Documenting the City: Journalism Inspired by Edith Evans Asbury

Documenting the City:

Journalism Inspired by Edith Evans Asbury

Edited by Molly Rosner Meghan Fox Lauren Navarro Maureen Drennan Lidiya Kan Documenting the City:

Journalism Inspired by Edith Evans Asbury

Cover and interior design by Gloria Mendoza.

Printed by Recycled Paper Printing.

2019 Student Essays Student Photography

Acknowledgments Edith Evans Asbury: Medicaid Fraud in Digital Projects A Legacy in NY Nursing Homes: Journalism History An Endless Fight by 9 by Mariuxi Moran Mariuxi Moran 151

Introduction by 33 60 Molly Rosner, PhD Heavy Raindrops on the Lead-Foot by Courageous Artist Ants by Janai Julien Maria Hitome by Autumn Fore The Forbidden Journey The Perpetuation of Adoption Through of White Flight: How 11 Foster Care by NYCHA Continues to Tasha Balkaran be Affected by Racial 78 92 102 Phenomena by Mariah Anthony A Storied Legacy of Women in New York City Journalism by 39 Lauren Navarro, PhD 66 On the Island The G in Greenwich: Once Groovin’, A Man’s World: Gender Now Gentrified by 19 Inequalities in a Kelly O’Brien Woman’s Field by Asbury and the Kelly O’Brien Archives: Student- Driven Collaborative 45 Learning at LaGuardia by Meghan Fox, PhD 71 Saveliy Ukhlin Zoey Xia Ayako Moriyama The Not-So-Golden Years: Violence and Mistreatment in New 25 York City’s Nursing 114 124 136 Homes by Zilla Tofte

Contents 53

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 6 7 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Acknowledgments

©LaGuardia Community College/CUNY

This book would not exist without the help of Tirado who showed great support of the the faculty mentors who worked tirelessly work of our students and continue to throughout the year to make this entire proj- encourage them each year. ect run: Meghan Fox, Lauren Navarro, It is with gratitude that we acknowledge Maureen Drennan, Lidiya Kan. The commit- Barbara Ross who donated the collection of ted and inspiring students whose work is fea- Edith Evans Asbury to the Archives and agreed tured in this volume: Janai Julien, Saveliy Ukhlin, to be interviewed by the students about her Zoey Xia, Maria Hitome, Ayako Moriyama, Tasha work as a journalist and her friendship with Balkaran, Autumn Fore, Xue Zoey Xia, Luke Edith Evans Asbury. Thank you to Judah Gribetz Rollins, Zilla Tofte, Kelly O’Brien, Mariuxi Moran. who recommended the LaGuardia and Wagner There are many people to thank for making Archives become a repository for this rich trove this project such an enriching experience of documents. for the students whose work is featured in Janet Corcoran, Vice President for Institutional this volume. Thank you to the Robert David Advancement, and Carrie Fox, Foundation- Lion Gardiner Foundation, particularly Sponsored Grants Director have been instru- Kathryn Curran, Joe Attonito, and Terry

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 8 9 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE mental in navigating the process of using this processes: Melissa Noel, Dinitia Smith, Jonno grant effectively. Ed Hollins and Victor Rosa, Rattman, Amanda Boe, Morgan Sykes, and Introduction who work on the college newspaper, showed Sophia Chang. tremendous support for this project and al- Thank you to the entire staff at the LaGuardia by Molly Rosner, PhD lowed us to partner with the publication to and Wagner Archives, who all leant support showcase student work. Scott Sternbach, gave for this project Richard K. Lieberman, Stephen the Photography faculty mentors and students Weinstein, Soraya Ciego-Lemur, Miguelina the support they needed to produce beauti- Rodriguez, Stephen Petrus, Douglas Di Carlo, ful images throughout the year. Thank you to Oleg Kleban, David Mezick, James Hu, Lauren Gordon Tapper, who identified and encour- VanDenBerg. In particular, Debra Grech worked aged the two English faculty who have a spe- tirelessly to process the collection and create cial dedication to journalism to take part in This book is made up of the work of a group collection of Edith Evans Asbury. Ms. Asbury a usable finding aid for the students. Amanda this project. of LaGuardia Community College students (1910-2008) was a journalist at The New York Garfunkel began processing the collection and who were a part of the culminating year of a Times for over thirty years, writing for the Metro Ellen Tumposky and John Smock allowed us provided invaluable administrative support for three-year grant from the Robert David Lion desk at a time when most women were relegat- to hold a hugely successful event at the Craig the project throughout the year. Gardiner Foundation focused on introducing ed to writing only about fashion and domestic Newmark School of Journalism at CUNY during Hugo Fernandez, whose support of this project students to history and historical research topics. Asbury investigated an array of topics which the students presented their work and enabled students to showcase their work at practices. The group is called the Gardiner- for the Metro desk – from landmark court cases met with graduate faculty. Spring Natural restaurant in SoHo in the sum- Shenker Student Scholars, in which students about adoption, to housing discrimination, and American Folk Art Museum Curator Steffi mer of 2019. Throughout the year Paul Lewis take on assignments outside of their classroom critical land use debates. Her papers illustrate

Duarte gave the students a private tour of the Anderson and Jacques Lang attended meetings work and receive individualized mentoring and the journalistic process as well as the challeng- exhibit Self-Taught Genius Gallery’s exhibit and visits to film and document this project. payment for their participation. The students es of being a woman in a male- dominated field. “New York Experienced” and pulled archival have demonstrated deep commitment to the Twelve Gardiner-Shenker Student Scholars, documents for the students to look at in the program and produced rich materials ranging made up of both photography and English archives at the AFAM. from photography, to writing, to podcasting students - worked with four faculty mentors and video projects. We are deeply grateful for the journalists who to research and design projects around the generously visited our students to answer In 2019, the Gardiner-Shenker Student Scholars Asbury Collection. Both groups met on a con- questions about their careers and journalistic became the first researchers to access the new tinual basis as they researched at the Archives,

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 10 11 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Mariuxi Moran presents taken by a Gardiner-Shenker student assigned journalist and former New York magazine her profile of Edith Evans to the story. The June 2019 issue of The Bridge journalist Morgan Sykes, Newsday journal- Asbury at the Women and Gender Studies featured a Gardiner-Shenker Student Scholar ist Sophia Chang, New York Times photo ed- Conference at LaGuardia Community College. profile of Edith Evans Asbury, written by Mariuxi itor Amanda Boe, freelance photojournalist Moran, who presented her paper at the Women whose work is regularly featured in the New and Gender Studies Conference at LaGuardia Yorker and New York Times Jonno Rattman, New Community College on May 2, 2019. The York Daily News reporter Barbara Ross, and Summer 2019 issue includes two more 1,000 Pulitzer Center journalist Melissa Noel. Each word articles by the Gardiner-Shenker stu- guest speaker shared their writing or photog- dents: one exploring adoption practices more raphy and answered students’ questions about deeply, and another focusing on the gender careers in journalism, process, ethical dilem- wage-gap. mas as well as gender and discrimination in the workplace. The students met throughout the year with professional journalists and photojournal- When Melissa Noel fielded the students’ ques- ists. Guest speakers included, New York Times tions about her career path, methodologies, retired journalist Dinitia Smith, freelance

selected the subjects they were inspired to ex- to navigate the collection and organize their plore, and honed their writing and photography research, and began conducting interviews of skills. They each chose a topic motivated by their own. Asbury’s writing including: adoption, nursing Students have published their work in three home violence, Medicaid fraud, taxi and Uber different issues of the college’s newspaperThe drivers, gentrification, artistic communities in Ms. Noel speaks to Bridge, throughout the school year. The April the Gardiner-Shenker the city, the history of Roosevelt Island, and Students about funding 2019 issue of The Bridge featured the English opportunities, selecting urban development in Lower Manhattan. students’ first published works. All five of them her topics, and writing for different outlets, For many students, this was their first primary wrote heavily researched, feature-length ar- and self-care while re- porting tough stories. archival research experience. They learned how ticle that was accompanied by a photograph

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 12 13 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE and the challenges and opportunities available their time together. Some of the guests were of people who came every single night.” She to them in journalism, she stressed that all na- able to suggest techniques for networking, realized this history had largely been erased tional stories have a local angle worth exploring. paid internship opportunities and advice for from the city’s landscape and asked, “What do After the meeting, Tasha Balkaran, one of the freelancing. Meghan Fox, one of the English you do when you find out that everything you’re students reflected, faculty mentors reflected that the students’ looking into is kind of… gone. Well, I decided I “understanding of the field of journalism and was going to be a journalist… So with several Having been a student-journalist for the experience of women journalists today has trips to the village, numerous interviews and a little while now, I’ve always strug- been further enhanced by the many journalists daily research, I found out exactly what hap- gled with doing interviews. During who have served as guest speakers throughout pened to the coffeeshops. A village war… And the talk with Ms. Noel, she described this fellowship.” that village war between irate Villagers and how she goes into an interview by coffee shop owners led to boundless gentrifica- The students, staff and faculty also visited saying ‘You have to be a person first.’ tion of the bohemian capital of the world.” The the American Folk Art Museum’s Self-Taught Throughout the day, that idea stuck audience was taken with stories like these that Genius Gallery in Long Island City and received with me. Particularly because as jour- the students shared – both about the stories a private tour of their currect exhibition, “New nalists, we’re taught to ask the right they uncovered and their process of learning York Experienced” with curator Steffi Duarte. questions, be extremely impartial to to be journalists. The students learned how artists have inter- everything you’re writing and asking preted New York City and touched on the topics The event featured a keynote speaker from the interviewee. Sooner or later, you On May 16th 2019, we held an event at the they were researching through different media. the CUNY School of Journalism Professor Ellen become a robot. Craig Newmark School of Journalism. To a room They also visited the AFAM archives and looked Tumposky, who talked about her career and filled to capacity, the English students each pre- at documents from their collections. what it means to be a female journalist. She These meetings provided students with an in- sented their essays to a captivated audience started, “New York is full of uncovered stories – side look at the changing career paths avail- On April 4th, 2019, the students hosted a Pop- with poise and confidence. The photo students that never changes.” And discussed that when able to them in the field of journalism and the Up Event at LaGuardia Community College exhibited their work and spoke as a panel. Kelly she began her career women in journalism, chance to talk about their work with a profes- where they distributed copies of The Bridge and O’Brien, one of the Gardiner-Shenker students, “were proud of being feisty and kind of tough sional writer or photographer. Often, the guests spoke with other students about their work and shared her experience delving into the topic and that was what you needed to be. The max- came away feeling as though they too learned about the journalism options available to them of 1960’s coffee shops in Greenwich Village, im ‘never cry in the newsroom’ is one that I’ve about how young people consume the news at the school and about doing historical re- New York. These were not coffee shops like carried with me throughout my whole working and great enthusiasm for the skill and commit- search at the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives. Strabucks, she explained, “they were cabarets, life. I still think… that women have an extra ment that the students demonstrated during music venues, filled with dozens and dozens

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 14 15 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE burden of remaining calm under pressure.” event of the book featuring student writing and After the presentations, faculty from the CUNY photography. Lauren Navarro, one of the two School of Journalism expressed interest in part- English faculty mentors, stated that the pro- nering with us for future programs. gram enabled her “to connect with the lived ex- perience of our students… It’s been enormously During the summer months of 2019, the stu- enriching. And actually one of the brightest dents’ photography work was exhibited at highlights of my career here so far.” The bond Spring Street Natural restau- between the students and rant in SoHo. On June 13th, “The maxim their faculty mentors is clear. 2019, our opening reception ‘never cry in the Over the course of the year drew more than 40 people. newsroom’ is the students became more The students proudly show- and more confident in pre- cased their work, which the one that I have senting their work to the restaurant owner informed carried with public and articulating their us received a lot of attention me throughout goals as budding journalists. and compliments from their customers. my whole These students have gained experience working with Two students created video working life.” their peers, revising their projects that involve interviews, and two stu- work with faculty mentors, speaking with pro- dents took theopportunity to turn their work fessional journalists, and presenting their arti- from a written piece into a five-episode pod- cles and photography with poise and pride. This Students and staff at Pop-Up Event at LaGuardia Community College where they distributed copies ofThe Bridge on cast, which will air on the college web radio April 4th, 2019. project is a model of interdisciplinary learning station WLGR. and multifaceted approaches to historical and In the fall, the exhibition will move to a perma- contemporary research. nent location at LaGuardia Community College and we will hold an opening event, which will feature the final version of the film document- ing this project, and will also be the release

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 16 17 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE A Storied Legacy of Women in New York City

(Top and Left) Gardin- Journalism er-Shenker students speak in a panel event held at the Craig Newmark School of Journalism. by Lauren Navarro, PhD

Edith Evans Asbury “was a bit of a trailblazer,” women who broke boundaries, flouted conven- her pal Barbara Ross says. Asbury, was, she ex- tion, risked their careers, reputations, and even plains in an interview conducted by LaGuardia their safety to get the story and report the truth. students, “extraordinarily smart,” “sassy,” and New York has a rich and storied history of assumed her job at The New York Times with women in journalism. Many of the women who the “proviso she would only do hard news.” (Top) Jonno Rattman broke boundaries in investigative, local and reviews his photogra- Toughness, spunk and determination seemed phy portfolio with the national reporting had their start here. Horace Gardiner-Shenker Student to be some of the necessary qualities for wom- Greeley’s New York Tribune was amongst the Scholars, at the LaGuardia en in journalism in 1952 when Ms. Asbury be- and Wagner Archives. first to employ women as reporters and its first gan writing for The New York Times. Though Photos by Molly Rosner. female foreign correspondent was Margaret she was not the first woman reporter in the Fuller. Fuller was a well-known figure within United States, in New York, or even at the Times, the transcendentalist intellectual movement in her prominent role and the solid reporting she the United States, and in 1840 became the first showcased nevertheless marks a watershed female editor of its trademark journal The Dial moment for both the paper and for women before joining the Tribune as a reporter in 1844. in journalism. Asbury’s journalistic legacy is Her book, Woman in the Nineteenth Century, situated within a long tradition of pioneering

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 18 19 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE is considered by feminist scholars as one of and witnessing and enduring cruel and unjust and in a state of perpetual fiscal dependency. charity work. In 1916 the French Government the first major works of feminist literature in treatment. The series, which was subsequently Lamenting a trend in “yellow journalism” she awarded her the French Legion of Honor for the United States. Fuller’s career would open released as the book Ten Days in a Madhouse, founded the monthly magazine The Forerunner her work during the war. the door for future women in journalism, who instigated a grand jury review and increased (1909-1916) where she focused on women’s These trailblazers were important for Asbury, would go on to garner more renown. funding for the asylum, according to Bly biog- rights and social reform. Her journalism often who came to journalism at a unique time in the rapher Brooke Kroeger. For reflects these selfsame themes and she cites Perhaps the most famous history of United States. The primary source “Bly, who went her trouble, Kroeger says, her time living in New York City in order to example of the intrepid of news for most people was still newspa- Pulitzer gave her no promo- make many of her points—such as advocating woman in journalism is undercover at pers, though network television was quickly tion and no bonus. for daycare and equal pay. New York reporter Nellie Bly the asylum at encroaching. The nation was fresh from WWII (born Elizabeth Cochrane). NYC’s Blackwell Other women in journalism Later during WWI, native “Wharton wrote and in the midst of futile The Washington Post re- would follow in the foot- New Yorker Edith Wharton, attempts to dial back prog- cently published an article Island (now Roo- steps of Fuller and Bly. One a renowned fictional author to bring the ress and resituate women about how Bly is “finally sevelt Island) of them, Charlotte Perkins who is less recognized for harsh realities of in the kitchen; Asbury’s ten- getting her due” after her feigned mental Gilman, is most remem- her war correspondence, war to the Unit- ure spans this cultural zeit- breakthrough reporting in bered for her short sto- was one of a handful of geist, with Betty Friedan’s 1887 led to reforms in the illness to have ry “The Yellow Wallpaper” journalists allowed to tour ed States public The Feminine Mystique pub- mental health care system. herself admitted (1892) wherein the protag- the first lines of the front and her writing lished in 1963. During the Bly’s serial exposé in Joseph to the facility” onist is driven mad by op- in Eastern France. She vis- went hand in 1950s and 1960s, women Pulitzer’s The New York World pressive confinement (not ited the French lines from were entering and reenter- burst beyond the confines of the Sunday fea- unlike what Bly witnessed), couched as treat- Dunkirk to Belfort. Her cor- hand with her ing the workforce in record ture section with headlines like “Inside the ment for her mental illness. However, Gilman respondence on the trav- charity work.” numbers only to find their Madhouse” and “The Terrors of Cold Baths and also had a prolific career in journalism pub- esties of war were featured opportunities limited and Cruel, Unsympathetic Nurses.” Bly, who went lishing feature articles and op-eds in Harper’s in New York City-based Scribner’s Magazine their efforts still circumscribed by their gen- undercover at the asylum at New York City’s Bazaar, Woman’s Journal, and The New York and were later collected into the book Fighting der. Asbury reported on the backlash against Blackwell Island (now Roosevelt Island) feigned Times. Gilman became best known in her time France: From Dunkerque to Belfort, which be- this unequal treatment—but she also expe- mental illness to have herself admitted to the for her pioneering work Women and Economics came an American bestseller. Wharton wrote to rienced it. The newsroom was considered a facility, uncovering unlawful errors in admis- (1898) where she argued for upending the so- bring the harsh realities of war to the U.S. pub- man’s world. sion, discrimination against immigrant women, cial conditions that kept women homebound lic and her writing went hand in hand with her

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 20 21 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Asbury’s reporting, Ross says, was informed attitude, Asbury gave “agita” to the men who The students who have participated in this abuse and fraud in nursing homes in the work by her experience as a woman in the field, stood in her way. program not only make me proud—but I am of Mariuxi Moran titled “Medicaid Fraud in as it was for many of the aforementioned re- certain that their dedication to reporting the Nursing Homes: an Endless Fight” and Zilla In each new era’s iteration of women in jour- porters. In some instances, in her early career, truth would have impressed Fuller, Bly, Gilman, Tofte titled “The Not-So-Golden Years: Violence nalism, contemporary women have stood on Ross says, “she would cover the whole trial and Wharton, and Asbury. Though the world has and Mistreatment in New York City’s Nursing the shoulders of those who have gone before. The New York Times would send a man down changed a great deal since Fuller was the first Homes,” adoption and foster care covered by They call it trailblazing because our forebears to cover the verdict because they didn’t think woman allowed to do research in Harvard’s Tasha Balkaran in her piece “Forbidden Journey have made that path easier to walk in many she could handle the deadlines and that kind Library, access to education and to professional of Adoption Through Foster Care” and revisited ways, freeing journalists to fight new battles of stuff.” She quickly proved their preconcep- development in journalism and in academia still discrimination in the workplace via Ms. O’Brien’s and tackle other controversies. I have men- tions wrong. “I do believe,” Ross says, “that her remains unequal, particularly for women, es- piece “A Man’s World: Gender Inequalities in a tioned toughness and determination as vital personal life story informed pecially for the economically Woman’s Field.” qualities that Asbury pos- her reporting, her passion “With a quint- disadvantaged, and acutely “Our students ac- sessed. They remain so to- Our student scholar jour- for women’s issues, for is- for minorities. Our students essentially New day in an era where it seems knowledge these nalists have seen New York sues of reproductive rights, acknowledge these dispari- that both journalists and City for what is is—a labo- for adoption.” Asbury cov- York attitude, ties in their work and have disparities in women have come under at- ratory and microcosm for ered issues as wide-rang- Asbury gave carried forward a legacy of their work and tack. Journalists like Asbury the great social changes in ing as reproductive rights, truth-seeking and activism “agita” to the have long sought the truth have carried for- the United States. A liminal workplace discrimination, in journalism focused on and their struggle to report space, the city often reflects gentrification, housing, the men who stood uncovering inequities and ward a legacy it has been foundational to the very best and very worst Black Panther trial, mayoral in her way.” catalyzing the public. They of truth-seeking shaping the news media of of American culture. Living administrations, foster care, have walked Asbury’s beat, the United States. New York City has played and activism in the most diverse city in adoption etc. She was willing “to tackle any- so to speak, retracing her a central role in amplifying the voices of pio- the United States (and per- thing” and the sheer breadth of her reporting steps through issues such in journalism” neering women reporters and New York City haps in the world) has of- is astounding. She was even able to challenge as gentrification, in Kelly publications helped to codify their importance fered our students the unique opportunity to her own newsroom, and in the 1970s she was O’Brien’s piece “The G in Greenwich: Once in forging journalistic ethics and a quality free photograph the site where Nellie Bly conducted part of a group of women pushing the Times Groovin’ now Gentrified” and Mariah Anthony’s press in the United States. her exposé, to talk to the same people that for workplace equality and “agitating for par- “The Perpetuation of White Flight: How NYCHA Asbury interviewed, to see the completed hous- ity in pay.” With a quintessentially New York Continues to be Affected by Racial Phenomena,” ing that white villagers fought to prevent, and

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 22 23 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE to write their feature exposés on elder care and foster care in concert with a resurgent interest Asbury and the in these issues. They have learned much—and more than anything perhaps they’ve absorbed Archives: Student-Driven the truth behind some of the clichés about progress—“the more things change, the more they stay the same” and “you’ve come a long Collaborative Learning at way baby.” Both of these are simultaneously true; I think all of our students and the educa- LaGuardia tors who have worked on this program agree on the importance of the legacy of women in by Meghan Fox, PhD journalism, encapsulated by the hard-hitting, “Women in New York City Journalism,” the 2018- curriculum, we guided students through the truthful, concise and well-sourced reporting 2019 undergraduate archival research fellow- process of conducting archival research and of pioneers like Edith Evans Asbury—in whose ship funded by a grant from the Robert D. L. developing their own projects that built off of work “sunlight is the best disinfectant.” We are Gardiner Foundation, provided incredible op- Asbury’s work. honored to help situate our students in a rich portunities for intensive and immersive student tradition such as this and a legacy such as hers. Our fall syllabus was devoted to exposing our research, collaborative teaching, collaborative students to a range of Asbury’s New York City learning, and yearlong mentorship of students. reportage on topics including gentrification, The LaGuardia and Wagner Archives granted NYCHA, coffee houses, adoption, nursing home faculty from the English Department (myself abuse, and Medicaid fraud, which we paired and Lauren Navarro) and the Commercial with contemporary news stories and features Photography Department (Maureen Drennan addressing similar concerns. These pairings

1 2 3 5 and Lidiya Kan) academic freedom to design LaGuardia Community Diane Bernard, “She Brooke Kroeger, Nellie Abby Slater, In Search required students to forge comparisons be- College students Tasha Went Undercover Bly, Daredevil, Reporter, of Margaret Fuller: A unique learning experiences for our students Balkaran and Kelly to Expose an Insane Feminist, 1864-1922. Biography. New York: tween the politics and social milieu that Asbury O’Brien conducted this Asylum’s Horrors. Now New York: Times, 1994. Delacorte, 1978. Print. that would be difficult to create in a traditional interview on Wednes- Nellie Bly Is Getting Her Print. covered (primarily the 1950s through the late 4 classroom setting. Using the newly acquired day, April 3rd 2019. Due.” The Washington Hermione Lee, Edith 1970s) and our current moment and to grapple Post. WP Company, 28 Wharton. London: Pimli- papers of former New York Times journalist July 2019. Web. 11 Aug. co, 2013. Print. with larger questions concerning social prog- 2019. Edith Evans Asbury as the central axis of our

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 24 25 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE ress. The pairings also enabled students to process, the development of their projects, and their struggles, to take stock of what they still these drafts are where some of her see ways that they could contribute to a larg- the process of conducting and implementing had to complete, and to reflect on everything greatest stories came from. er discourse on these subjects through their archiving research. In the first blog post, in ad- they accomplished; it also shows what they own research. Dr. Navarro and I met with the dition to asking students questions concerning learned about New York City history, public English and Journalism students every other the assigned readings, I prompted students to policy, and journalistic forms and ethics. Students’ reflections overwhelmingly demon- week during club hours throughout the fall reflect on the experience of visiting the archives strated how meaningful and instructive this Although we stress writing as a process, scaf- and spring semesters, and our group meetings for the first time. Dr. Navarro and I warned form of active learning was to their research fold our assignments, and mark the importance were supplemented by field trips, visits from them that initially it would be overwhelming, and writing processes, and they conveyed the of writing multiple drafts, there is no substitute guest speakers, and individual meetings with but nothing can quite prepare someone for inspiration they took from Asbury and our nu- for students seeing that this is a practice in students. During each of our group meetings, how daunting and alluring the archives can be. merous guest speakers—women in the field the “real world” as well. One student, Tasha we asked students to synthesize their research One student, Tiffany Simone, wrote, “On my of journalism. Balkaran, wrote on the blog: and their readings and to reflect on this work first visit to the archives, I found that there was Early in the fall semester, after the Archive’s through group discussions, blog posts, and a possibility of getting lost in time here. Sorting After going through some of the ar- staff provided an overview of the collection, student presentations. Over the course of year, through notes and shorthand. Deciphering sig- ticles Mrs. Asbury had written, I re- students selected their research topics and the English and Journalism students honed natures, learning names. The time really flies by alize how many drafts it took just to signed up for presentation dates. For their pre- a number of impressive writing, interviewing, when I’m playing detective.” Another student, get to her “perfect” final draft and it sentations, the students shared with the rest and research skills. They published eight 1,500- Kelly O’Brien, noted, “At first, it was overwhelm- gave me a sense of encouragement, of us the archival documents they had discov- 2,000-word features in the March, April, and ing, but after a few visits and finding material knowing a writer with as much expe- ered that had helped them to better under- June issues of the College’s student newspaper, that interested me, it has been beyond exciting.” rience as she still struggled with trying stand a public policy issue, court case, or event The Bridge; their work appeared in print with The first few sets of blog posts convey the en- to get the right lead down and going Asbury was covering at the time, and they ex- accompanying photographs that were taken thusiasm and affective relationships students through six or seven drafts before fig- plained how those primary source documents by the fellowship’s Commercial Photography were developing with the material. The blog uring out what works together. While connected to their own projects. This allowed students. Two of our students also collaborated functioned as a tool for facilitating metacogni- going through a few of her drafts, it us all to learn about and keep abreast of ev- on a five-episode podcast on Medicaid fraud tion and process-oriented learning, but it also was simple things like a coffee stain eryone’s research throughout the term, but and nursing home abuse. became an archive in its own right, a catalogue here and there and mini side notes… it also enriched our understanding of Asbury of the students’ experiences developing and As part of the structure of our group meetings, that made me feel a connection to her and the work she was doing. None of us could completing their own archival research proj- the students used a WordPress blog as a ve- writing and in a sense her, considering have made our way through all of the boxes of ects. The blog enabled students to articulate hicle to reflect on their readings, their writing material, so through this presentation format,

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 26 27 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE our students, perhaps unknowingly, became Students chose the pairings of Asbury’s work lication in the The Bridge. (However, unlike my the teachers, and we were all able to learn with contemporary articles based on their re- copyedits for most issues of The Bridge which from their discoveries in the archive. These search interests for the spring; some decided take the form of track changes that can be presentations would also serve as opportuni- to deepen their research from the fall while “accepted” without much effort—often a ne- ties for Dr. Navarro and I to offer suggestions others took on new topics, including gender cessity for a pressing publication deadline—I for strengthening a project in its current state, inequality in the workplace. In many ways, we sent my feedback to our students in PDF form but the more rewarding result of these presen- were able to conduct the fellowship, and espe- and forced them to painstakingly implement tations was that students were eager to assist cially the spring semester, like a senior seminar these line edits in their own work and learn one another. They did not with students deciding upon from the process. This was, of course, a luxury hesitate to share contacts or “Our students, and directing a great deal of of time, but one that enabled students unfa- primary source documents perhaps un- their learning. The Gardiner- miliar with the Associated Press Style Guide that could help enrich their Shenker program enabled and the conventions of feature writing to inter- peers’ work. knowingly, be- us to present students with nalize the new formatting guidelines through came the teach- immersive and interactive the implementation of their own edits. As a After seeing the ways that experiences most under- result, they retained so much more of what our students surpassed the ers, and we graduates do not get, even they learned, and their subsequent articles already high expectations were all able to at elite four-year institutions. were remarkably polished.) I also devoted a we put in place for them in learn from their (I, for instance, did not con- portion of our group meetings to the style and the fall, we put more respon- duct archival research until form of the articles we read, asking students sibility in their hands for discoveries in graduate school.) Students to attend to tone, organization, and the use the spring semester. Rather the archive.” visited the archives outside of sources and quotes, and we spent time dis- than continuing to select the of our meetings and completed a rigorous pro- cussing the differences between Asbury’s news paired reading assignments for each of our cess of submitting proposals, meeting with us articles and her features. Through guidance meetings, we asked the students to take on to go over drafts, submitting final articles, and interview me in preparation for their more and revision, students developed strong this role and more actively shape the learning completing additional rounds of edits. important interviews, and worked with them interviewing skills and learned how to write process. I provided them with a new set of throughout the year to implement further re- a narrative lead, integrate and attribute presentation guidelines for facilitating a por- Drawing on my own experience in the field of visions and edits to take their already strong quotations, and develop and deploy descrip- tion of our group discussion and preparing journalism, I helped students draft and vet in- work into an even more polished form for pub- tive language. one of the reflection questions for the blog. terview questions, encouraged them to mock

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 28 29 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE The features our students wrote and the pod- cast episodes they produced are an impressive reflection of their hard work, talent, and devo- tion. The professional journalists who visited for guest lectures frequently remarked on the high caliber of our students’ projects in terms tk caption of their originality and execution. As a teacher and a mentor, I took great pride in hearing these compliments and seeing everything our students accomplished this year. It was thrilling to witness our students respond with joy and excitement when many of them saw their first bylines in the newspaper, and I was moved to see our students present their work in front of a large audience of their peers, professors, fam- ily members, and friends at the Craig Newmark School of Journalism at CUNY in May. This fel- lowship helped several of our students to de- liver their first conference presentations, to earn prestigious summer internships, to win awards, and even to gain admission into an Ivy League school, but it was also an exceptionally rewarding and enriching experience to mentor and collaborate with this extraordinary group of students.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 30 31 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Edith Evans Asbury: A Legacy in New York Journalism History Student by Mariuxi Moran

She challenged the stereotypes of her gender, tions she absorbed into her bones,” Arthur demonstrating that a woman is also able to go Gelb, former editor of The New York Times and Essays out on the streets and find those tough and Asbury’s colleague, recalls in his book The City complex stories that many prefer to avoid. Room. He remembers her as “talented,” “able Pursuing a life in which books, anecdotes, re- to demand—and get—the same type of hard- ports, and writings became her passion, Edith news assignments given to her male peers.” Evans Asbury decided to follow the journalism Born as Edith Snyder on June 30, 1910, in pathway with fervor and determination during New Boston, Ohio. Edie, as she was some- her life. Known for her extensive journalis- times called, was the oldest of 16 children. tic work in The New York Times City Room, Her journalism career began to take shape in Asbury built her own legacy. She left her hall- The Cincinnati Time-Star during the summer of mark not only in New York journalism history 1929, and she was so successful that she de- but also within the memory of those who had cided to leave her studies at Western College the pleasure of knowing her. for Women. “She understood The Time’s Ochsian standards The following year, her life took a new turn. She of fairness, integrity and good taste—tradi- married Joe Evans, and together they moved to

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 32 33 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE news at the New York World-Telegram and Sun, “When Edith was covering Criminal Court, she Knoxville, Tennessee. There, Asbury returned Knoxville to resign because of a work opportu- but her passion was not traditional women’s would cover the whole trial and The New York to her studies and attended the University of nity in the city. Thanks to her strong skills and pages. Times would send a man down because they Tennessee, getting a bachelor’s and master’s persistence, Asbury was able to find multiple didn’t think she could handle the deadline,” degree in American history in 1932 and 1933. jobs before she arrived at what would be, the In a recent interview for the Gardiner-Shenker Ross says. climax of her career. Scholars Program, Barbara Ross, a close friend Asbury joined The Knoxville News Sentinel as a of Asbury and executor of her estate, de- Notwithstanding, nobody and nothing could reporter from 1933 to 1937. She reported for The New scribes Asbury as an innovative and expansive stop her: not the complexity of the major news According to Gelb, Asbury York Post for almost six “She flourished person. Ross notes, “She items assigned to her nor those started to practice her skills months. She also worked was a bit of a trailblazer. “She was a bit who did not trust her journal- in general assignments among the all- in public relations for the [Although] she has worked of a trailblazer. istic ability, not even the fact during her last year of work male city staff, New York City Housing on features, she wanted to of not earning a salary equal in the newspaper. He notes, Authority (NYCHA), where [Although] she covering ev- pursue hard news stories.” to that of her male journalist “She flourished among the she acquired knowledge of has worked colleagues. Guided by her in- all-male city staff, covering erything from the city’s housing issues, a With that thought in mind, on features, nate capacity for investigation, everything from police news police news to topic that she would cover Edith arrived at The New Asbury continued to do what to President Roosevelt and, in depth later in her career. York Times in 1952, deter- she wanted to President Roo- she was passionate about. before long, she became the sevelt and, be- The Associated Press was mined and with a firmed pursue hard paper’s star.” her next stop, where she proviso: working as a jour- news stories.” “She was intrepid and relentless fore long, she covered a few stories and nalist in the City Room and in her search for facts. She was In 1937, her life turned again gained experience as a re- not reporting on so-called ‘women’s issues.’ often my choice for covering such trials [includ- in a different direction and became the pa- writer. Although the latter Her first article was about a St. Nicholas cer- ing The Black Panther trials], since she would to another city. She sepa- per’s star.” was not something she en- emony in Westchester County, NY. But, with always probe far beyond the testimony,” says rated from Evans, left her joyed, she was able to ac- the passage of time, she demonstrated her Gelb. His words are confirmed by Ross, who established life in Tennessee and moved to complish it with success. strong skills in journalism and investigation mentioned that Asbury “didn’t do the easy New York City in those difficult times when the on several important topics and gained the thing. She would talk to people who were wit- Great Depression hit the economy. In 1945, she married Herbert Asbury, journalist admiration and respect of everybody within nesses, would chase down family members and author of The Gangs of New York and got It was not easy for Asbury to find a job, and The New York Times, changing the mind of those and look at the literature that was being hand- divorced in 1958. During this marriage, Asbury despite this, she telegrammed her editor in men who thought women were not capable of ed out. I think that she was willing to tackle started to work as assistant editor for women’s performing at the same level. anything.”

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 34 35 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE And it was precisely that flexibility at the time ary in The New York Times recalled Asbury’s In 1971, they got married. But unlike a fairy singular name. Ross still remembers Asbury of her reporting that led her to go out to the encounter with Mayor John V. Lindsay. Asbury tale with a happy ending, Asbury was wid- saying: “We’re not witches and we’re not bitch- street and cover the simplest story to the most supposedly made him so angry during a phone owed in 1980. es. We’re twitches.” controversial, whether at the local or national call that he slammed down his telephone, to At that time, Asbury was already an icon, rec- After retiring from The New York Times in 1981, level. the point of breaking it. Another Asbury anec- ognized for writing outstanding articles. In Asbury continued writing or offering advice to dote that stands out was captured in a 2006 Events, parades, urban city stories such May 1952, she was elected as President of the the newspaper’s reporters. According to Ross, interview with Dan Barry, as the World Trade Center New York Newspaper Women’s Club, which gave during Asbury’s last years of life, her health a Times reporter. Asbury construction, Greenwich “She was intrep- her its Newspaper Award deteriorated until she stayed recalled one editor who Village, education, poli- of Merit for “outstanding in her apartment: “[she] sat id and relentless never treated her fairly, “[she] sat in tics, and elections. Asbury achievement in the field of in her recliner, watching her in her search for who died on the job; she also got involved in journalism of benefit to the her recliner, battery operated portable confessed to having felt civil rights and the justice facts. She was City of New York” in 1964. watching her radio, because the only thing very “delighted.” system, covering family often my choice Asbury was recognized with battery oper- working was her ears, and she and surrogate’s courts, However, there were al- the Page One Award from could listen to NPR.” crimes, corruption, and for covering such ways people who believed the Newspaper Guild of ated portable The “queen mother of the the famous Black Panthers’ trials [including in her and treated her as New York because of her radio, because pointed question,” as Dan trials. She reported about she deserved. One of them reporting and successful The Black Pan- the only thing Barry called Asbury, stopped housing and health issues was Robert E. Garst, for- battle in a family adoption listening to her radio on alongside the New York ther trials], since mer Assistant Managing case. She was even one of working was October 30, 2008. Edith Evans City boroughs, nursing she would always Editor at The New York the first women accepted her ears, and Asbury passed away at age home scandals, birth con- Times, who, according to into the Inner Circle in 1973. probe far beyond she could lis- 98, but her articles, her sto- trol, and adoption. Ross, respected and sup- And it was there, where her ries and the pages she wrote the testimony.” ported Asbury very much. ten to NPR.” Her work as a journalist friendship with Ross and became a valuable legacy for Asbury and Garst fell in also gave her the opportunity to interview with some other women in the field began. New York journalism history. love and started a hidden romance. They great personalities such as Amelia Earhart and thought nobody in the office noticed, but Ross “The twitches,” as they called themselves, Her essence as a person, her unique and tena- Georgia O’Keeffe, but she became the subject reports that it was actually a badly-kept secret. speaks to the originality and the striking per- cious personality, her work as an exceptional of a number of anecdotes herself. Her obitu- sonality of Asbury, since she came up with this journalist, her commitment to the truth, and

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 36 37 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE her courage to challenge a world and an era in which women did not have equal opportu- The Forbidden Journey of nities, live on in spite of her death, keeping Asbury’s presence and memory more alive Adoption Through Foster than ever. Care

by Tasha Balkaran

Photo by Maria Hitome

Adoption through foster care was once deemed During her career at The New York Times, Edith unlawful and forbidden by the state of New Evans Asbury was responsible for shedding York, thus forcing children who were in the light on the underreported topic of adop- custody of these families for years to endure tion via foster care in the 1970s. Her cov- the uncertainty of where they will sleep next. erage of Michael and Mary Liuni’s fight to

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 38 39 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE adopt their foster daughter led to changes in 1966, she wrote, “their application to adopt child lived with them or continued within the also sparked a conversation concerning the in adoption laws, which helped eliminate her was rejected by the Ulster County Welfare foster care system. In the case of Beth Liuni, ideology that foster parents should not adopt the stigma of foster parents adopting Commissioner because, among other reasons, both biological mother and father had given their foster child. foster children. their ethnic background and coloring differed their consent for their biological daughter’s In an article written in 1969, after the Liunis’ win, from hers.” adoption when the child was two years old. On July 9th, 1962, Mr. and Mrs. Liuni, an Italian- Asbury wrote, “two so-called ‘Liuni Bills’ were American couple who “While the cur- Had this case taken place During a lengthy conversation with Beth Liuni, immediately introduced into the Legislature lived in Tillson, New York, in 2019, the circumstanc- now Beth Tomanelli, she revealed that she and were later passed.” The first bill gave fos- fostered a five-day-old rent restrictions es surrounding the Liunis’ eventually met her biological mother and ter parents in the same position as the Liunis baby girl. Four years later, to adopt a foster adoption case would have learned that her conception “the [Luni] case the right to appeal decisions they were entangled in child may vary been different. was not the result of an af- made by the local welfare a lawsuit against New fair as was originally report- also sparked a commissioners without hav- While the current restric- York state, pleading with by state, there ed/as she was first told, but ing to go through the lengthy tions to adopt a foster child conversation the court for adoption a rape. “She was married at process of civil litigation. She are no race re- may vary by state, there are concerning the rights over their foster the time and had 6 children,” explains in the same article quirements no race requirements nor child. Tomanelli explained. “I think ideology that that the second bill, which age limitations placed on nor age limita- her husband was abusive “gave foster parents prefer- According to court docu- those who intend to adopt. foster parents too. She didn’t want to bring ence in adoption, when they ments, the Liunis’ pursuit tions placed on According to a represen- should not me up in that household.” have cared for a child for of adoption began when those who in- tative from Adopt US Kids, adopt their two years, was vetoed by the they asked about their “In most states, adults of all When asked about her bio- tend to adopt” Governor in 1967 but was four-year old, Elizabeth ages can adopt. There are logical father, Tomanelli dis- foster child.” approved by him this year “Beth” Liuni’s availability for adoption and were typically no upper age limits.” closed, “I do know he was Polish.” when it was passed again.” told, “it was not the policy of the Ulster County The Liuni case was litigated from 1966 –‘69, Through Asbury’s reporting, the case gained Department of Welfare to place children locally “I’m very grateful for my adoptive parents. My during a time when birth parents were given citywide attention. After ten months of fighting for adoption.” family was wonderful to me,” Tomanelli said. priority when it came to a child’s living situation for the right to make their family whole, Mr. and Asbury followed the story as it progressed and therefore able to determine whether the Mrs. Liuni were able to attain adoptive rights Through the years of the Liuni Case and from 1966 –‘69, providing coverage for The over their now adoptive daughter. Not only did throughout the rest of her life, Asbury re- New York Times. In one of her articles written they obtain legal parental rights, but the case mained close to the Liuni family, particular-

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 40 41 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE ly Beth Tomanelli nee Liuni. Asbury attended the foster care system. “We raised our hands She boasts a record of 19 grandchildren and She continued, sarcastically mimicking what Liuni’s high school and college graduations and and they told us ‘well, go home,’” she explained. three great-grandchildren. “We have a large her family told her, “I mean, how old would received multiple cards from Tomanelli, née extended family,” she said and laughed as you be when they graduate?” Clements is now the Executive Director of Liuni, wherein she expressed her appreciation she heard the shock in my voice. Today, her National Foster Parent Association, a nonprofit Lisa Maria Basile, author of “Light Magic for to Asbury for gifting her a ring. two daughters are 47 and 32, and her son is organization that was founded in 1972, “as a Dark Times” and editor of Luna Luna Magazine, 42-years . Mrs. Tomanelli also explained that Asbury result of the concerns of several independent attests to the inadequacy of resources used to named her in her will and left her a red piano. groups that felt the country needed a nation- In a similar instance to Mrs. Clements’, Asbury assist foster children. In her article, “Foster Care “I think so, I think I was the al organization to meet the wrote an article titled “back in the day, Youth: We Are Everyone & closest thing to a daughter “While Asbury’s needs of foster families in “Queens Foster Parents No One’s Responsibility,” they didn’t want that she ever had.” coverage publi- the United States,” accord- Fighting for Return of Child she wrote, “New Jersey’s ing to their website, nfpa- by Hospital” in 1969 which Division of Family Services While Asbury’s coverage you to be over cized the topic of online.org. reported the struggle of provided us with a social publicized the topic of adop- 40. That began to an older couple, Mr. and worker who treated our sit- tion within foster care, fos- adoption within Due to her inability to bear Mrs. Joseph Marotta, who change because uation like a list of grocery ter parents were often still foster care, fos- children, Clements and her wanted to adopt their fos- items.” discouraged from adopting husband Billy knew they everyone wanted ter parents were ter daughter. The child was their foster children in other would follow the path of to adopt babies.” Having grown up in a home placed in their care since states. often still dis- adoption. “I think adoption with parents who suffered from an addiction she was five-days old and was taken from them couraged from was always the plan for us, to opioids, Basile was put into the foster care Irene Clements, 71, who and placed into another foster care family and we knew that even be- system at the age of twelve. has resided in Texas all of adopting their around the age of two. Asbury wrote, “they fore we thought about fos- her life and is an adoptive say the hospital told them they could not adopt In a 2015 story she wrote for Narratively called foster children in tering,” she said. parent to three children and other states.” Laura because they were too old.” Mr. Marotta “My Foster Parents Loved Me. And I Hated Them foster parent to 127 chil- They adopted their first was 50-years old, while Mrs. Marotta was 48. For It,” Basile detailed the relationship with her dren over the course of 27 years, faced dis- child through an adoption agency in 1971 when foster parents and their relentless attempts Clements confirmed the pervasiveness of this crimination within the foster care system. In the child was an infant. Since then, they’ve ad- to integrate her into their life. She explained, ideology, saying, “back in the day, they didn’t 1974, she and her husband attended a National opted a son and another daughter with Downs “They were at once my saviors and my captors.” want you to be over 40. That began to change Foster Parent Association meeting and were Syndrome. because everyone wanted to adopt babies.” asked if they would like to adopt again within

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 42 43 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE In an over the phone interview with Paul While she did not have to endure living with Snellgrove, Director of Home Finding and unfamiliar foster parents, her other siblings The G in Greenwich: Once Placement Services of You Gotta Believe, an did. “Although I didn’t face the harsh realities adoption agency that seeks to find adoptive of being through numerous group homes or Groovin’, Now Gentrified parents for older kids and youth, he explained residential treatment centers, I watched my the measures that must be taken if a biological younger siblings go through it. I am the oldest parent chooses to fight for their child in a fam- of five and took care of my siblings as often as by Kelly O’Brien ily court. “For example, if substance abuse is I could,” Francois revealed. involved, they [parent] have to show they have Through similar cases like the Liunis’ fight for gone through rehabilitation and is working to- the adoption of their foster child, changes to ward a certain goal within a certain amount of adoption laws have been passed and granted Music, riots, protests and… coffee? That time,” he said. foster parents like the Clements the opportu- is what set the pace for the famed MacDougal This measure and those similar to it was put nity to create a family for children in need of Street in the 1960s. Then, a lively, affordable into place in 1997 when former President Bill one. Through Asbury’s coverage on the topic, home to artists, writers, and musicians galore— Clinton signed the Adoption and Safe Families the cases gained widespread attention and in now, an upscale historical relic of brownstones. Act. The Act was enforced to prevent foster return, sparked a change in the flawed system, Greenwich Village is no stranger to the sound children from going long periods of time living proving just how significant coverage on an un- of a guitar or the aroma of freshly brewed in multiple foster home and to help achieve derreported topic can be. However, as seen in beans from the Arabica plant. The two permanency for the child. the survival stories of Basile and of Francois’s skipped hand-in-hand for decades, weaving siblings, the relations between the foster care Ericka Francois, 22, entered foster care at the a tightly knit bond that brought the new world system and the children involved is one that age of 11 when her teacher reported notice- together and drove the eccentric community still exhibits needs for improvement. able bruises on Francois to the authorities. She apart. was placed in the Kinship Guardian Program, Coffee houses in the era of love, like Café Wha? a program used to achieve permanency with at 115 MacDougal Street, would host live daily a relative. In her case, she was placed with her performances, encouraging artists and sup- paternal grandmother. porting those in favor of the Beat Movement to Photo by: Luke Rollins

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 44 45 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE come on in for a taste of what was considered In a 1963 article, Asbury states that “the anger Shortly after the publication of Asbury’s article, U.S. Census Bureau, out of Greenwich Village’s to be the traditional Greenwich Village lifestyle. of those who live on the block arises from the Freeman wrote a direct letter to Asbury ex- 72,025 residents, 57,137 are Caucasian. Poets, writers, folk singers, and comedians all fact that they are kept awake into the early pressing his disagreement, saying that “read- John Bowker, an old-time coffee shop regular, flocked to the scene of this bohemian stomping morning hours by the merry makers below, ers have been given the wrong picture […] of disagrees with Freeman’s argument. “There’s ground. Musicians such as Bob Dylan, Bruce and have to push through them to get to their the situation” and that if prejudiced individu- no doubt that there was some tension boil- Springsteen, and Jimi Hendrix would go on to homes.” She describes these so-called “mer- als were to blame, “the deplorable conditions ing,” Bowker says. “The uppity cafés nearby get their names at these coffee shops, bringing ry makers” as “immature teen-agers looking that have recently come about would have hated the colorful mob of down the house with their alluring vocal range for trouble, soldiers and sailors on the prowl, flared into catastrophic ra- “we were there to people, […] if I was walking and the harmonic strums of a string. inter-racial couples, panhandlers, motorcy- cial conflicts much before feel the music—it around with a few gents I clists, sex deviates, and exhibitionists of var- now.” Freeman goes on to Café Wha? wasn’t the only shop grooving and met five minutes before, ious kinds.” explain that large sections didn’t matter brewing to the beat. There was Café Figaro, the eyes behind the win- of Greenwich Village had Café Bizarre, and Gaslight Café among numer- Additionally, “underlying the whole controversy who you were dows would start rolling once been owned by the ous others that promoted this vastly artistic is the suspicion voiced by some,” Asbury says, in complete disbelief, and black community, and that or where you and musical atmosphere, welcoming patrons of “that local bars, and prejudice against Negroes, then all of a sudden you its current residents [of the came from, all shapes, sizes, and colors. However, with the are fanning the flames of indignation against were the problem, labeled 1960s], both black and white, ever-growing sound of splendor came more the coffee houses.” because once you a misfit; another casual- “resent the characters that people, with more people came more noise, ty of the [Village] war,” During the Sixties, Greenwich Village was have made [their] streets a felt that music, and with more noise came an assortment of Bowker added. known to have been an area filled with in- midway,” thus disputing the there was no longtime MacDougal Street residents and busi- dividuals predominantly of Italian descent, claims of any racial quarrels. Mavericks and racial ten- ness owners awakened with rage. room for anger.” and amid this particular era was the linger- sion may have disturbed Despite the allegations, Greenwich Village has In the 1960s, the New York Times journalist, ing battle against the racial divide, specifically the five-block radius of MacDougal Street, but been said to have had its fair share of cultural Edith Evans Asbury, known for her reporting among blacks and whites. However, amongst Bowker still reminisces on 1960s Greenwich heritage spread throughout its unique streets. of local issues, wrote a series of articles on Asbury’s archived papers was a letter, written Village, recalling the decade to be the muse Although, contrary to its past cultural fusion, in the controversy surrounding the Greenwich by Kenneth Freeman of the Historian Negro behind “some of the happiest days of [his] life.” recent years, the Village’s racial demograph- Village coffee houses. In these articles, she enu- Actors Guild in 1963, that attempts to challenge ics have remained consistently homogeneous. Growing up in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Bowker merates the residents’ continuous pleas for a Asbury’s suspicion that racial prejudice guided According to a 2010 survey conducted by the became a frequent MacDougal Street visitor village cleanup. much of the opposition to the coffee houses.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 46 47 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE up until the late 80s. “I was in my teens when innovative individuals traveling from near and the 1927 home of the first cappuccino, Caffe mercialization; neither the East nor the West I started coming around the Village, maybe far for a mouthful of vivacity. But, the cries of Reggio. have been safe from boundless gentrification. 1965, and I remember how bent out of shape the MacDougal Street landowners could not These protests and vast changes on the winding Douglas Pratt, a twenty-year resident of the people got back then,” Bowker says, “but not go ignored. roads of Greenwich Village led to a complete West Village and frequent Café Wha? patron, us—we were there to feel With the Villagers divided expansion of the area, however. The newly re- expressed his love for the atmosphere during the music—it didn’t matter “[…]it didn’t and protesters uniting to- siding Villagers of the Sixties era, adamant on its heyday. “It was more lively than anywhere who you were or where you matter who you gether, the so-called “mess keeping their artistic lifestyle, expanded their else in the world,” Pratt said. “What I really came from, because once were or where on MacDougal Street” was beloved Village even further, creating what we loved was that there was activity pretty much you felt that music, there sworn to be scrubbed clean know today as the West Village and the East all night long. You could go for a walk at two in was no room for anger, we you came from, of its filth. Irate Villagers and Village. the morning and not be afraid because many of were free from hate—some because once City Hall banded together to the music venues were open.” Pratt lived in the people just refused to let The borders of both the you felt that mu- aid in the process of “oper- West Village from 1975 to 1992 themselves feel anything.” East and West Village are “It was more ation: clean up MacDougal and says that even in the 70s, sic, there was still up for debate today, but Now, living with his daugh- Street,” as it was termed, lively than the Village was always bustling. no room for an- for the most part, the West ter on the Lower East Side, and City Hall went on to anywhere else Shortly thereafter, he began to Village is considered to be the Bowker still goes into the ger, we were free issue citations for the unli- observe the perpetual change. “original” Greenwich Village, in the world.” Village to enjoy a cup of cof- censed coffee houses of the from hate[…]” while the East Village, formerly part of the In Pratt’s early years of living in Greenwich fee every so often. However, time. If those cited coffee Lower East Side, was created by and for beat- Village, he could recall the decline of small he insists it just “isn’t the same as it once was.” houses did not shut down immediately, their niks and artists aplenty after their coffee house shops on Hudson Street and witnessed their “I watched them board up nearly every memory spirits would gradually vanish over the follow- squabble. replacement with profit-oriented establish- I have,” Bowker cried, “the streets were loud ing years. ments. “The major thoroughfares have gone with life during my time, but closed-minded Although, the expansion to the East in the 60s Out of the forty plus coffee houses that lined horribly commercial with chain stores,” Pratt simpletons wanted to change the scene, and prolonged the process of cleaning the streets, the narrow lanes of Greenwich Village in declared. “Chain stores, like CVS, started to in- so they did.” the city’s commitment to a complete turn- the 60s, Café Wha? is one of the only few that trude, the funkier shops disappeared […] and around was undeniable. Greenwich Village The coffee houses of the Sixties were- any has survived throughout the decades. Others it built up as if gentrification had followed me would void itself of its famous coffee houses thing but your average cup of joe. They were include The Bitter End on Bleecker Street and to the neighborhood.” After occupying a stu- and go on to become the prey for massive com- the creative safe havens for refreshingly dio apartment for roughly two decades, Pratt

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 48 DOCUMENTING THE CITY 49 moved to the suburbs after the birth of his change to the Village over the years. Working Third Street is now a high-rise residency the deserted public school that sat at 605 East children. “I’d love to move back now, but I could with Halstead Property since 1991, Montalto hall and classroom structure for NYU Ninth Street had been claimed by locals and never afford the rent.” has grown familiar with the city’s offerings, law students. turned into an art center, known as the Charas/ but, he says, “If you walk down Bleecker Street, El Bohio Community Center. Auctioned off and The East Village wasn’t only created for artis- A longstanding Greenwich Village staple it- many of the store fronts are vacant, and most sold in 1998 to Gregg Singer, the angry Villagers tic purposes; much of its creation had a lot self, NYU has become the biggest landown- have been taken over by big-box retail stores.” once again retaliated in protest. Twenty years to do with the rising rental fees, as well. Fifty er in New York City, with their desire for ex- On top of the influx of commercial store fronts, later, the building sits vacant and, ironically, years ago, the going rate for a studio apart- pansion still growing. Currently, NYU is in Montalto says nearly all of “the mom-and-pop residents are beginning to feel the property ment in Greenwich Village ranged from $75 the process of building a massive 23-story shops have disappeared.” has become an eyesore. to $200, the present day equivalent of $1,385. student super hub at 181 Mercer Street, a The higher end of those numbers, however, is Greenwich Village is home to some of the oldest central player in the “NYU 2031” proposal, Steven Kurutz, another New York Times reporter, partly why residents began “I’d love to move buildings in New York, and and the residents of Greenwich Village are discusses in a 2017 article the rush of high- to push east; they were sud- history tends to come with a not pleased. “Some people end fashion retailers that denly unable to afford their back now, but I hefty price tag; yet, the cost swarmed Bleecker Street The heavily gentrified Village, $200 bills. Today, the aver- of living in the Village isn’t are questioning in the West Village. Today, could never however, seems to be ex- age cost of a studio apart- the only thing that has risen however, stands unsightly afford the rent.” periencing a reverse effect whether the ment on the West side of over the years. bare windows with “for sale” from their cupidity: vacant Greenwich Village has skyrocketed to $2,500, residents are signs. Landlords of the va- New York University (NYU) owns quite a bit storefronts and newly con- a nearly $1,200 jump on top of inflation; and slightly respon- cant storefronts are asking of property in the Village. In 1986, on the structed high-rises domi- for those dreaming of owning a townhouse, as much as $45,000/month— corner of West Third and MacDougal Street, nate the formerly occupied sible for this you can snag one of those beauties for $24 and despite their vacancies, NYU built what is known today as D’Agostino residential properties. Some million and upward. transformation.” they’re holding out on pros- Hall. In order to construct this enormous people are questioning perous entrepreneurs until Gregg Montalto, a real estate agent for Halstead fifteen-story student dormitory, many of whether the residents are slightly responsi- somebody comes along to pay them what Property located at 451 West Broadway, in- the existing structures had to be destroyed; ble for this transformation. they’re asking for. forms us that “a 400-square-foot one-bedroom Café Bizarre, an old coffee house favor- In an article written for The New York Times apartment easily goes for $2,800” in the area, ite, was one of the unlucky venues. Once a While the Village has surely been welcoming in 2018, Allegra Hobbs discusses the empty and that’s on the low end of the spectrum. thriving coffee shop where Andy Warhol first to profitable enterprises and the students of victory that gentrification has established on He also states that he, too, has seen a drastic found The Velvet Underground, 110 West academia, it has been far less kind to its cultural the streets of the East Village. In the late 70s,

50 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE 51 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE background. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has managed to keep The Not-So-Golden Years: in place some of its age-old admired aesthet- ic, but with the abandonment of an entire Violence and Mistreatment creative era, Greenwich Village has opened its arms to commercialized businesses in an attempt to claim the turf for monetary value. in New York City’s Nursing The greed exhibited in Greenwich Village by Homes angered residents, covetous business owners, hungry landlords, and thriving universities has by Zilla Tofte placed it at the forefront of gentrification. The controversy that accompanied the melodious Village coffee houses forced out the people who created the Village’s unique character, thus ending the once sought after traditional bohemian lifestyle.

The fleeting coffee shops, the endless construction, the intrusion of wealth in a primarily middle-class community. This is what remains of a formerly spirited, excep- tionally artistic, soulful neighborhood, the somber sounds of a once groovin’ Village be- Photo by Zilla Tofte set by gentrification. “Home is a shelter from storms—all sorts of it. This happy scene isn’t the case in all senior storms,” reads one of the pictures on the wall at centers and nursing homes, currently, nor in CCNS Northside Senior Center, and the cheer- the past. ful atmosphere makes it clear that this place The history of senior centers and nursing truly is a haven for the people who frequent homes across New York City has a long and

52 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE 53 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE complex backstory. It twists and turns through Another New York Times article from 1973 by acquired Asbury’s documents with report- disease at “The Jewish Home of Chronically Ill”: the decades and changes with the people and Peter Kihss reports that by 1972 about 82% of age, research and notes. These never-be- “When I arrived at the nursing home it was lunch regulations of the city. In 1975 the renowned beds in New York’s nursing homes were being fore-seen archival documents shed light time, and I found my mother in her wheelchair, New York Times journalist Edith Evans Asbury, occupied by Medicaid patients, which meant on the public outcry regarding the deteri- dressed in a ragged hospital gown, her hair best known for her local reporting about com- that the initial budget set for Medicaid couldn’t orating conditions of New York City nurs- uncombed, trying to desperately eat her lunch munity issues, wrote a series of articles about keep up with public demand. ing homes. Undiscovered amongst Asbury’s while the flys [sic] enjoyed themselves trying fraud, violence, and mistreatment within the donated documents survive news briefs from to eat her lunch also. At first, I didn’t recognize With Medicaid struggling to pay for all their elderly care system. Asbury’s outrage over the the New York State Department of Health with my own mother as she had become skin and enlisted patients, and nursing home owners ex- blatant exploitation of the aging people in New the bed counts and deficiency lists of nurs- bones in so short a time.” ploiting the Medicaid program for financial ben- York was heard loud and clear, ing homes from all over the efit by exaggerating the This disturbing account of as her stories held the atten-“patients suffered state of New York. Of the “At first, I didn’t numbers in their books, what should have been a hap- tion of the public eye through- nursing homes inspected recognize my under lousy liv- patients suffered under py reunion between mother out the year of 1975. and listed by the New York ing conditions lousy living conditions be- own mother and daughter is not the only State Department of Health, According to a New York Times cause of under-compen- letter written to Asbury to ex- because of un- most had between 100- as she had be- article by Asbury, Medicaid, a sated and overworked pose deplorable conditions in 300 beds and deficiencies federal and state funded pro- der-compen- staff. Judging by the come skin and nursing homes. ranged from justifiable ad- gram that offers help with number of complaints bones in so sated and over- ministrative issues to more In another letter addressed medical costs for people with and public outcry seen in worked staff.” threatening nursing, dietary, short a time.” to the New York Times, the limited incomes, initially rolled media coverage in 1975, physician, and housekeeping deficiencies. Washington Post, and two New York senators, out with a budget of 532 million dollars to fund degraded patient care in New York City’s nurs- a Mr. George Katz speaks of a home that was the nursing home care portion of the program ing homes was a citywide concern and Edith Asbury’s documents also contain letters from restricting their patients to only six overnight in 1965. Given the option of costly home-care Evans Asbury was in the trenches, typewriter distressed members of the public that reached home visits with their families per year and or financially supported nursing home care, at the ready, fighting to improve the system. out to the New York Times for help with the dire demanding written notice of the visit three families usually opt to put their loved ones in conditions in the nursing homes their loved Recently, the LaGuardia and Wagner weeks in advance. After close inspection of the the capable hands of care aides and medical ones were living in. Archives, a repository for the storied docu- memorandum from the nursing home issuing professionals. ments of New York City housed at LaGuardia In one letter from 1975, a woman writes about Community College and open to the public, a surprise visit to her mother with Parkinson’s

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 54 55 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE the directive about the restricted home visits, though they have cut down their bed count to ning. According to Asbury’s notes, the Fieldston cheerful pre-thanksgiving feast scene at the Mr. Katz could find no reasonable explanation 196, according to the 2014-2018 overview by Lodge Nursing Home had 200 beds in 1975, CCNS Northside Senior Center run by Catholic of why his father was being held against his the New York State Health Department, their and according to the last inspection from Charities- Brooklyn and Queens. “This place is will at the nursing home and started to look percentage of complaints per 100 occupied September 2018, this number hasn’t changed. a godsend for this community,” says Teddy, a into the Medicaid policies for clarification. “...I beds is 108.2% which is abnormally higher than 73-year-old retiree, and the unofficial ambas- Inspectors from 1975 reported deficiencies in did discover that an unoccupied bed—even for the recorded statewide average of 47.5%. sador of the CCNS Northside their administrative, nursing, one night—is not reimbursable by Medicaid “With overall Senior Center. On the wall Google reviews on Park Nursing Home speak dietary, and physician ser- to the nursing home,” explains Mr. Katz in his beside him is a notice board of overmedicated and zombie-like patients, vices, but no citations were quality reports letter, trying to make sense of why his father’s with the events and activi- while others note impres- warranted for those catego- from the Park freedom had been taken ties that are planned for “I did discover sive social and rehabilitation ries of deficiency between away without reason. These Nursing Home the week, and as he eager- that an unoccu- services. The New York State the years 2014 and 2018. An two stories are not anom- ly recounts the meditation Department of Health rate overall rating of four stars averaging three alies, however, as Asbury’s pied bed—even and Zumba classes, people the nursing homes they in- was given by the New York articles spoke of inspectors’ stars, neither slowly start showing up for for one night— spect on their preventative State Department of Health, highly critical reports being unsatisfactory the anticipated Thanksgiving care services, quality of care, and public review on Google suppressed by their superi- is not reim- lunch. Teddy greets every- quality of life, resident safe- averages at 3.1 stars with a nor superb con- ors, and nursing home aides bursable by one who walks through the ty, and resident status based comment from December being indicted for theft and ditions are to door with a warm familiarity Medicaid to the on a star system where one 2018 calling the home “ter- assault in homes that are still be expected.” that shakes off the frosty air star is the most unsatisfacto- rible,” but another comment in operation to this day. nursing home.” from the freshly fallen snow outside. ry score. With overall quality from around the same time called it “nice and

In June 1975, Asbury wrote about the indict- reports from the Park Nursing Home averaging clean.” Although these reviews do give insight “Elderly people in this neighborhood are dwin- ment of a nursing home aide charged with three stars, neither unsatisfactory nor superb into the average experience of the people who dling because of landlords. People don’t have hitting a patient in the face at Park Nursing conditions are to be expected. have dealt with the nursing home, they should rent control, so they can’t live in the neighbor- Home on 128 Beach 115th Street, Rockaway be taken with a grain of salt given the nature hood,” explains Teddy. Since the gentrification In 1975, Asbury also wrote of another case Park. At the time, Park Nursing Home had 280 of online reviews. of Williamsburg, rising rent prices have been a in which a bookkeeper allegedly stole more beds and inspectors had noted shortcomings in major concern for elderly people living on pen- than $46,700 from the Fieldston Lodge Nursing Asbury’s articles and the letters written to their rehabilitative, social, and dietary services. Home, a home that is also still up and run- her seem to be a long way away from the Park Nursing Home still exists today, and even

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 56 57 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE sions and relying on programs like Medicaid to the clock care requires more resources, both save Medicare about 30% per resident per year, help save money where they can. of these institutions exist to help people in they do charge patients more than the average their senior years enjoy their lives as retirees nursing home. “This place helps people get by day by day. They and grandparents. have food that’s well proportioned. Exercise With only 242 Green House Homes compared classes. There’s something here for everyone,” While titles of articles from the last year from to more than 15,000 nursing homes in the he says happily. Later, in the festive dining the New York Times speak of “The Broken country, these alternative senior care facili- room, Teddy’s friend Allan joins the conversa- Promises of Nursing Homes” and still tell ties still have a long way to go, but as we know, tion, and when asked why he stories of understaffed and even the biggest revolutions have to start small. frequents the senior center “Wouldn’t it be overworked aides, there is Wouldn’t it be great for all of us to know that his reply is simple. “I have fun comforting to some hope for better care one day, when we’re old and gray, we have a here,” says Allan, shrugging on the horizon. know that we place to go where people know our names and his shoulders as if it’s silly to The New York Times recent- greet us with love? Wouldn’t it be comforting to think there is any other rea- didn’t have ly reported on Green House know that we didn’t have to spend our golden son. to spend our Homes, a new alternative years roaming lifeless white corridors for some- Elderly people from the golden years to the hospital-esque care one to help us with our daily needs? Wouldn’t Williamsburg community vis- roaming lifeless facilities that come to mind it be lovely if all of us could look around at our it the CCNS Northside Senior when we think about nurs- nursing homes one day and say, just gleeful- Center daily, but other mem- white corridors ing homes. Here residents ly as Teddy did, “This place is my home away bers of the community are for someone to are free to eat their meals from home”? also involved in keeping the help us with our when they feel like it, wake center running as efficiently up whenever they please as possible. Senior centers daily needs?” or roam the gardens out- and nursing homes have some differences in side their windows with any of the ten other that senior centers traditionally don’t offer peo- residents of the home. Green House Homes ple a place to stay; senior centers provide a claim that studies have shown models like place to get a healthy meal and to enjoy com- these are the preferred method of care for munity activities. Although providing around most patients, and although these methods

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 58 59 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE swing moves slowly with the winter wind. I feel more in the nursing home business through Medicaid Fraud in Nursing insignificant and defenseless next to its over- family members, associates, and his company whelming size, and everything around it looks Medic-Home Enterprises. mysterious and spooky. Perhaps, it is because Homes: An Endless Fight Approximately 70 nursing homes in New York, within its walls contain many stories, includ- New Jersey, and other states were part of ing one of the most controversial cases in the his empire. by Mariuxi Moran 1970s related to Medicaid “However, its Fraud in Nursing Homes. Edith Evans Asbury, one of operator, Ber- the first female journalists in Formerly known as The the City Room of the New York Towers Nursing Home, this nard Bergman, Times, investigated this case for building opened its doors took advantage some of her articles. Her NYC- in 1956 to 347 elderly peo- of the vulner- related papers were recently ple, who were looking for acquired by the LaGuardia and a quality care service to ability of pa- Wagner Archives, giving stu- spend their last years of tients to further dents, faculty, and the public life. However, its operator, benefit and en- access to her notes and arti- Bernard Bergman, took ad- cles. Some of the documents vantage of the vulnerability rich his million- were written by Evans Asbury of patients to further benefit aire empire.” and some contain extra sup- and enrich his millionaire empire. porting information about the scandal. One of Bernard Bergman was an Orthodox Rabbi very the reports was issued in 1975 by the Office of Photo by Saveliy Ukhlin famous among religious and political leaders. the Welfare Inspector General (OWIG) in New A quiet and peaceful air is what surrounds Currently known as 445 Central Park West, this At the end of 1956 and the beginning of 1957, York State, which identified irregularities found Central Park West between 106th and 105th gothic-style building became a residential con- Bergman acquired The Towers through his in the accounting books of the care center. streets, where the presence of an old-style dominium in 2005. Walking by, it’s like an an- companies West Par Realty Company, Inc. and According to the Analytics of Expenses section of structure stands majestically among the build- cient castle with large windows, five rounded B & B Holding Corporation. It marked a start- the report, “OWIG’s limited audit of the Towers ings of this less-traveled Manhattan neighbor- towers, a balcony and a small garden where a ing point since he became involved more and 1970-1974 books found that many expenses are hood.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 60 61 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE not eligible Medicaid expenses for Medicaid “The State Grand Jury found that Bernard This was only the beginning of deep investiga- under the direction of the Special Prosecutor rate-setting purposes.” Bergman, Stanley Bergman, and Samuel tions conducted against Bernard Bergman’s for Nursing Homes Health and Social Services Dachowitz allegedly filed false documents business and personal accounts. Bergman at that time, Charles Hynes, who was also in The most inconsistent expense recorded in at the State Health Department for the Towers pleaded guilty of Medicaid and tax fraud on charge of Bergman’s case. With its members this section is $6,982.50, which corresponds operation between 1970 and 1974 claim- March 11, 1976. He was sentenced to a one- representing 20 states, NAMFCU was formed to the purchase of a car for use by Mark Loren, ing $3,138,000. Of this sum $1,200,000 in year state prison term and four months federal in response to the Medicare-Medicaid Anti- administrator of The Towers Nursing Home Medicaid funds constitut- term, and he signed an arrangement to pay Fraud and Abuse Amendments, a bill signed in and a cousin of Bernard “OWIG’s limit- ed illegal claims for State $2.5 million, settled all his assets, and withdrew 1977, intended, according to its official website, Bergman. In almost all his reimbursement,” the press the charges against his son, “to strengthen the capabili- businesses, Bergman was ed audit of the “Those scandals release stated. Stanley. ty of the government to de- involved directly or through Towers 1970- forced the tect, prosecute, and punish some immediate or extended Among those expenses However, Bergman was not 1974 books authorities to fraudulent activities under family member, leading me were payments to Anne the only one involved. The Medicare and Medicaid pro- to assume that Bergman did found that Weiss (Bergman’s wife) and scandal brought to light take immediate grams.” not care about the consequenc- many expenses Shirley Katz for services names such as Eugene action to have esof involving his relatives are not eligible rendered at The Towers. Hollander, Bernard King, Although both Medicare and in his businesses; he just want- However, these services Charles E. Sigety and Hyman more control Medicaid programs provide ed to keep his empire afloat. Medicaid ex- were never performed, and Solnick, who appeared in of fraud cases useful benefits for elderly Katz was a secretary in the the Medicaid fraud trials. people in nursing homes, The consequences were not penses for Med- and prevent headquarters of companies Those scandals forced the Medicaid covers a higher long in coming. In August icaid rate-set- owned by Bergman. Other authorities to take imme- them from being amount of long-term care 1975, Bergman, his son, and ting purposes.” expenses were charged to diate action to have more committed expenses for a longer pe- The Towers’ accountant were Sani Interiors, the company responsible for control of fraud cases and riod of time than Medicare. indicted for stealing Medicaid funds for almost egregiously.” the cleaning and maintenance of the nursing prevent them from being Thus, the Medicaid program 4 years and overstating the expenses of the home. Sani Interiors did not provide adequate committed egregiously. is an essential and important source of finan- nursing home. Asbury used a press release maintenance of The Towers and was not an cial aid for seniors and their families in order from The Special State Prosecutor for Health Three years later, on December 12, 1978, independent company, as Bergman claimed. to reduce their nursing home expenses. The and Social Services on August 5, 1975 as a main the National Association of Medicaid Fraud It seemed to be part of Bergman’s empire as importance of the program is evident by the guide to report on the scandal. Control Units (NAMFCU) was formally created a means for making some secret investments.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 62 63 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE increase in residents at Nursing Homes in the “Total taxpayer costs are actually higher The quick actions of Medicaid Fraud Control Unit last 40 years. in Medicaid, than in Medicare, with total yearly and the referral of those cases to The Office of expenditures for Medicaid of over $500 bil- the Inspector General allowed money to be re- In 1975, Evans Asbury reported that 95% of lion dollars,” Richard Stern, director of the pro- covered and even guaranteed the exclusion of the 23,000 patients in New York’s private- gram in charge of the Medicaid Fraud Units, care centers or defendants from the Medicaid ly owned nursing homes and health-related noted in an informative podcast by the Office program. The last semi-annual OIG’s report sub- facilities received Medicaid, which amounted of Inspector General mitted to Congress with the information from to approximately 21,850 pa- “the Medicaid (OIG). “Fighting fraud in April 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018 men- tients. In recent years, the per- program is an Medicaid can be especial- tions that the most common fraud cases are filing centage increase is more than ly challenging.” false claims for reimbursement, similar to the case two-hundred percent. essential and im- of The Towers in 1975. Unfortunately, recourse According to the Control The Henry J. Kaiser Family portant source of that nature was not possible in the case Unit annual report issued Foundation mentioned in a of Bernard Bergman and The Towers Nursing Home. of financial aid by the Office of Inspector report published in June 2017 for seniors and General in 2017, there Bergman retired voluntarily from the nursing that six in 10 nursing home were ten criminal convic- home business amid charges. The building closed residents were covered by their families in tions and eleven settle- its doors in January 1975, before the fraud case Medicaid and in 2015, 69,694 order to reduce ments reported to have was made public. Nevertheless, its old walls still patients received Medicaid in their nursing taken place in fraudu- keep the memory of a scandal alive and remind New York State. home expenses.” lent homes, recovering us that fraud cases are still a constant fight. They Therefore, due to the great de- a total of $179,507 and have not yet come to an end. pendence on the Medicaid program, NAMFCU $1,244,577, respectively. This differs greatly not only has the great responsibility to take from the six convictions related to skilled nurs- control, investigate complaints and perform ing facilities and home health agencies that due process when a fraud case occurs, but also Asbury reported in 1973, when no formal reg- must ensure that patients receive their benefits ulation existed. appropriately, without neglect or abuse.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 64 65 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Perhaps one of its most chronicled points in Richard Price, a novelist who has written for the The Perpetuation of its history is its involvement, or lack thereof, HBO hit series “The Wire,” provides striking ra- in white flight. cial quantitative data from when Queensbridge was founded. He explains that in 1940, “… White Flight: How NYCHA White flight, a term used to describe the mi- among its 3,959 families, only fifty-two were gration of white residents from the cities to black. By 1959, reflecting the shifting demo- the suburbs due to the influx of black residents, Continues to be Affected by graphic of the city, black and Puerto Rican res- has been a post-New Deal occurrence that has idents made up 57 percent.” Racial Phenomena been examined closely for decades due to its alarming residual effects. Throughout the 1960s, the The phenomenon began number of white residents in by Mariah Anthony “White flight, a in the United States during term used to de- NYCHA decreased while the the 1950s and affected not number of black residents only the optics of inner cit- scribe the migra- increased. During the same ies but also drastically al- tion of white res- time, the Civil Rights move- tered them socially in the idents from the ment was underway and the 1960s and 1970s. legal doctrine “Separate but cities to the sub- Equal” was in the process of One of the oldest hous- being aggressively eradicat- ing projects, just a short urbs due to the ed by the efforts of the na- distance from LaGuardia influx of black tion’s African-American po- Community College, is residents[...]” litical leaders. Many whites Queensbridge Houses lo- Photo by Autumn Fore scattered to the suburbs at a cated in Long Island City. It opened its doors It is likely that you have heard of the ongo- Since NYCHA was founded in 1934, the housing prolific rate to seek refuge from black migrants to residents in 1940 with President Franklin D. ing deplorable conditions in the New York City authority has been under scrutiny due to its that were still trickling into inner cities from Roosevelt present, and it remains as the largest Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) properties while neglect of its residences. the South for economic and social prosperity. public housing complex in the United States listening to the news, reading the newspaper, since its inception. or scrolling through your social media feed.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 66 67 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE The loss of white residents in inner cities had cluded the social effects of residential segre- Michael Che assisted in organizing a fundrais- Tenants’ outrage continued until their only op- devastating social effects on black residents. gation and the absence of whites in inner cit- er and GoFundMe page titled, “The Fund for tion was to unite and demand suitable living Their absence led to an increase in violence ies. According to Lindsey Haines, “Growing up Public Housing” to raise money for NYCHA conditions. After several years of negligence on and inattention to NYCHA properties, which in poor, racially segregated areas negatively residents who suffer from no heat or hot wa- behalf of NYCHA, tenants created the Tenant ultimately led to the formation of tenant or- impacts the educational attainment of teen- ter. According to “The Fund for Public Housing” Patrol program in 1968 and the Residents ganizations. agers, causing lower test scores and higher GoFundMe page, “Last year 350,000 NYCHA Advisory Council was founded in 1970. The drop-out rates…These kinds of neighborhoods residents lost heat and hot water during the Tenant Patrol program allowed NYCHA resi- The violence in Queensbridge Houses in the also increase the likelihood coldest months of the year. Already this year dents to oversee NYCHA buildings to ensure ‘90s described in Nas’ song “Many whites of committing crimes and 35k residents are without and that number is the safety of tenants and community mem- “N.Y. State of Mind was not the likelihood of teenage expected to go up.” bers. The Residents Advisory Council represent- news to residents. The lyrics, scattered to the pregnancies.” ed and addressed tenants’ “…in the P.J.’s, my blend tape This on-going issue dates suburbs at a “Last year concerns to local elected of- plays, bullets are strays/ By 1975, New York City was back as far as 1960. In a 350,000 NYCHA ficials and utilized its bud- Young b****** is grazed, prolific rate to experiencing a financial defi- letter addressed to Edith get to create and maintain each block is like a maze/ seek refuge from cit that nearly caused Mayor Evans Ashbury, a former residents lost tenant programs. Full of black rats trapped, black migrants Abraham Beame to default New York Times journalist heat and hot wa- plus the island is packed,” on $100 million in loans. that covered housing in ter during the Maria Acevedo, a tenant describe the violence that that were still City officials were able to New York City, an outraged patrol member, has been took place. trickling into prevent the city’s bankrupt- resident named Wendell H. coldest months of living in NYCHA since 1975. cy by implementing budget Elmendorf expressed his Maria resides in a NYCHA In fact, the Village Voice inner cities from the year.” cuts. This fiscal crisis led to dismay: “To my mind such property in Manhattan published an article detail- the South.” the allocation of tax dollars court action instituted by the buildings depart- and her daughter, Michelle Acevedo, lives in ing the increase of crime in and ultimate neglect in every segment of public ment is only a whitewash and encourages fu- Queensbridge Houses. Maria says her daughter New York City during the ‘60s and ‘70s. In 1963, institutions, including public housing. ture negligence on the part of landlords. The has expressed her frustration with the author- there were a total of 548 reported murders in Buildings Department has failed miserably to ity by considering participating in a rent strike. New York City. By 1972, the amount of mur- To this day, NYCHA is experiencing backlash enforce the buildings code and has done a ders more than tripled to 1,691. The increase from residents and their advocates due to “My daughter sometimes has no heat or hot wa- great disservice to the thousands of tenement in crimes was no coincidence. Various studies NYCHA’s negligence. In January, Saturday Night ter for days. And when she does, the water runs dwellers in our city.” across the social science disciplines have con- Live comedian and former NYCHA resident brown. You can’t use it. She has to buy gallons

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 68 69 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE of water to brush her teeth and bathe at times. Sometimes she packs my granddaughter’s A Man’s World: Gender things, and they stay at my house just to have water and heat. It’s winter, and they’re cold. Inequalities in a Woman’s It’s ridiculous,” she explains. Acevedo also says that her daughter has filed several complaints with NYCHA but has yet to see repairs. Field

Since its inception in 1934, NYCHA has been by Kelly O’Brien under scrutiny and even more so after white flight. White flight has shaped the social cli- mate of cities and the livelihood of black res- idents in those cities. Queensbridge Houses “It’ll be the year 3,888 before we make a an-dominated field of administrative work has was no exception and still remains a NYCHA buck,” sang the avant-garde musician, Laurie its own quarrels with the gender wage gap, and property that suffers from the negligence it Anderson, in her 1989 tune “Beautiful Red it all comes down to workplace equality and a experienced in the ‘60s and ‘70s. To this day, Dress,” and let’s face it, she wasn’t entirely woman’s lack thereof. residents and local elected officials lead the wrong. The year is now 2019 and the undeni- Since the 1950s, secretarial and administra- fight in the rectification of NYCHA properties able truth is that women everywhere are still tive work has been one of the most common and programs that shape the 400,000 tenants fighting for equality after all these years—es- jobs to employ women. These key positions that call NYCHA home. pecially when it comes to workplace discrimi- have been considered essential if an organi- nation and their paychecks. zation wants to run their business efficiently. Despite research proving women earn approx- Many administrative departments have been imately 80 cents on every dollar their male actively headed by hardworking women since counterpart makes, it has been erroneously the invention of the typewriter. Yet even in suggested that the gender wage gap is a myth an occupation that has long been deemed a and that women just so happen to work in “woman’s job,” and which continues to be pre- lower-paying fields, such as secretarial and ad- dominantly made up of these diligent dames, ministrative assistant positions. But the wom-

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 70 71 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE the 6% of males that hold the same title have In the article, Asbury draws on the words of “About six years working here, I asked for a ing everyone what she thought. It’s a law firm, higher salaries and fewer responsibilities. then Councilwoman Carol Greitzer, who ex- raise,” Nieves says. “They politely said ‘may- that kind of attitude should be appreciated!” plained, “‘It is the typewriter that separates the be’. Never happened. Then two years ago the Nieves shouts. “Anyway, one day she got into According to a 2018 survey by the Bureau of boys from the girls’ when it comes to promo- executive legal assistant quit, and I asked to it with [one of her superiors] and told him that Labor Statistics, men employed in the field of tion and pay in offices.” Asbury enumerates the take her position because I have seniority. They she was ‘not his goddamn servant’ after he administrative work receive approximately women’s roaring requests for fair treatment laughed me out the door and hired a young girl asked her to pick up lunch. A few days later she $144 more per week than their women col- and, above all, their desire for, as protestor the next day,” Nieves recalls. “I should have quit got fired for something completely unrelated.” leagues, earning a weekly median salary of Patricia Fitzgerald put it, a “decent living wage, then, but I’m a single mother of three. I need $903, whereas the fierce females of the trade “I’m absolutely positive it had something to do a job description that elim- the money. That’s when they decided to give rake in roughly $753 a week. with the argument they had,” Nieves says. “But “the fight for inates personal errands, me a raise.” When calculated, that is a they’re lawyers, so they found a legal way to [and] the end of discrimi- $7,800 income gap per year. workplace equal- Apart from Nieves daily work duties, such as fire her.” Nieves claims she is haunted by that nation against women.” A So much for equal work, preparing legal documents, providing assis- occurrence, which is why she continues to do ity is far from whopping 32 years later, equal pay. tance to clients via telephone and e-mail, and menial daily tasks, like ordering lunch and pick- new; female women office workers are performing accurate law-based research, she is ing up coffee, for fear of losing her job. In reality, though, the fight still declaring the existence secretaries have also expected to pick up coffee every morning for workplace equality is far of the gender biases and Unpaid coffee runs and lunch orders are an and order lunch in the afternoon. “Every day, I from new; female secretar- been struggling seeking the same reason- all too familiar tale for the women in the ad- come into work with four large coffees, hand ies have been struggling to to gain work- able requests. ministrative field. However, these mundane, out three, sit at my desk and pray for a few gain workplace equality uncompensated burdens are rarely fulfilled by place equality Alessandra Nieves, a legal minutes,” she says. “Because, truthfully, it’s a for decades. the small amount of men in the profession, and, administrative assistant for very stressful job for very mediocre pay and for decades.” naturally, are not even asked of them. David In 1977, the late New York a small Long Island law firm, absolutely no respect.” Guiffre, a former administrative assistant for a Times journalist Edith Evans Asbury report- knows all too well of the inequities associated Reminiscing on her first year of employment at popular insurance company, claims that he had ed on a rally held by women office work- with her occupation. She has been working the firm, Nieves recalls an employee who was never been asked by anyone in his office, in- ers on National Secretaries Day, a day that for the firm for over 12 years and has never abruptly fired for what she called a “slap in the cluding management, to perform any such task. has since been promoted to Administrative received, nor been offered, a promotion, and face to women everywhere.” “I couldn’t believe Professionals Day. has only recently received a pay raise. “Nobody ever asked me to pick them up any- it. This girl had been here a few months, and thing—not once—and I worked in that office she was constantly stating her opinion and tell-

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 72 73 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE for four years,” Guiffre says. “I was advised was offered a management position in 2014 that,” she claimed. “Luckily, I had one, but now, also earned more doctoral degrees” in the last to throw money into my boss’ yearly birthday at another location with the same insurance I get why they wanted it. You really need to be 10 years. Thus, it can be safely deduced that collection, though. I never did that either, I’d company. He denied the offer. educated and have efficient time management women do not get paid less due to a lack of just take him out to get a beer and, most of the skills to do this kind of work. I don’t think that education. “I didn’t feel like being another statistic in the time, he’d end up paying for mine.” Additionally, if I wasn’t a student first, I would’ve been able age of stigmatizing women,” Guiffre says. Yet, even with Veltri’s education, her male co- Guiffre says that his salary far exceeded that to handle it.” “Those women deserved more. Much more.” worker at the animal hospital whom she be- of his female colleagues, even as an entry level With a bachelor’s degree in biology, Guiffre Women not being “educated enough” is merely friended, earns $1 more per hour. “It’s only assistant straight out of college. went on to get a job as a chemist, leaving be- another flawed concept that weighs heavy on a dollar, but it adds up in the end. And it’s “We all went out one night to celebrate a retire- hind his days as an office worker. the gender wage gap, allowing the gap to per- pretty unfair,” she says. “I work just as hard, if ment. The woman who was retiring shouted sist. In fact, to cite women’s not harder.” While secretary and administrative assistant about how happy she was to be done working education, or lack thereof, “to cite women’s jobs often do not require any additional edu- Veltri brought the pay dis- for minimum wage. It was as the reason why they are cation beyond a high school education, or parity to her manager’s at- a weird thing to shout, but “I’d just take paid less strains credulity diploma, there are many lack thereof, as tention and has yet to see I just sat there wondering him out to get a and flies in the face of the companies who do require an increase in her bi-weekly why she said that because evidence. the reason why beer and, most applicants to hold an asso- salary. “I like my job. I don’t I was making almost $20 an ciate’s degree in order to In a 2019 article published they are paid want to seem excessive or hour and she’d spent most of the time, he’d qualify for the position. For in The New York Times, less strains cre- annoying,” Veltri says. “But of her life working here,” end up paying 22-year-old Nicole Veltri, an Maya Salam attempts to I would bet my entire pay- Guiffre says. “The following dulity and flies for mine.” associate’s degree was one debunk the myths linked to check that if I asked him to Monday, Matt [Guiffre’s man- of the prerequisites on her the pay gap. Salam consult- in the face of go in there and say some- ager] called me into the office and asked that application to become a part-time administra- ed The Times’ gender editor, thing about it, the out I keep my personal income on the hush-hush. the evidence.” tive assistant for a Suffolk County veterinarian Jessica Bennett to dispel the come would be different.” Then he went on to commend me for being hospital. common misconception regarding education a college graduate and that’s when I realized When it comes down to it, the field of adminis- as factor in wage inequality. Bennett goes on I was making a lot more than these women.” “When I was filling out the application, I was trative work is only one of thousands plagued to explain that “more women than men have actually surprised to see that college credits by the seemingly irrepressible gender pay gap. After four years of working as the only male earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees since were a requirement. I didn’t know you needed In spite of women’s perseverance to end in- administrative assistant in his office, Guiffre the 1980s,” and additionally, women “have

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 74 75 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE equality, the unjustifiable relationship between systemic gender discrimination and the per- vasive wage gap continues to exist; and while the gap is incrementally closing, narrowing less than 1% per year, it is currently nowhere near equitable. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, “if change continues at the same slow pace as it has done for the past fifty years, it will take 40 years—or until 2059—for women to finally reach pay parity.” Student Nevertheless, women will keep fighting for change as they have done for the last century. And guess what? They’re going to win. Photography

by Janai Julien, Maria Hitome, and Autumn Fore

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 76 77 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Heavy Raindrops on the Ants

by Janai Julien

My project is about examining the effects of gentrification on my neigh- borhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. I have come to understand the importance of black people documenting themselves and their cultures, specifically photographically. I am taking photographs of the area and documenting any and everything that showcases us. I aim to show the contrast between what was and what is coming (a change in culture, environment, and people).

Edith Evans Asbury wrote many articles talking about different potential

outcomes of Robert Moses’ projects, specifically Co-Op City in the Bronx. Asbury talks about what was supposed to happen with that affordable housing project which would provide basic necessities for low income families regardless of racial background. But what she found was that the development was turning into the very thing that people such as herself and Jacob S. Potofsky did not want it to become: an area that was not taken care of that was being filled with people who the city did This house is a few blocks away from where I live in Bed-Stuy. It has been in the not care about. same condition for over five years.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 78 79 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Grandma by Janai Julien

On the corner of Greene & Nostrand Avenues there is a mural with black female leaders who are from around the area. Re- cently, a city bike station was added.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 80 81 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE He Welcomes All by Janai Julien

One of the few remaining older Catholic churches in the neighborhood.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 82 83 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE In Memory Of One of the many differ- by Janai Julien ent murals around the neighborhood that are dedicated to those that have died in it.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 84 85 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Leaders by Janai Julien

This mural shows pow- erful black figures from different moments in time and behind it a man who is looking at a brownstone that will soon have con- struction work done to it.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 86 87 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Rainbows & Lollipops

A tree on the corner of Ma- con Street and Marcy Ave- nue that has various pieces of children’s memorabilia.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 88 89 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE What We Used to Be

A barrier hiding an empty lot where a brownstone used to stand sits adjacent to a remaining home. The barrier has been painted over to show the house that used to be there.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 90 91 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Lead-Foot by Maria Hitome

I was inspired by an article that Edith Evans Asbury wrote about taxi drivers in which taxi drivers testified about their experiences driving in 1970. I decided to photograph cab drivers and their families. The world of cab drivers has changed with the advent of ride sharing services such as Uber and Lyft. My project shows their private lives and their inner worlds.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 92 93 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE by Maria Hitome

Luke Rollins is a cab driver who lives in Flushing, Queens. He is also getting his Associ- ates Degree from LaGuardia Community College.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 94 95 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE by Maria Hitome

Luke Rollins is majoring Commercial Photogra- phy in LaGuardia Com- munity College. He made a small photographic darkroom in his house. Here he is checking his darkroom prints.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 96 97 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Luke relaxing in his by Maria Hitome living room.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 98 99 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE by Maria Hitome

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 100 101 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Courageous Artist by Autumn Fore

To choose to delve into the world of art, takes not only talent, it takes courage and conviction. You need courage to beat the stereotypes in- flicted upon artist, and conviction to continue to do what you love. An article by Edith Evans Asbury published in the 1960’s, paints a cynical picture of how artists were viewed in the Manhattan West Village com- munity. The coffeehouses, a safe haven, and creative platform for these artists, turned community disturbance. It was the match that started a fire in me to bring you this piece.

Cody Healy Connelly, a video graphic artist, challenged his home town of Kentucky’s views on choosing art as a career. Where in high school they thought he would be stuck the rest of his life sketching Donald Duck cartoons. Cody has made a wonderful artistic career for himself in New York City, creating work for HBO and the Transit Museum, to name a few.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 102 103 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE by Autumn Fore Through many adversities in Kaj’s life, he has always had the courage to do what he loves, which is art. Amongst his many talents, he is a painter and a model. Grabbing inspi- ration from loved ones, history, and his beliefs to manifest his creations.

by Autumn Fore

Zen Browne, a wonderful painter in tune with his spirituality strived to go beyond societies lim- itations. Connecting his ancestry with his artistry he has installed a breath and a heart beat into all his paintings.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 104 105 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE by Autumn Fore A winter juxtaposition of Wald houses (NYCHA) and East River Park.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 106 107 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE by Autumn Fore

Riis houses (NYCHA). Although Hurricane Sandy affected all of the Lower East Side, it is the NYCHA residents who will suffer a greater loss once the city starts its reconstruction of East River Park.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 108 109 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE View of ConEdison power plant from East River Park. by Autumn Fore

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 110 111 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE On The Island

by Saveliy Ukhlin, Zoey Xia, Ayako Moriyama

This project documented the uniqueness of Roosevelt Island, an island that sits in between Manhattan and Long Island City, Queens. The island feels like a small town separated by the East River from the rest of New York City. Journalist Edith Evans Asbury recorded significant changes in housing and transportation on the island in the 1970s. In response to those articles, by Autumn Fore we photographed the continuous changes that are happening today. The dramatic changes in architecture that have modernized the island since the 1970s have also contributed to diver- sifying the community. The island houses active residents from various backgrounds many of

whom work to improve the appearance and functionality of the island. Our project illustrates the sense of tranquility and comfort on the island, which has been both preserved and rein-

Bonnie; a native Lower vented by its loyal community. East Side NYCHA resident, says she’s 100% for the reconstruction of East River Park. Sandy really hit her neighborhood hard so safety is her main priority no matter what.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 112 113 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Julia Ferguson by Saveliy Ukhlin

Julia Ferguson is a long term resident on Roosevelt Island and began an outreach at the garden club community.

Octagon by Saveliy Ukhlin

Octagon is a building located at the 888 Main Street on Roosevelt Island it was known to be the entrance to New York City Mental Health Hospital. Today Octagon stands as a residential building with a luxury apartments.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 114 115 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Tram by Saveliy Ukhlin

Cherry blossom During the spring, brated on Roosevelt Is- Roosevelt Island Tram by Saveliy Ukhlin cherry trees bloom and land by many residents system is a popular New turn the whole island and people from all York tourist attraction, into what looks like over New York. before the construction of white cotton balls. It’s the subway on the island an event called Cherry and addition of bus lines it Blossom and it is cele- was the only way to get on the Island.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 116 117 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Old Tram Under a huge parking lot by Saveliy Ukhlin on Roosevelt Island stand two abandoned old trams that are all covered in dust and surrounded by the fence. It’s interesting that RI administration decided to leave them hanging there.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 118 119 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Lighthouse by Saveliy Ukhlin

Lighthouse on Roosevelt Island is located on the Northern side next to the ‘Coler Specialty Hospital’ It’s another of those strange things on Roosevelt Island which attracts people.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 120 121 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE David Stone by Saveliy Ukhlin

David Stone is a blogger and editor of ‘Roosevelt Is- land Daily’ newspaper on RI, he provides residents with daily based informa- tion of traffic changes and other important news and events that happen on RI.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 122 123 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Island Reflection by Zoey Xia

Roosevelt Island through the glass window of the Motorgate Parking Garage.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 124 125 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE The Bridge Outlet Roosevelt Island Bridge by Zoey Xia driveway.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 126 127 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Winter Park Footprints on white snow in by Zoey Xia Manhattan Park Parcel A.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 128 129 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE The Statue by Zoey Xia

Meditation spot located inside the Garden Club of Roosevelt Island that was built by club members.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 130 131 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Briana Warsing by Zoey Xia

Chief Editor and Publisher of the Main Street Wire. The Main Street Wire is one of the major local media on Roosevelt Island. Wars- ing grew up in Roosevelt Island with her parents and decided to move back in 2012. In 2013, she joined the Main Street Wire to research local news on Lily M the island to figure out by Zoey Xia answers behind dramatic changes she observes.

A former Goldwater Hos- pital employee, who lives on the island around eight and a half years. She described the Roosevelt Island community as “multinational”, which fea- tures people with diverse cultural backgrounds. She thinks activities held by the Senior Center bring people together and make the community tighter.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 132 133 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Judith Berdy by Zoey Xia

President of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society. She started collecting history materials of the Island around 1999 and built archives in her apartment. She lives on the Island for over 40 years. As she describes, people started to move in around 1975. There were only 4 original apartment buildings with 2,000 apartments in total. Approximately 5,000 people living on the island at that time. Today, the amount of population is increas- ing around 11,000 to 15,000.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 134 135 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Arlise by Ayako Moriyama

Arlise grew up in Roos- evelt Island. Her life is there.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 136 137 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Manhattan Park Built in 1989, Manhattan (10 River Road) Park consists of 22 floors. by Ayako Moriyama

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 138 139 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Roosevelt Landings by Ayako Moriyama

510-580 Main Street was built in 1969 and has 16 stories and 17 units per floor.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 140 141 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Rossana by Ayako Moriyama

Rossana Ceruzzi is doing her daily animal rehab. She has formed the Wild- life Freedom Foundation.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 142 143 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE South of the Queensboro Goldwater Memorial Bridge hospital was built on city- by Ayako Moriyama owned land, and closed in 2013 to provide for the Cornell tech campus.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 144 145 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Jane by Ayako Moriyama

She is a resident of Roosevelt Island. She loves her life there.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 146 147 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE AVAC Garbage on Roosevelt by Ayako Moriyama Island is collected by an automated vacuum collec- tion (AVAC) system. This is one of the world’s largest AVAC systems.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 148 149 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Rivercross by Ayako Moriyama

Digital

531 Main Street was built in 1976 and consists of 20 floors. Projects

Digital access to the projects found in this book in addition to multimedia projects created by the Gardiner- Shenker Student Scholars.

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 150 151 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE Digital Projects

We are proud to offer digital access to some of the student work in the links below:

• “Medicaid Fraud in Nursing Homes: An Endless Fight,” by Mariuxi We created a film documenting the students’ progress through this Moran, http://lagccbridge.com/home/gardiner-shenker-schol- program, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/vJUSxvRopLk ars-program-women-in-nyc-journalism-5/ The college newspaper, The Bridge, has online versions of the stu- You can listen to the five episodes of the student podcast here: dents’ feature articles: https://open.spotify.com/show/38Qz3Dddn5BgNzXi92bqs9?si=b- • “The Not-So-Golden Years: Violence and Mistreatment in New zaULnoNRVKcF1aLmijymA York City’s Nursing Homes,” by Zilla Tofte, http://lagccbridge.com/ The two video projects created by photography students can be home/gardiner-shenker-scholars-program-women-in-nyc-jour- viewed here nalism/ • Robert Moses and Lower Manhattan: • “The Perpetuation of White Flight: How NYCHA Continues to be https://youtu.be/VYWtDCKjc5I Affected by Racial Phenomena,” by Mariah Anthony,http://lagc - cbridge.com/home/gardiner-shenker-scholars-program-wom- • East River Park Renewal Project: https://vimeo.com/ en-in-nyc-journalism-2/ user12019482/review/347094898/da873ec627

• “The Forbidden Journey of Adoption Through Foster Care,” by Tasha Balkaran, http://lagccbridge.com/home/gardiner-shenk- er-scholars-program-women-in-nyc-journalism-3/

• “The G in Greenwich: Once Groovin’, Now Gentrified,” by Kelly O’Brien, http://lagccbridge.com/home/gardiner-shenker-schol- ars-program-women-in-nyc-journalism-4/

DOCUMENTING THE CITY 152 153 LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY C OLLEGE