displaced local polish communities with their arrival attracting newer businesses that cater to the demands of the newer general population. Those unfamiliar with this school of thought maybe interested to know that it basically boils down to the origins of the hipster movement that has exemplified gentrification. According to the ‘100 ideas that changed style’ article , “derived from the 1940s American jazz scene, hipsters and hep-cats was street slang for the underground and progressive bebop counterculture. Difference from the mainstream ways of life forced many hipsters to centers where regeneration and gentrification was about to happen for instance Williamsburg in New York city, Shoreditch in London and Shibuya in Tokyo”. However the article is mistaken because it overlooks the rising rent crisis and emergence of major tech corporations that drove out manhattanites to affordable Brooklyn where the median age is 31.

Writing in the article Gentrification in NYC Anders Norén strongly observes ” they come from places like Virginia, Maine, Connecticut and Texas and other countries like Australia and South Africa. They are young professionals incorporating their fascination with brunch and cafes into the business dynamics of Green point..” I agree that the polish communities have been alienated because as a former barista in an artisanal coffee shop, acquaintances were made with Brits, people from Israel and out of state natives yet on the contrary with very few polish natives which validated the view that intact the neighborhood was experiencing changes.

As a result, gentrification has increased the prices of rent through the real estate business which by far has seen the most dramatic  transformation in Green point. these findings emphasize the evident margin between rich folks who can keep up with the steep costs of living and their poorer counterparts who have been displaced to make room. Norén himself writes in an interview ” landlords often double the rent after the long term leases are up. Although people aren’t as willing to sell their houses right away as those in Williamsburg, traditional businesses are closed down every week because people who have lived here simply cannot afford to pay the rent anymore.” Anyone familiar with this school of thought may concur that the real business is tremendously thriving from the ridiculous prices apartments cost and regardless of the place you live in, sooner or later it is either gentrified or you are unwillingly forced out.

Stricter housing policies should be implemented continuously in an effort to curb gentrification. ‘ShelterForce7: Policies that could prevent gentrification’ states that freezing property taxes to protect protect longtime residents, protecting senior homeowners and prohibiting large scale luxury development in at risk neighborhoods. The humorous “fun maps: Williamsburg judgemental maps” endorses stereotypes on each street in Williamsburg and Green point as the results of social changes embracing the neighborhood. ‘a mob bakery’, ‘craigslist apartments’, mustaches and stupid haircuts are satirically used as reminders of the hipster movement, wealthy families and the predicament of black and latino underprivileged races. Nunziatia’s theory of this funny judgmental Map is extremely useful because It sheds light on the difficult problem of socio economic discrimination.

“Very cute” some hipsters and snobby wealthy investors will say. As long as someone is willing to offer a better price for the fire of the city skyline or to live near the hottest brunch spot and pilates gym next door, then more profits will continue to thrive through new expensive apartments hence the pitiless landlords and investors getting wealthier.

To summarize, eve though gentrification seems to be inevitable, it can be regulated by reinforcing stabilization policies by the city together with local communities who should be commended for contributing to the cultural identity and emergence of their neighborhoods.

SOURCES

  1. 1. David Price 7 policies that could prevent Gentrification. May 23, 2014
  2. Will Nunziata Judgemental Maps. Sep 4. willzone.tumblr.com. Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
  3. Anders Norén. Gentrification in Nyc: Rosenberg 2018 eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/
  4. Josh Sims, Laurence King.”The Hipster.” 100 Ideas that Changed Street Style, 1st
  5. edition, 2014. Credo Reference. Accessed 10 Nov. 2019

Gangs vs. Media

Lights. Camera. Gangs. 

 

Sometimes the media portrays gangs in a negative light and it shows whenever you try to have a conversation with anybody. If you take anyone from the general public and try to converse with them about gangs, they always talk about how bad they are or the fact that they commit violence daily. The real truth is that it’s the media feeding us this information and the pubic reacts to it and in turn they see gangs as negative. When I was younger in elementary school, I was approached by two gang members, one blood, one crip, I could tell from their clothes they were wearing. Both of them said “you blood or are you crip” I just said I don’t know, it freaked me out at first but looking back at it now my perception has changed. Although people think gangs are bad, it’s the connotation of gangs that freaks people out, but this isn’t truly how gangs are, the media is to blame for the misrepresentation of gangs. 

 

Although gangs can provide some good things to their respective communities, some things the media says are true. Unfortunately, it’s this part that news outlets exploit the most when reporting about gangs. When media outlets show off statistics, it’s only the sad and ugly point of view that’s being covered. “The ugly colors”, as how it’s called from the NY Daily News shows that “roughly 375 gangs or street crews operate in the city” and “gang members are responsible for 49% of shootings”. It’s very unfortunate that gang’s do these horrific acts of violence, but the stats don’t lie. This is the main reason why gangs get such a bad reputation. If it wasn’t for the media some gangs would be better off. 

 

Because of the misrepresentation the media gives gangs, the general public depicts gangs negatively. It isn’t only news coverage that illustrates gangs poorly, movies (https://www.imdb.com/list/ls068433558/) are also to blame to an extent. The main reason these are made is to entertain and learn from but in reality, it’s just hyperbole. These gangs for the most part want to control parts of their territory without harming the public. While they can be intimidating, gangs usually don’t want to hurt or kill anyone. The closest depiction of how gangs can be is from the point of view of Geraldo Lopez speaking about how he was in a gang and how he got out (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qkSMkiGWdg). A resonating statement from Lopez points out why gangs aren’t as bad as people think, “if we want people to leave gangs and re-enter society, then that means we have to let them re-enter society” . In other words, some of these gang members that just want to be a part of the community need a chance to be let back into a community.  

 

Media and news outlets are to blame for the way gangs are treated because they only focus on the bad and violent parts of gangs which in turn makes people in the community afraid of them, thinking they might become their next target. The only way to stop the stigma around gangs is to have the public see that gangs aren’t as bad as the media puts it. A prime example of this is from the rapper/activist of the hip hop duo Run the Jewels Michael “Killer Mike” Render in his Netflix series “Trigger Warning with Killer Mike” (https://www.netflix.com/title/80144442) episode three White Gang Privilege. In the episode Mike exclaims that Biker gangs, who are mainly white, can cash in on their notoriety. While black gangs or as he calls them “street fraternities” like bloods and crips who are equally known can’t cash in on their gang’s name.  Mike shows that the crips need to cash in on their fame or infamy in this case. To do that they needed a product to sell and hopefully get people to understand that they aren’t as bad as the media portrays. They decided to make and sell a soda named Crip-a-cola, but due to the fact it was made by a gang no store was going to sell it. It had to be introduced by unconventional means, in a soda tasting lab. The testers felt uncomfortable when the soda they tried was associated with a gang and with their knowledge of gangs because of the media thought “someone could get shot for having one of these”. The gang members had to step in and educate the testers that they didn’t want to be associated with the violence and just wanted to be a part of the community. 

 

Someone active in their community might ask is it really the media’s fault that gangs get a bad reputation? Well the answer to that is yes and no, it can be a multitude of answers. But the main cause of why gangs are so misrepresented is the media’s fault. Since they only cover what atrocious things they do. Any ex-gang member would also put the blame on them too. I would hate it if people only talk about what bad things I did and suppress all of the good I’ve done. Making this map makes me reflects to my younger self with my first interaction with gang members, I was afraid that I was going to get beat up. But when thinking back to that moment now they probably wouldn’t have done anything to me at all. Not only that I can look at some gangs in a completely different way, they are human beings that just went on the only accessible path available to them. This complicates what the media is saying to anyone watching that all gangs are bad but, it’s not even close to the truth. In conclusion its better off not trusting what news outlets say about gangs and to try and do some personal research about them to get a better sense of what they can do for the community. 

 

 

Works Cited 

Hamilton, Brad. “Gangs of New York.” New York Post, 28 October 2007, https://nypost.com/2007/10/28/gangs-of-new-york/ 

 

Thomas Tracy. “Special Report: Gangs tied to 49% f shootings in New York”, New York Daily News, 13 December 2015, https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/gangs-represent-shootings-new-york-city-article-1.2464740 

 

Gerardo Lopez. “I was an MS-13 gang member. Here’s how I got out.” Youtube, uploaded by Tedx Talks, 28 August 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qkSMkiGWdg. 

 

“White Gang Privilege” Trigger Warning with Killer Mike Season 1, episode 3 Netflix, January 18, 2019. www.netflix.com/watch/80149618?trackId=14277283&tctx=0%2C2%2C93a99e27-9607-4618-8d13-fe8724843bcb-28507213%2C%2C 

Caroline Gonzalez

English 110

A trip without the kids 

There aren’t a lot of public clinics that can offer sex health information and services in NYC. Planned Parenthood opens the door to many patients who need this type of primary health services for the public. However, there are very few clinics of Planned Parenthood in NYC. In fact there are only 4 locations across all 5 boroughs, 1 is located in the lower east side of Manhattan and the one location in Brooklyn. The Bronx, Queens and Staten Island also only have one Planned Parenthood in their whole entire borough. Women in low income areas benefit from this services and it would benefit them to have more locations in NYC because it can help reduce unwanted pregnancies, STI, etc. It also creates a long waiting list for people who want to use the resources that Planned Parenthood provides when there aren’t many locations available. 

Impoverish clinic 

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider. Planned Parenthood receives federal funding to help practice the services they provide, although some groups of people believe that funding this organization is wrong. Some may argue that having Planned Parenthood clinics open is unnecessary since there are other options for seeking primary care. However, more than half of Planned Parenthood clinics are found more in underserved communities. Planned Parenthood should have more funding and have more clinics available in low income areas like in The Bronx. 

It is argued that Planned Parenthood is not necessarily the only option there is to seek for primary seaxual health. According to The Susan B Blog, “ women have other options for seeking primary care, contraception, STI testing and cancer screening. According to the Chiaroscuro Foundation, “in addition to the tends of tens of thousands of U.S doctors and hospitals providing this care, there were 1,048 federally qualified health centers in the U.S.” This argument shows that it is not necessary to have Planned Parenthood clinics open because there are so many other public spaces that can provide the same sources as Planned Parenthood. However, Planned Parenthood helps low income patients who don’t have insurance and provide lower cost procedures compared to state funded clinics. 

Planned Parenthood is located in a lot of rural areas and communities that doesn’t provide birth control. According to I Stand with Planned Parenthood,  “ nearly one-third of all women in need of publicly funded birth control live in counties where Planned Parenthood is the primary safety-net health care provider.” This can demonstrate that people who are in poor communities and in rural areas can rely more for access to primary care through Planned Parenthood because more than half of Planned Parenthood’s health centers are in rural and underserved communities.

I believe that there should be more Planned Parenthood clinics available in low-income communities like The Bronx. The Bronx only has one Planned Parenthood in its entire borough. Even though there are other clinics that can be found that also provides the same sources as Planned Parenthood, it’s not always guaranteed to be free of charge or have a reduced fee if the patient doesn’t have medical insurance. Planned Parenthood says, “patients find that Planned Parenthood health care fees are very reasonable, especially when compared to other doctors’ offices.” This makes it more of an affordable option for patients who don’t have legal documentation and want to look for a primary care. 


There aren’t a lot of public clinics that can offer sex health information and services in NYC. Planned Parenthood opens the door to many patients who need this type of primary health services for the public. However, there are very few clinics of Planned Parenthood in NYC. In fact there are only 4 locations across all 5 boroughs, 1 is located in the lower east side of Manhattan and the one location in Brooklyn. The Bronx, Queens and Staten Island also only have one Planned Parenthood in their whole entire borough. Women in low income areas benefit from this services and it would benefit them to have more locations in NYC because it can help reduce unwanted pregnancies, STI, etc. It also creates a long waiting list for people who want to use the resources that Planned Parenthood provides when there aren’t many locations available. 

This is The Bronx’ Planned Parenthood location. As you can see from this image, this clinic has a shared space with other offices in this building. There is also no sign that there is a Planned Parenthood clinic inside this building. This shows that Planned Parenthood is low funded especially in low income areas like The Bronx making the clinics difficult to be recognizable for people who don’t know where the clinic is. With this location being in the south Bronx, it helps a lot of people who are low income or don’t have insurance. 

Ultimately, what is at stake here is that people in low income areas don’t have enough resources or many options to have a choice over their bodies. This can result in a higher teen pregnancy rates in poor communities, pointing to the fact that The Bronx has the highest pregnancy rate in all NYC. If Planned Parenthood is more funded then more people are going to have the option to make a choice for their bodies in a more affordable way. 

Works Cited: 

 

Study guide: Chapter 1 (TSIS)

Hey other people’s opinions are important too, Chapter 1 is about being able to properly introduce ongoing debates.

Example: You would think that school is beneficial but in fact there are various problems with the educational system.

List of templates:

  • What they say , something you say
  • Introduce something implied or assumed
  • Introduce an ongoing debate
  • Keep what “they say” in view

Bodegas Vs. Supermarkets: The Need for Healthier Choices

Cheyenne Shambley

Professor Michael

Eng110

November 18, 2019

Bodegas Vs. Supermarkets: The Need for Healthier Choices

You would think that living in New York, you would have access to many options of food. That may be the case in other boroughs, but not in the South Bronx. Although New York is known for its food, residents in the South Bronx have limited access to food due to lack of supermarkets. They depend on bodegas for their food needs and though it is more convenient for them to go to, there isn’t many choices for them to get nutritional foods to feed their families. Ultimately what is at stake here is the health of people who aren’t getting healthy foods in their diets. So they depend on what they have which results in fast food from the bodegas that are unhealthy leading to obesity and other health problems.

There should be more supermarkets in the South Bronx because it would lessen the chances of the residents having health issues. Having more supermarkets would help them to get the proper food they need to live a healthy lifestyle. Since they depend on bodegas for their food source, they are more at risk of having obesity and other health issues that come with not eating the right food in their diet. Browne, Zambia J. article; “Poor Neighborhoods Lack Access to Supermarkets” he argues that in low income neighborhoods lack access to supermarkets. Secondly, he insists that there are barriers that some New Yorker’s face to obtain healthy to feed their families. Highbridge is a neighborhood in the South Bronx that is in poverty.

Throughout the neighborhoods there are two supermarkets that the residents can go to. Five bodegas exist as well and the residents are more likely to shop there because the prices are high in the supermarkets compared to bodegas. It is more convenient for them as well some of the bodegas are open 24 hours and that is not the case for supermarkets. Robinson, Gail article; “ New York’s Grocery Gap” emphasizes that the biggest number of produce come the South Bronx but the residents are not able to purchase it because it is a wholesale market and its not for individual consumers. Robinson verifies “ the high prices are a real obstacle for many poor New Yorker’s”.  Robinson is surely right about the prices being high and that is an obstacle for residents who live in poverty. They can’t afford to pay for healthy food if it’s overpriced and aren’t choosing to because it may be out of their spending budgets.

 

Fixing the problem of having a lack of supermarkets since they can’t build them without pushing the residents out of the neighborhood, programs have been implemented to provide healthy food for residents in the South Bronx. Rivera, Migalia’s blog; “The Bronx Dying from Lack of Nutritious Foods” reaffirms that there are ways to help them get the food they need to stay healthy. Rivera states, “ New York City has implemented a program called Move to Fruits and Vegetables”. By doing so they have helped bring fresh fruits and vegetables to bodegas since they lacked them. I agree that these programs will help the residents but it will take some time for them to get accustomed to eating healthy.

To conclude this essay, it is an awesome idea that they have made an attempt to change the problem of New Yorker’s in poverty, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that residents will follow the plan and start eating healthy. They have gotten used to eating from bodegas that the idea of trying new things doesn’t seem so good. The prices would have to be close to what they are used to spending if not they won’t buy it. The distance should be close to their homes so they don’t have to travel far. I have experienced these problems as well, at times I find myself going the closest store to get food for me and my kids. The one supermarket from my house is called Fine Fare is highly priced and there aren’t many options for us to choose from that fits in my budget. I go to the farmer’s market to get our vegetables and fruits.

Works Cited

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Although opioid overdose crisis should be prevented, it has led many instances, particularly in the South Bronx that challenge the NYC authorities. Many people assume that overdoses should not be treated as crisis. On one hand, wealthy people argue that government should not spend money to heal an addict and reincorporate in society. On the other hand most people contend that overdose is a crisis that affect the whole community and should be prevented. Even if overdoses may seem of concern to only a small group of people, it should in fact concern anyone who cares about our community. However, a number of traditional and nontraditional collaboration to improve the opioid overdose crisis have been conducted by the authorities to cease the crisis and prevent more instances. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) and its Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in an effort to improve the crisis created a Geospatial Information System Maps to catch data that may improve population health and education. Through the different maps of the city, the FDNY shows the places where the incident happen using dark color for the higher events and light color for the fewer. Consequently, the South Bronx Community should improve their health and educational system.

Opioid Overdose Crisis

Opioid overdoses has become in a crisis. Described for the National Center for Injury Prevention Control “more than 70,000 people died due to any drug overdose in 2017”. Also that crisis had led consequences as neonatal abstinence syndrome, HIV and Hepatitis C in our community. Of course, the country and more specific our community is facing a crisis. In my view, you must live in a low income area to have so much evidence about that.

In particular, opioid overdoses in The Bronx are focused in the south Bronx, while the northern part of the borough has experienced few overdoses.The Journal of Pediatric Health Care Volume 33, Number 3 observed that more than 30 percent of the outpatient emergency department visit were opioid overdoses and 718 hospitalization in the Bronx area. These data suggest that the South Bronx is the “most needed” and “the target for prevented measures”. By focusing on the areas of need the FDNY overlooks the deeper problem of overdoses and provide more educational training to the emergency medical service which prevent more deaths. Though I concede that prevention of the deaths made some disparate, I still insist that preventing more people introduced into the drug world could be the real difference. After all investing in programs that maintain people focus on a positive target for instance studying and working, which prevents the problem from the beginning. 

In an effort to stop the overdose crisis, authorities have made law to protect individuals seeking and receiving treatment. As the US constitution allows equal opportunity to the residents, on May 15, 2018 the US Senate introduced the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act. Basically, Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act is a federal confidentiality law and regulations that protect patients with substance use disorder. In fact, the Act give some confidence to those who want to stop using drugs.

Here many wealthy people would probably object that overdose should not be treated as crisis because substance use disorder is an election. In my opinion, no one is exempt from the problem. I live in the East Bronx, which is not exempt from that crisis, but I have to move everyday to the South Bronx and  my kids are socializing with other from everywhere. What I understand is that making the community drug free make my family more safe. Also, if the government spends money making my community more safe that is fair and value to the taxpayers.

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The Downfall to “Up and Coming” neighborhoods: a South Bronx Tale of Gentrification

Bronx neighborhoods on the rise

Imagine shows Bronx neighborhoods deemed as “up and coming” and shows that many are located in the South Bronx

Countless new buildings and establishments have seemingly appeared from thin air in The South Bronx, leaving the neighborhood of Mott Haven amidst a crossfire of demolition and rebuilding. As a result, once barren lots and abandoned lands are now claimed by highrise condominiums and brand-new overconfident retailers. Upon visiting this “new and improved” neighborhood, patrons awe in the glory of an enhanced borough, hypnotized by sparkling new sidewalks and lavish decorative murals. Nevertheless, locals who have walked these sidewalks dirtied and brittle, rain and snow, cannot be fooled by the pretty picture painted over their land. Although the South Bronx was in desperate need of a facelift, the rising prices and displacement of existing communities indicates that the boroughs reconstruction threatens the culture and authenticity of its neighborhoods. In short, gentrification is at the doorsteps of Bronx natives and it is disguised as renovation.

Rebuilding of the South Bronx was well overdue and is not a new concept for the borough. In fact, formal propositions for renovation began developing over thirty years ago in the mid 1980s, over a decade after The Bronx was burning. Battle For The Bronx: Neighborhood Revitalization In a Gentrifying City, by Catherine Claire Guimond, provides historical context regarding the reconstruction of the borough. From the dramatic abandonment of The South Bronx in the 1970’s to its sudden rise in interest, Guimond explores the long fight for survival these neighborhoods have endured. In her book, Guidmond speaks of the first efforts to reform the borough. She writes, “in the 1970s, residents began taking over abandoned buildings and renovating them themselves … In the midst of crisis and devastation, South Bronx residents seized control of buildings no one else wanted and made them their own.”(Guidmond, pg.8) . In other words, long before deep pocketed contractors swept in to save the day, locals picked up the pieces of this once forgotten borough without help from the city, the state, and without any means other than makeshift equipment and buckets of water to put out the flames of abandonment. By focusing on this fact alone, one can dive into the underlying issue at hand, The South Bronx was in dire need of a facelift, it was burned and buried, dark and scary, but it was this way because the first people who cared enough to assess it’s damage were not licensed in contracting, known for construction, or well versed in real estate. They were neglected tenants and neighbors, concerned mothers and fathers, resilient locals and natives left with little resources to rebuild the rubble. Granted it was not the prettiest borough, or the safest, but it was the land built by and for its people.

A brand new borough comes at a steep price, one existing communities struggle to pay. The South Bronx is an easy thirty minute commute to Manhattan and a jackpot of underdeveloped land. These reasons alone have surely swayed the minds of many who flock to its neighborhoods. However, “Haven sent: Developers rushing to meet demand from buyers in Mott Haven”, written by Jackson Chen, exposes the dramatically rising prices in Mott Haven, a once overlooked South Bronx neighborhood now booming with renovation and reconstruction. Chen reports, “multifamily pricing was continuing its trend up as price per square foot increased seven percent to $196 from 2016, and price per unit also increased the same percent to $176,000, as compared to 2016 … transaction volume of multifamily units also dropped 24 percent this year to 152, as compared to 200 in 2016 and 227 in 2015” (Chen, 2018). In making this comment Chen shines light on an ever-growing issue, the price of living in Mott Haven, and the overall Bronx, is on a steep incline. Along the same lines, the volume of real estate transactions have been trending downwards. Those unfamiliar with real estate may be interested to know that it all just boils down to: overpriced homes that locals cannot afford, allowing outsiders to swoop in and buy the surplus of vacant properties. Consequently rewarding the affluent with countless valuable investments in “an up and coming neighborhood” while punishing the impoverished with gentrification. These sparkling new high rises, boasting retail outlets, and “new-and-improved” bus stops are not meant for locals, they are targeting outer boroughs and foreign currency, preserving their excellence for the financially privileged. These overpriced additions to the borough raise the rents of all buildings in their shadows. Small apartment buildings and local markets do not stand a chance against the influx of new businesses and condos. At the same time, those who currently reside in these communities must fend off new financially-equipped tenants for a borough that has suddenly been deemed livable by outsiders. Existing communities watch helplessly as their land is auctioned off to big business and tax brackets beyond their grasp, forced out of their homes and into reluctant suburbia, Mott Haven’s bright future is bleak for the city dwellers of its past.

The South Bronx is known for its unapologetic urbanity and authenticity, characteristics that now fade in the shadow of urban renewal. From the creation of Hip Hop to the widespread art of Graffiti, the borough has always had an influential and historic culture of its own, a culture that thrived and diffused through neighborhoods and state lines. However, the possible demise of said culture is catching the attention of news outlets and reporters. Wochit news summed up this issue on their Youtube channel , depicting the frightening possibility of what is to come.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEdVevofOck

The video explains “residents fight to maintain the soul of the neighborhood despite encroaching gentrification. Developers have been trying to change the image of the area, re-branding it as ‘The Piano District’, with rumors of the South Bronx becoming the next hipster mecca like Williamsburg in Brooklyn.”. In other words, the borough is suffering an identity crisis. There is no longer a diffusion of cultures, but rather the overthrow and replacement of another. Minority groups who make up this borough cannot afford the rising prices and those who move in after do not always adapt to the environment. These outsiders simply continue their “hipster” ways rather than contributing to the culture that is readily established, they do not mingle amongst the ethnicities but instead appropriate the land. Worchit news is right in their usage of the word “soul”, because the culture and communities of the borough makeup its essence. Without these variables The Bronx is nothing more than asphalt streets over unsightly brick paths. The people of these neighborhoods came from nothing, empty lots and the remnants of burned buildings. Below is a photo of what the borough once was, an eerie image of debris and abandonment. From this rubble emerged the soul of The Bronx; from this unsightly war zone rose a resilient people. Creativity thrived where opportunity was missing and this is the backbone of Bronx culture; to make something outstanding and groundbreaking out of absolutely nothing. It is this resilience and perseverance that cannot be mimicked by new developers and outsiders hoping to claim this land as their own. If the people of The Bronx are forced to leave its streets, the culture and authenticity of this borough will surely be taken with them.

Skeptics may find the fear of gentrification to be irrational, insisting that restoration plays an essential role in the development of stable societies. However, over-development has been proven to negatively affect those who currently reside in these neighborhoods. Admittedly, cleaner and safer streets are enticing, but they do not outweigh the adverse effects of gentrification. Bronx dwellers who cannot afford newly constructed high-priced buildings, or even their own rising rents, are forced out of the city. This borough is the last of five to be crippled by the plague of renovation, leaving no choice but to flea New York City in hopes of affordable suburban living. In addition, developers attempt to imitate Bronx culture with false narratives of appreciation. Bubble lettering “DA BRONX” on every blank brick is not synonymous with paying homage to the boroughs rich history, it is merely an attempt to profit off of the reputation and achievements of people who are no longer welcome on its streets. South Bronx natives like myself, will be forced out of a borough that is the sum of our attributes, whilst the well off thrive on the fruits of our labor. Unfortunately, this is the reality faced by the city as a whole and cannot be undone. In other words, get used to the appropriated, overpriced, counterfeit city that will emerge where New York once stood.

Guimond, Catherine Claire. “Battle For The Bronx: Neighborhood Revitalization In a Gentrifying City.” 2013, ch.1, pg.8
Chen, Jackson. “Haven Sent: Developers Rushing to Meet Demand from Buyers in Mott Haven.” Real Estate Weekly, vol. 63, no. 16, 2018, p. C1.
Wochit News. “South Bronx Tries To Keep Its Soul Amid Gentrification.” YouTube, YouTube, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEdVevofOck.
Eagle at Westchester Ave., Bronx, 1970 by Camilo José Vergara. Photograph from the Library of Congress.