JOURNAL March 2001

Vol. 31, No. 3 First Class U.S. Postage Paid — Permit No. 4119, New York, N.Y. 10007 March 2001 MELROSE COMMUNITY CENTER OPENS IN THE BRONX By Eileen Elliott ore than 7,000 residents of Melrose, Jackson and Morrisania Air Rights Houses in the South Bronx have a M brand new, state-of-the-art facility in which to enjoy edu- cational, cultural and recreational activities. It’s called the Melrose Community Center, and it opened officially, with much pomp and circumstance, on the afternoon of February 14, Valentine’s Day. The $5.8 million, 20,000- Chairman Earl Andrews, Jr., square-foot center, located at 286 Member Kalman Finkel, Depart- East 156th Street, is an imposing ment of Community Operations structure. There is the gigantic, Deputy General Manager Hugh windowless, oval gymnasium Spence, Deputy General Manager with its sloping roof and metal- for Capital Projects Michael paneled exterior, and the more Meyer, Borough Administrator conventional, two-story building for the Bronx Borough Depart- connected to it, made spectacular ment of Community Operations by a single wall composed almost John Hall, and Bronx Borough entirely of glass. Community Operations Director “If ever there was a flagship, Ernesto Lozano. a model of what should be done, All gave credit where it was this is it,” New York City due, citing NYCHA residents and A rendering of the 20,000-square-foot Melrose Community Center from NYCHA’s Design Department. Housing Authority (NYCHA) resident association presidents, Chairman John G. Martinez, told employees and departments, “I get chills down my spine use it to learn as we go forth with tively, with Jackson Houses the audience. “This center is going including the Department of when I walk through this facility,” some of our larger facilities that Resident Association Treasurer to make a tremendous difference Design and Capital Improvement said an exuberant Hugh Spence as will be opening.” Zaphlin Brown accepting for in the life of the community.” with Director David Burney, he recalled late-night planning Chairman Martinez presented Ms. Harris. Everyone turned out to cele- the Department of Construction meetings between staff and resi- plaques to the Resident Associa- The plaques were inscribed, brate the ribbon-cutting that was with Director Robert Yauch and dents that took place years ago. tion Presidents of Melrose, Jack- “In appreciation of your hard the culmination of six years of General Services for their “This center is the result of big son, and Morrisania Air Rights work and dedication on behalf of hard work. Joining Mr. Martinez telecommunications support, with government working with resi- Houses — Denise Roberts, Helen the children and youth of the on the dais were NYCHA Vice Director Kenneth Martin. dent leadership. We’re going to Harris and Bernice King, respec- South Bronx community. This (Continued on page 7) EIGHTEEN AMENY GRADS NOW IN BUSINESS By Allan Leicht ighteen more NYCHA given by the Association of far for prospective customers. As businesses as sub-contractors to Management and Private Market residents are now in busi- Minority Enterprises of New was made clear at their graduation the primary contractors engaged Operations. Eness. They are the newest York (AMENY) in partnership ceremonies at the Edgemere by the Housing Authority. Naomi Lara, Deputy General entrepreneurs, graduates of the with NYCHA. Community Center on January 31, But as State Senator Malcolm Manager for that department, had Resident Employment Training And the new business men they are in an excellent position to Smith said at the conclusion of the only to introduce the executives Program’s 12-session course and women will not have to look compete for profitable contracts graduation ceremony, the diploma in attendance to underscore the connected to the renewal of their is not the end, it’s the beginning. significance of the evening. very own community. “You have to deliver,” said NYCHA Vice Chairman Earl The Arverne/Edgemere devel- Senator Smith. “Remember the Andrews, Jr. and Board Member opments in Far Rockaway are on same discipline you used for the Kalman Finkel flanked Chairman Inside: the brink of a far-reaching trans- class and use it in your business.” John G. Martinez on the dais — formation under the HOPE VI He also encouraged the graduates and it was duly noted that when • The Art of Jacob Lawrence. page 2 Revitalization Project, and it is to “team up” with each other. this program got its start five no mere coincidence that this up- James Heyliger, President of years ago, Mr. Martinez was in • S.I.’s Chess Champions. page 5 coming renewal project and the AMENY, was master of cere- Ms. Lara’s position and was in- AMENY training program monies for what he described strumental in setting it in motion. happened at the same time. as “a momentous event.” In a Jimmy Walker, Second Vice • Community Service Q&A’s . page 6 The diplomas awarded to the succession of brief remarks, each President of AMENY, recalled graduates are the necessary speaker noted the successful that there was a lot of doubt at the • Coca-Cola Job Fair . page 9 credentials that will allow them to collaboration of AMENY and outset but because the participants run their own construction-related NYCHA’s Department of Asset “put their whole hearts into the (Continued on page 3) March Is Women’s History Month! Page 2 THE HOUSING AUTHORITY JOURNAL March 2001 Message From The Mayor Jacob Lawrence Inspires Young Artists At Reforming Bilingual Education ew York City is the gateway for thousands of immigrants Melrose Houses During Black History Month each year, and immigration has long been a source of our By Allan Leicht NCity’s greatest strength. Immigrants come here with a dream of freedom and success, and their best chance of being successful in eith Duncan’s young artists at the new Melrose Community Center in the Bronx are getting to know this country is by becoming as proficient as possible in English. artist Jacob Lawrence by painting what he painted in an after-school program run by NYCHA’s Education is the ladder of success for immigrants; it is the fast-track K Department of Community Operations. And this is most fitting, especially during February which to the American dream. is Black History Month, because getting to know the art of Jacob Lawrence is getting to know African- It is essential that we do American history. everything possible to give the Lawrence’s paintings tell the children of immigrants every story of the African-American chance to succeed. Recently, the experience. His sweeping, acces- Board of Education took a step sible yet powerful portrayals in the right direction by adopt- made him one of the great artists ing reforms that create an of the 20th Century. And so Keith English immersion program and Duncan, or “Mr. Keith,” as his empower parents to choose class calls him, has combined between traditional bilingual painting and heritage as his after- instruction and English immer- schoolers put brush to paper sion. This should be of particu- throughout the month of lar interest to New York’s public housing population, since nearly February, in honor of the 39% of the Housing Authority’s 535,000 residents are Hispanic, renowned American master who and most send their children to public schools. died last June at the age of 82. The sad reality is that more than half of our non-English speaking “I do the outlines for them and students do not learn enough English in three years of bilingual they fill them in,” said Mr. Duncan education to move into mainstream classes. City schools have as he moved from one painter historically offered two bilingual models: a traditional program to the next on the afternoon of where students are taught in the language they speak, and a limited February 8. immersion program where students receive up to three hours of The 11 students, aged 6 to 12, English instruction each day. The Board of Education reports that were working on Lawrence’s epic English immersion works best for young students. According to series of 60 paintings entitled, their data, 84% of those enrolled in kindergarten exit within three “The Migration.” The sequence years. In contrast, traditional bilingual programs have a far lower depicts the flight of millions of success rate. African-Americans from the rural Therefore, if parents of non-English-speaking children want South to the urban North during them to enter mainstream classes as quickly as possible, they should and after the First World War. It choose English immersion. But until now, they have not had that was a migration that Lawrence’s choice. Instead, such children were automatically enrolled in bilin- own parents were a part of. The gual programs, from which parents had to take affirmative steps to artist completed the series in 1941 remove them. Even more incredible was the absence in our system at the age of 24. of a true English immersion model where students learn to speak The children attending the English as quickly as possible. class followed in the footsteps— COPYING THE MASTERS Eight-year-old Robert Snipes (top) The Board of Education has adopted the following reforms, or the brush strokes—of Lawrence concentrates on his water colors, while ten-year-old Domonique based on a report by the Mayor’s Task Force on Bilingual Educa- in much more than style and Cannon works with art instructor Keith Duncan. tion: In addition to the traditional bilingual instruction, an intensive content; for when Lawrence was English acquisition program will be created. Parents will be in his teens, he also attended an Working with young people artist with the passing of Jacob empowered to make informed choices about which program is best after-school art program in New seems to give Keith Duncan as Lawrence last summer.

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