A search of the term “Roxbury natives”, in Hollis Catalog, the Harvard University library database, pulls up exactly what you’d expect if you lived in the metro Boston area and paid too much attention to maimstream media: Life Without Parole: Living in Prison Today; In Her Own Words: Women Offenders’ Views on Crime and Victimization: an Anthology; The American Drug Scene, An Anthology; and The Modern Gang Reader.
And I just wanted information about the indigenous populations who lived in Roxbury before the Puritans came. But history is the propaganda of the victor and the Puritans founded Harvard so you can’t really expect them (Harvard, Puritans, history as it’s been written by them) to think beyond the world as they have created it – however in need of transformation that world may be. Roxbury is full of poor black people and so is indelibly linked in the minds of both the elite and the maimstream with prison, gangs, and drugs. Also, drugs, guns and gangs. Unwed mothers with children by various fathers and social welfare cheats are also part of the myth of this particular Other (poor black people) but the former is becoming slightly less anathema and illegal aliens have cornered the latter label.
Mixed in with the books on drugs, prisons, and crime (not poverty, injustice, and hypocrisy – evidence that racism is alive and kickin’) are some on feminism, schools, and the incredibly rich early history of the neighborhood. While Back Bay was still merely a swamp, Roxbury was integral to the early development of the colony as well as the American Revolution.
Indigenous people in Roxbury? I’ll keep looking and let you know what I find.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Gentrification in Highland Park
It’s the subtext of many community meetings; the Lexus XL in the room. Sometimes the accusation is direct: “It’s all the new people moving here who are creating parking problems”. Its indirect form usually begins, “Well, in the 20/15/50/10 /60 years I’ve been here, I’ve never/always/sometimes…” But the message is not only about commitment or dedication to a neighborhood, it’s the expression of fear – fear of new things, fear of change, fear of gentrification.
There. I wrote it. But the G-word is rarely, if ever, uttered in meetings and I’m not sure why. It could be out of civility or from an understanding of how volatile a discussion of gentrification could be.
What bothers me is that I, as a relative newcomer to the neighborhood, am probably considered by the Old Guard to be gentry. (pause on my part for belly shaking laughter). The criteria for this assessment? That I’m new, that I’m white, and that I bought here after the era of stunning affordability that a neighborhood this beautiful, historic, diverse, and in such close proximity to downtown provided. Although my house was a good deal, it was no longer a steal.
Steal. Gentry. Gentry steals. They steal history, they steal community, they steal property and and increase property values forcing the folks whose families lived through disinvestment, neglect, arson, and urban blight to move away. This is the fear – some of it based in the reality of dislocation experienced by people when the South End was gentrified.
I am not gentry. I’m proud of my blue collar roots although I’d like to rise above the tedious restraints of its income levels. And I tend to be ultra sensitive to the fears of the Old Guard. Maybe too sensitive.
At one recent meeting, the usually quiet Lexus in the room revved its engine. An Old Guard member insinuated the G-word when she argued that “In the 24 years I’ve lived here…”
A New Guard retort from a very active community member brought her up short. “Does my opinion count less cause I’ve only been here two years?”
Old Guard, New Guard, black, white, rich, poor – there’s really only one Guard: a combined community effort to guard the humanity of the people in the neighborhood with respect for both the wisdom of the people who have been here a long time as well as the energy and insights brought by newcomers.
There. I wrote it. But the G-word is rarely, if ever, uttered in meetings and I’m not sure why. It could be out of civility or from an understanding of how volatile a discussion of gentrification could be.
What bothers me is that I, as a relative newcomer to the neighborhood, am probably considered by the Old Guard to be gentry. (pause on my part for belly shaking laughter). The criteria for this assessment? That I’m new, that I’m white, and that I bought here after the era of stunning affordability that a neighborhood this beautiful, historic, diverse, and in such close proximity to downtown provided. Although my house was a good deal, it was no longer a steal.
Steal. Gentry. Gentry steals. They steal history, they steal community, they steal property and and increase property values forcing the folks whose families lived through disinvestment, neglect, arson, and urban blight to move away. This is the fear – some of it based in the reality of dislocation experienced by people when the South End was gentrified.
I am not gentry. I’m proud of my blue collar roots although I’d like to rise above the tedious restraints of its income levels. And I tend to be ultra sensitive to the fears of the Old Guard. Maybe too sensitive.
At one recent meeting, the usually quiet Lexus in the room revved its engine. An Old Guard member insinuated the G-word when she argued that “In the 24 years I’ve lived here…”
A New Guard retort from a very active community member brought her up short. “Does my opinion count less cause I’ve only been here two years?”
Old Guard, New Guard, black, white, rich, poor – there’s really only one Guard: a combined community effort to guard the humanity of the people in the neighborhood with respect for both the wisdom of the people who have been here a long time as well as the energy and insights brought by newcomers.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Scoop Your Poop: It's the Law!
Turns out it is a City Ordinance for pet owners to clean up after Fido and Felix - well, Fido, anyway.
From the Animal Control page of Boston's website:
The City of Boston's dog fouling ordinance, section 16-1.10a of the city code, requires dog owners to remove and properly dispose of any feces left by their dogs. This ordinance covers waste left by your dog on sidewalks, streets and parks, and on your neighbor's yards.
When walking your dog, the law necessitates you to be prepared for such occurrences and be equipped with a bag or some other means of feces removal. After it is removed, it is important to dispose of the feces properly, either in a toilet or in a trash container (after being secured in a plastic bag).
These laws are intended to protect the public from potential hazardous health conditions, and prevent environmental pollution caused by dog waste.
A call about feral cats yielded nothing helpful.
From the Animal Control page of Boston's website:
The City of Boston's dog fouling ordinance, section 16-1.10a of the city code, requires dog owners to remove and properly dispose of any feces left by their dogs. This ordinance covers waste left by your dog on sidewalks, streets and parks, and on your neighbor's yards.
When walking your dog, the law necessitates you to be prepared for such occurrences and be equipped with a bag or some other means of feces removal. After it is removed, it is important to dispose of the feces properly, either in a toilet or in a trash container (after being secured in a plastic bag).
These laws are intended to protect the public from potential hazardous health conditions, and prevent environmental pollution caused by dog waste.
A call about feral cats yielded nothing helpful.
Cats and Dogs
From the 'hood email thread:
"First and Final Warning
DOG OWNERS
There are three young men who have been walking a medium size Black German Shepard dog in the early evening on Fort Avenue and Highland Street . One of the young men wears a parka coat, the second had on a white sweat shirt with a baseball ca p, and the third had on a short dark winter jacket. The young man wearing the parka is the one leading the dog and encouraging the dog to do his business in the yards on Fort Avenue . Two homes have already suffered from this prank on Monday and Tuesday of this week.
The behavior has been observed.
This is the first and final warning: please stop your dog from doing his/her business on other people’s property. Thank You!"
From me:
Not sure but I thought it was a city ordinance that dog owners were required to scoop their dog's poop? It's not to be left on the street, curb, or sidewalk either. Or is this just an other of my outlandish dreams of civic activity, responsibility, and harmony?
I'm going to guess that the young men in question aren't on this email list so this particular "first and final warning" may not be very effective.
I've been thinking about a "scoop your dog's poop" sign for the offenders on Juniper and Rockledge. Poop scoopin', or not scoopin' the poop, is not just a problem on Highland Street or Fort Ave.
And since you got me started, what about the people who feed but in no other way care for cats? We've got two veritable feral cat colonies on Thornton and Juniper Terrace. The poor things just keep breeding and breeding and they get NO medical attention. It's unfair to the animals and it's an unpleasant burden to the neighbors who have to deal with pounds of stinky, disgusting cat poop in their beloved gardens.
Peace out.
"First and Final Warning
DOG OWNERS
There are three young men who have been walking a medium size Black German Shepard dog in the early evening on Fort Avenue and Highland Street . One of the young men wears a parka coat, the second had on a white sweat shirt with a baseball ca p, and the third had on a short dark winter jacket. The young man wearing the parka is the one leading the dog and encouraging the dog to do his business in the yards on Fort Avenue . Two homes have already suffered from this prank on Monday and Tuesday of this week.
The behavior has been observed.
This is the first and final warning: please stop your dog from doing his/her business on other people’s property. Thank You!"
From me:
Not sure but I thought it was a city ordinance that dog owners were required to scoop their dog's poop? It's not to be left on the street, curb, or sidewalk either. Or is this just an other of my outlandish dreams of civic activity, responsibility, and harmony?
I'm going to guess that the young men in question aren't on this email list so this particular "first and final warning" may not be very effective.
I've been thinking about a "scoop your dog's poop" sign for the offenders on Juniper and Rockledge. Poop scoopin', or not scoopin' the poop, is not just a problem on Highland Street or Fort Ave.
And since you got me started, what about the people who feed but in no other way care for cats? We've got two veritable feral cat colonies on Thornton and Juniper Terrace. The poor things just keep breeding and breeding and they get NO medical attention. It's unfair to the animals and it's an unpleasant burden to the neighbors who have to deal with pounds of stinky, disgusting cat poop in their beloved gardens.
Peace out.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
What I Learned from My Foster Daughter
I learned that love really is not enough. I learned that race is not about skin color, it is about culture. And I re-learned that same old lesson that's been bangin' me on the noggin since consciousness arrived: each person alive must take responsibility for herself and do the work to deal with her own demons. All anyone else can do is support her.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Food Grows on Trees - Even in the City
All of the below is lifted from a recycling listserv that I'm on.
"Watch your step!
All around the Boston area, food is falling on the ground, rolling around on the sidewalks and streets -- and generally being treated with disdain...(who would expect food to grow on trees?)
Our native Black Walnut trees and Shagbark Hickory trees are well into dropping their fruit. They look like small green tennis balls; they turn dark as they mature and get easier to open -- a source of food for Native Americans, and said to be quite tasty, although that may vary from tree to tree.
There are also apple trees of all sorts in our yards bearing fruit; some are already finishing up. And peaches!
So, look around. Do you know of any organized efforts to harvest this bounty and keep it from going to waste?
(We've already collected over 20 pounds of apples and peaches just from what is laying around on the ground -- will have to start earlier next year!)
Black Walnut husks are also a traditional dye for hair, handicrafts etc --
the plentiful juice from the green husks certainly does a good job staining skin!
-k
Fruit for the People:
Moss Hill Orchard
by Susan Koechner
Edible Boston, Summer 2008, p.55
On a crisp, late spring day in Jamaica Plain, a small group of neighbors gather around a young man as his rough hands tenderly pack straw around the base of a freshly planted cherry tree.The spindly young plant is small, but the neighbors’ appetites are not: “I’m putting in my order for a cherry pie right now!” one man declares with a twinkle in his eye.
These residents of Jamaica Plain’s Moss Hill neighbor- hood have reason to be licking their lips in anticipation of a delicious fruit harvest.They are participants in an innovative grassroots project, led by resident Margaret Connors, to establish a communal orchard in their neighborhood. Unlike a conventional orchard with a dedicated plot of land, this one will consist of fruit-bearing trees planted on the homeowners’ private lots as well as in nearby public spaces such as the Manning Elementary School.
As co-director of the Neighborhood Pesticide Action Committee (www.npacboston.org), Margaret is no stranger to communal environmental efforts. “We have to consider our communities as much more than the sum of their dwellings,” she says. “Neighborhoods are resource-rich and can be mobilized to initiate solutions to many urgent environmental challenges, including global warming. Planting a neighborhood orchard is making the best use of the collective good earth in a community. A communal orchard, a neighborhood bee keeping project,backyard city chickens—such efforts are only the beginning.”
Debbie Side, the owner of a new cherry tree planted in her front yard, expresses the spirit of the project. “I can’t use more than a basketful of cherries,” she says, gesturing to the tree with her hands covered in fresh dirt. “I’ll be happy if my neighbors come by to pick them; otherwise, the fruit would just rot. This way, anybody walking by can access it.” With the cherry and two raspberry bushes
that will be planted in her side lot, Debbie’s yardlots are bound to be popular at harvest time.
On this day, more than 30 new trees and shrubs will sink their roots into fertile nooks and crannies around the neighborhood. They include conventional fruiting trees
such as apples, cherries and peaches, as well as berries such as blueberry, raspberry and juneberry. In addition, fallowland along a public footpath will be planted with berries, hickory trees and other New England forest natives to
revive the diversity and beauty that was threatened by development.
A host of fruit, nut and berry plants that are uniquely suited to our variable New England climate can turn almost any small lot into a cornucopia of fresh, sun-ripened
foods.This is exactly what Margaret Connors envisioned when she started laying out the plan for her neighborhood’s orchard. “The idea just sort of came to me,” she
said of the project, which has few precedents. “I’d heard of Earthworks’ Setback Tree program and imagined our neighborhood with fruiting trees accessible to all the
neighbors. Earthworks reclaims neglected urban spaces for sustainable use through hands-on projects, education, and advocacy. I figured that with people out picking fruit for six months of the year, there would be a lots of activity
in the neighborhood, and we would be more likely to watch out for each other.”
Historically, the area in and around Moss Hill was home to a number of prominent wool merchants and ambassadors who built large estates, each of which included sizable orchards. Longtime resident Dorothy Meyer remembers, “Back in the ’30s and ’40s, the kids of the neighborhood used to play on those hills and we’d come down with apples in our pockets. It was very rural back then.” Some Moss Hill residents suspect that their homes sit on land that was once part of an orchard owned by Jabez and Lucretia Lewis-Dawson; their homestead, the Lewis-Dawson Farmhouse, dates back to the early 1800s and was recently granted landmark status by the Boston Landmark Commission.
Once Margaret had gauged the neighbors’ interest in the orchard project, (“They wanted to be a part of it, no questions asked.”) she got to work. She secured the help of two local organizations: the previously mentioned Earthworks and JPTrees, which works to renew the urban canopy in Jamaica Plain through stewardship and advo-
cacy for community trees.
First, the participants needed to perform site evaluations with the help of Earthworks. Most important, they had to consider how many hours of sunlight a plant
would receive. While berry bushes can produce in shady spots, fruiting trees require a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day to flourish. Next, they conducted simple
soil tests through University of Massachusetts’ Soil and Plant Tissue Testing Laboratory to determine the soil quality including acidity, texture, drainage, fertility and presence of toxic metals. This information helped Earthworks recommend plants which would thrive in the available spaces.
Then came the fun part: plant selection. Steve Larson was one of many who decided on an apple tree. “I like apples,” he said. “Also, because I’m new in the neighbor-
hood, I thought that this would be a good way to meet people.” Because multiple species can be grafted onto a single rootstock, those who choose apples will enjoy harvesting different kinds of apples from a single tree. Other recommended fruit and nut-bearing plants included cherries, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, persimmon, pawpaw, mulberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, juneberries, hazelnuts, walnuts, hickories and chestnuts.
At long last, the day of planting, May 17th, arrived. On hand to help plant and provide education were Ben Crouch, Urban Forestry Program Director of Earthworks,
and Melissa Moore, an Earthworks-trained volunteer of JP Trees. After a brief introduction, a group of about 15 neighbors, young and old, picked up their tools and
marched energetically off to the first planting site.
Ben held onto the small bare cherry tree, just six feet tall, as he demonstrated the complete planting process. “Most fruit trees will grow in almost anything except
highly disturbed soil,” he noted while turning over the turf with a tock, a garden tool that resembles a pick. He dug a hole for the tree’s bare roots and explained that while the tree would not grow much in the first year, they could expect growth of two to three feet per year until maturity. Amazingly, fruit would become available in only two or three years from planting..."
"Watch your step!
All around the Boston area, food is falling on the ground, rolling around on the sidewalks and streets -- and generally being treated with disdain...(who would expect food to grow on trees?)
Our native Black Walnut trees and Shagbark Hickory trees are well into dropping their fruit. They look like small green tennis balls; they turn dark as they mature and get easier to open -- a source of food for Native Americans, and said to be quite tasty, although that may vary from tree to tree.
There are also apple trees of all sorts in our yards bearing fruit; some are already finishing up. And peaches!
So, look around. Do you know of any organized efforts to harvest this bounty and keep it from going to waste?
(We've already collected over 20 pounds of apples and peaches just from what is laying around on the ground -- will have to start earlier next year!)
Black Walnut husks are also a traditional dye for hair, handicrafts etc --
the plentiful juice from the green husks certainly does a good job staining skin!
-k
Fruit for the People:
Moss Hill Orchard
by Susan Koechner
Edible Boston, Summer 2008, p.55
On a crisp, late spring day in Jamaica Plain, a small group of neighbors gather around a young man as his rough hands tenderly pack straw around the base of a freshly planted cherry tree.The spindly young plant is small, but the neighbors’ appetites are not: “I’m putting in my order for a cherry pie right now!” one man declares with a twinkle in his eye.
These residents of Jamaica Plain’s Moss Hill neighbor- hood have reason to be licking their lips in anticipation of a delicious fruit harvest.They are participants in an innovative grassroots project, led by resident Margaret Connors, to establish a communal orchard in their neighborhood. Unlike a conventional orchard with a dedicated plot of land, this one will consist of fruit-bearing trees planted on the homeowners’ private lots as well as in nearby public spaces such as the Manning Elementary School.
As co-director of the Neighborhood Pesticide Action Committee (www.npacboston.org), Margaret is no stranger to communal environmental efforts. “We have to consider our communities as much more than the sum of their dwellings,” she says. “Neighborhoods are resource-rich and can be mobilized to initiate solutions to many urgent environmental challenges, including global warming. Planting a neighborhood orchard is making the best use of the collective good earth in a community. A communal orchard, a neighborhood bee keeping project,backyard city chickens—such efforts are only the beginning.”
Debbie Side, the owner of a new cherry tree planted in her front yard, expresses the spirit of the project. “I can’t use more than a basketful of cherries,” she says, gesturing to the tree with her hands covered in fresh dirt. “I’ll be happy if my neighbors come by to pick them; otherwise, the fruit would just rot. This way, anybody walking by can access it.” With the cherry and two raspberry bushes
that will be planted in her side lot, Debbie’s yardlots are bound to be popular at harvest time.
On this day, more than 30 new trees and shrubs will sink their roots into fertile nooks and crannies around the neighborhood. They include conventional fruiting trees
such as apples, cherries and peaches, as well as berries such as blueberry, raspberry and juneberry. In addition, fallowland along a public footpath will be planted with berries, hickory trees and other New England forest natives to
revive the diversity and beauty that was threatened by development.
A host of fruit, nut and berry plants that are uniquely suited to our variable New England climate can turn almost any small lot into a cornucopia of fresh, sun-ripened
foods.This is exactly what Margaret Connors envisioned when she started laying out the plan for her neighborhood’s orchard. “The idea just sort of came to me,” she
said of the project, which has few precedents. “I’d heard of Earthworks’ Setback Tree program and imagined our neighborhood with fruiting trees accessible to all the
neighbors. Earthworks reclaims neglected urban spaces for sustainable use through hands-on projects, education, and advocacy. I figured that with people out picking fruit for six months of the year, there would be a lots of activity
in the neighborhood, and we would be more likely to watch out for each other.”
Historically, the area in and around Moss Hill was home to a number of prominent wool merchants and ambassadors who built large estates, each of which included sizable orchards. Longtime resident Dorothy Meyer remembers, “Back in the ’30s and ’40s, the kids of the neighborhood used to play on those hills and we’d come down with apples in our pockets. It was very rural back then.” Some Moss Hill residents suspect that their homes sit on land that was once part of an orchard owned by Jabez and Lucretia Lewis-Dawson; their homestead, the Lewis-Dawson Farmhouse, dates back to the early 1800s and was recently granted landmark status by the Boston Landmark Commission.
Once Margaret had gauged the neighbors’ interest in the orchard project, (“They wanted to be a part of it, no questions asked.”) she got to work. She secured the help of two local organizations: the previously mentioned Earthworks and JPTrees, which works to renew the urban canopy in Jamaica Plain through stewardship and advo-
cacy for community trees.
First, the participants needed to perform site evaluations with the help of Earthworks. Most important, they had to consider how many hours of sunlight a plant
would receive. While berry bushes can produce in shady spots, fruiting trees require a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day to flourish. Next, they conducted simple
soil tests through University of Massachusetts’ Soil and Plant Tissue Testing Laboratory to determine the soil quality including acidity, texture, drainage, fertility and presence of toxic metals. This information helped Earthworks recommend plants which would thrive in the available spaces.
Then came the fun part: plant selection. Steve Larson was one of many who decided on an apple tree. “I like apples,” he said. “Also, because I’m new in the neighbor-
hood, I thought that this would be a good way to meet people.” Because multiple species can be grafted onto a single rootstock, those who choose apples will enjoy harvesting different kinds of apples from a single tree. Other recommended fruit and nut-bearing plants included cherries, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, persimmon, pawpaw, mulberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, juneberries, hazelnuts, walnuts, hickories and chestnuts.
At long last, the day of planting, May 17th, arrived. On hand to help plant and provide education were Ben Crouch, Urban Forestry Program Director of Earthworks,
and Melissa Moore, an Earthworks-trained volunteer of JP Trees. After a brief introduction, a group of about 15 neighbors, young and old, picked up their tools and
marched energetically off to the first planting site.
Ben held onto the small bare cherry tree, just six feet tall, as he demonstrated the complete planting process. “Most fruit trees will grow in almost anything except
highly disturbed soil,” he noted while turning over the turf with a tock, a garden tool that resembles a pick. He dug a hole for the tree’s bare roots and explained that while the tree would not grow much in the first year, they could expect growth of two to three feet per year until maturity. Amazingly, fruit would become available in only two or three years from planting..."
Monday, September 22, 2008
Discover Roxbury
When Back Bay was still a back water, Roxbury was the place to be. With apologies to local First Nations, cause I don't know which may have lived here, though I'd guess Wampanoag (actually it's the Massachusett), Roxbury is where it all began - for Boston, anyway.
Roxbury is the place to be now, as well. It's just that most people, thank goddess, don't know it. Shh. Don't tell.
But don't take my word for it. Discover Roxbury has lots of information on tours, history, and notable locals. Don't be a sheep. Come visit.
Roxbury is the place to be now, as well. It's just that most people, thank goddess, don't know it. Shh. Don't tell.
But don't take my word for it. Discover Roxbury has lots of information on tours, history, and notable locals. Don't be a sheep. Come visit.
Highland Park Transportation Presentation
Last week Howard/Stein Hudson presented the findings of their Transportation Study of the area.
We all agree that cars need to slow down, that intersections are dangerous, and that pedestrians are at risk everytime they take to the sidewalk. To permit park, or not to permit park - that is the question which will raise the most ire. In the presentation, the biggest reason given to oppose permit parking was that residents' dinner guests would have a hard time parking.
There are reasons to oppose resident permit parking in Highland Park other than dinner guests not being able to park - which makes an objection to permit parking sound almost frivolous. Having family and friends visit becomes a real production - even hardship- in the case of some of elderly relatives - when parking is restricted. A reform of Boston 's ridiculous permit system would be one worthwhile solution. Even Somerville has a better system.
More importantly, though, as the HSH survey noted, 27% of Highland Park residents don't own cars. Doing without the expense and hassle of a car is one of the biggest benefits of city living. Though we choose not to buy cars, they are sometimes a necessity in our car-centric culture and fortunately rentals and Zipcar are available. If Highland Park embraces permit parking , those of us who have chosen to live in an economical and environmentally beneficial way by eschewing the automobile as a "normal" part of life, will be penalized. Given the huge and very real threat of global warming, the American obesity epidemic, and the almost daily and commonplace incidence of road rage, it's not the folks without cars who should take the hit.
We all agree that cars need to slow down, that intersections are dangerous, and that pedestrians are at risk everytime they take to the sidewalk. To permit park, or not to permit park - that is the question which will raise the most ire. In the presentation, the biggest reason given to oppose permit parking was that residents' dinner guests would have a hard time parking.
There are reasons to oppose resident permit parking in Highland Park other than dinner guests not being able to park - which makes an objection to permit parking sound almost frivolous. Having family and friends visit becomes a real production - even hardship- in the case of some of elderly relatives - when parking is restricted. A reform of Boston 's ridiculous permit system would be one worthwhile solution. Even Somerville has a better system.
More importantly, though, as the HSH survey noted, 27% of Highland Park residents don't own cars. Doing without the expense and hassle of a car is one of the biggest benefits of city living. Though we choose not to buy cars, they are sometimes a necessity in our car-centric culture and fortunately rentals and Zipcar are available. If Highland Park embraces permit parking , those of us who have chosen to live in an economical and environmentally beneficial way by eschewing the automobile as a "normal" part of life, will be penalized. Given the huge and very real threat of global warming, the American obesity epidemic, and the almost daily and commonplace incidence of road rage, it's not the folks without cars who should take the hit.
Art is not a pretty picture
Fall in Boston is the time when Jane and Joe Office (or Jane and Jane Desk, or Joe and Joe Suit or Jane or Joe, alone - is everyone covered?) take to the neighborhoods to observe homo artifex in her natural habitat, a phenomenon known as Open Studios. You don't need to wait for Roxbury Open Studios to see some of the best these streets have to offer.
If only I'd had a camera in 2003, when the person who I assume is the same artist who created the above catchy visual comment, dotted the streets of Mission Hill with an image of the US flag in the shape of a sheep. Brilliant. Thank you, Anonymous. (Are you a woman)?
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Overheard on Cedar Street
“you’ve got to be born in the ‘hood to be from the ‘hood”.
My thoughts? Miscegenation will save us. And no matter where you’re born, we all come from Lucy.
My thoughts? Miscegenation will save us. And no matter where you’re born, we all come from Lucy.
We, Nathan
They live in the park across from the Symphony Wholefoods supermarket, pitching a tarp and toughing it out. Last December, they said, was a tough month because of all the snow. The snow would melt and leak through the seams of the tarp and get the blankets wet. This past summer was wet, too, if warmer.
What do they need when they live on the streets? They like hats that cover their ears and protect them from the sun. Suncreen, too is helpful. Even at shelters where clothes are distributed, men's belts are hard to come by. Food isn’t as much of a problem. “We get food stamps and can eat well at Wholefoods,” says Nathan.
After a stint at the Pine Street Inn they moved back outside because Pine Street is just too dangerous – that whole area of town is too dangerous, says Nathan.
“Who else is with you, Nathan?”
“We’d rather not say,” he answers.
What do they need when they live on the streets? They like hats that cover their ears and protect them from the sun. Suncreen, too is helpful. Even at shelters where clothes are distributed, men's belts are hard to come by. Food isn’t as much of a problem. “We get food stamps and can eat well at Wholefoods,” says Nathan.
After a stint at the Pine Street Inn they moved back outside because Pine Street is just too dangerous – that whole area of town is too dangerous, says Nathan.
“Who else is with you, Nathan?”
“We’d rather not say,” he answers.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center Arrives in Roxbury
Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center
The first thing I saw when I walked into the open house on August 30 at what I like to call The Mosque, though it is also a community center and will someday house a school, were the nuns from St. Margaret's all lined up like the girls in the Madeline books. The neighborhood was invited and maybe 30 -40 showed – Byron Rushing and Chuck Turner among them.
Our hosts were quite gracious and while we noshed on pastry, yogurt, oj and coffee (“what do they eat”, one of my family members asked – Food! And it was all from Stop and Shop), we heard the ISB’s story of the history of the building. The details of all the political intrigue landed like so many much wah, wah , wah , wah on my ears. I’d wrested myself from my garden, which is my church, out of curiosity about the building, its owners, and their religion. Though I do know a little about Policastro’s lawsuit against the Center, the BRA, and RCC what is more interesting is that ISB, in exchange for a reduced sale price, is required to sponsor and provide “a variety of educational and cultural programs and services to the local community in Roxbury.”
We were repeatedly told that the building will be open to the community and that we are welcome to join in prayers and other services – something that I’ll be taking them up on. Would I have to wear a head scarf and perform ablutions – as a Muslim would – if I did attend prayers? No on both counts – it’s a come-as-you-are-kind of place. Inclusive cultural events and comparative religion study groups were also suggested.
Ramadan began this month and we may be invited to the Eid celebration – well, we are technically invited to everything. And it helps that, at least rhetorically, the Center so far seems to be devoted to inclusion and not exclusivity.
The building itself isn’t bad. An original plan for stairs leading from the sidewalks to the building was canned once they realized that students heading from Roxbury Crossing T stop to Madison Park would take the short cut and use the stairs to cross through. On the amazing side, only once in the 2 years construction was delayed did the building get tagged. Impressive, given that a neighbor keeping track of tags in the neighborhood and has counyed 52 overall in a much shorter span of time.
The building provides only 58 parking spaces, another 58 to be built when the school is constructed. Sure hope they’re all riding their bikes and taking the T to services. We didn’t climb into the minaret this tour but hopefully will on another one.
There’s a jut-out on the northeast side of the building to make the direction of Mecca obvious – due East leads to Ireland, we were told.
In the mosque itself, men pray on the first floor, women above them on the mezzanine and there’s a separate and private room for women with small children and babies.
Entering the building for prayers, men and women repair to separate washrooms to remove their shoes and wash up. All genders purportedly being equal in the USA, men and women can enter through the same door. Or not, if they prefer, in the spirit of more traditional mosques which have separate entrances for each gender.
Salam alaykem.
The first thing I saw when I walked into the open house on August 30 at what I like to call The Mosque, though it is also a community center and will someday house a school, were the nuns from St. Margaret's all lined up like the girls in the Madeline books. The neighborhood was invited and maybe 30 -40 showed – Byron Rushing and Chuck Turner among them.
Our hosts were quite gracious and while we noshed on pastry, yogurt, oj and coffee (“what do they eat”, one of my family members asked – Food! And it was all from Stop and Shop), we heard the ISB’s story of the history of the building. The details of all the political intrigue landed like so many much wah, wah , wah , wah on my ears. I’d wrested myself from my garden, which is my church, out of curiosity about the building, its owners, and their religion. Though I do know a little about Policastro’s lawsuit against the Center, the BRA, and RCC what is more interesting is that ISB, in exchange for a reduced sale price, is required to sponsor and provide “a variety of educational and cultural programs and services to the local community in Roxbury.”
We were repeatedly told that the building will be open to the community and that we are welcome to join in prayers and other services – something that I’ll be taking them up on. Would I have to wear a head scarf and perform ablutions – as a Muslim would – if I did attend prayers? No on both counts – it’s a come-as-you-are-kind of place. Inclusive cultural events and comparative religion study groups were also suggested.
Ramadan began this month and we may be invited to the Eid celebration – well, we are technically invited to everything. And it helps that, at least rhetorically, the Center so far seems to be devoted to inclusion and not exclusivity.
The building itself isn’t bad. An original plan for stairs leading from the sidewalks to the building was canned once they realized that students heading from Roxbury Crossing T stop to Madison Park would take the short cut and use the stairs to cross through. On the amazing side, only once in the 2 years construction was delayed did the building get tagged. Impressive, given that a neighbor keeping track of tags in the neighborhood and has counyed 52 overall in a much shorter span of time.
The building provides only 58 parking spaces, another 58 to be built when the school is constructed. Sure hope they’re all riding their bikes and taking the T to services. We didn’t climb into the minaret this tour but hopefully will on another one.
There’s a jut-out on the northeast side of the building to make the direction of Mecca obvious – due East leads to Ireland, we were told.
In the mosque itself, men pray on the first floor, women above them on the mezzanine and there’s a separate and private room for women with small children and babies.
Entering the building for prayers, men and women repair to separate washrooms to remove their shoes and wash up. All genders purportedly being equal in the USA, men and women can enter through the same door. Or not, if they prefer, in the spirit of more traditional mosques which have separate entrances for each gender.
Salam alaykem.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
FREE Green Your Home and Life Workshops
FREE is good and green is too. Free and green are best. Check out these FREE workshops being offered by NEXUS,
“Boston's Full-Immersion Green Building Resource Center.
Green your home, green your life. Second Saturdays.
• 10 am Gain tools to green your home and life,
• 11 am Attend a class on greening your home,
• 12 pm Ask a green expert about greening your home, and
• 1 pm Tour our green office at NEXUS.
When Second Saturday of every month, 10 am–2 pm
Where NEXUS, 38 Chauncy St., 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02111
How RSVP at www.nexusboston.com/space/events”
If you go, let me know what you thought.
NEXUS is a project of The Green Roundtable, Inc the folks who consulted green on the Project Hope Building in Dudley Square, featured on the front page of the Green Roundtable web site.
How good can it get? A green building in a neighborhood besieged by public health issues (crappy air quality and high rates of asthma among them) for an organization devoted to improving the lives of the poor and homeless in Boston.
“Boston's Full-Immersion Green Building Resource Center.
Green your home, green your life. Second Saturdays.
• 10 am Gain tools to green your home and life,
• 11 am Attend a class on greening your home,
• 12 pm Ask a green expert about greening your home, and
• 1 pm Tour our green office at NEXUS.
When Second Saturday of every month, 10 am–2 pm
Where NEXUS, 38 Chauncy St., 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02111
How RSVP at www.nexusboston.com/space/events”
If you go, let me know what you thought.
NEXUS is a project of The Green Roundtable, Inc the folks who consulted green on the Project Hope Building in Dudley Square, featured on the front page of the Green Roundtable web site.
How good can it get? A green building in a neighborhood besieged by public health issues (crappy air quality and high rates of asthma among them) for an organization devoted to improving the lives of the poor and homeless in Boston.
Heads Up Roxbury Artists
Roxbury open studios are being planned here. Get involved now or visit during Roxbury Open Studios on October 4 and 5.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
More than one percent of the U.S. population in the Big House.
From boingboing, more than one percent of the U.S. population is in prison.
What a terrible waste of human resources. What a terrible waste of humanity. What a boon for those in the business of incarceration. Who knew poverty could be so lucrative?
What a terrible waste of human resources. What a terrible waste of humanity. What a boon for those in the business of incarceration. Who knew poverty could be so lucrative?
Unique Haitian Crafts
The following is an unpaid promotion for what looks like is a good cause.
One of a kind, handmade items imported from Haiti
are available at:
St. Margaret’s Convent
17 Highland Park Street
Roxbury MA 02119-1436
617-445-8961 x230
Call Sr. Claire Marie for information.
Proceeds from the sale are for the benefit of
Holy Trinity School , Port-au-Prince , Haiti
One of a kind, handmade items imported from Haiti
are available at:
St. Margaret’s Convent
17 Highland Park Street
Roxbury MA 02119-1436
617-445-8961 x230
Call Sr. Claire Marie for information.
Proceeds from the sale are for the benefit of
Holy Trinity School , Port-au-Prince , Haiti
Friday, August 1, 2008
The more things change, the more people don’t.
Looking for new tenants. Ugh. It’s not much fun though I sometimes can delude myself into thinking it is. Think of all the new people you meet, the different lifestyles you’re exposed to. True in one way – even more so when looking for roommates- but these days the one lifestyle which keeps smacking me upside the head is rudeness.
So listen up all you craigslisters: you make an appointment, you keep it and if you can’t keep it, you call.
You’re probably the same person who’s on the phone while in the check-out line at the grocery store or at the coffee shop so I know you got a phone. And if you didn’t know it was rude to be on the phone while participating in a transaction with another human being, let me tell you something: it is!
But back to our appointment. I took time out of my day, adjusted my schedule to meet you. Sometimes I canceled or rearranged other plans. I’m happy – no, I look forward to meeting you so I don’t at all mind taking the time. But I do mind when the agreed upon time arrives and you haven’t. I’m not sure whether or not you’re just running late or if you’ve been hit by a bus. So use that cell phone.
You’re probably the same person who’s on the phone while sitting in the stall in the ladies room so I know you’ve got a phone. And if you didn’t know it was rude to be talking on a phone while sitting in a public restroom, it is!
I know things come up. Maybe you did get hit by a bus. Or maybe you had to stay late at work, or your kid got sick, or that really tempting girl finally asked you out. I’m sorry/thrilled for you. But use that dadblasted phone.
You couldn’t be the person dialing your cell while negotiating that corner in your car, could you? I have my doubts that you’re a decent driver with both hands on the wheel so you scare me when I see you gazing at your lap. If you didn’t realize that cell phone use impairs your driving ability , it does! So hang up and drive! And if you have the decency to call to let me know you’re not coming, pull over to dial.
In that past 2 weeks at least 6 people have scheduled to meet me and then not shown and not called. May the apartments they rent have callous, absentee landlords and lots of bedbugs.
So listen up all you craigslisters: you make an appointment, you keep it and if you can’t keep it, you call.
You’re probably the same person who’s on the phone while in the check-out line at the grocery store or at the coffee shop so I know you got a phone. And if you didn’t know it was rude to be on the phone while participating in a transaction with another human being, let me tell you something: it is!
But back to our appointment. I took time out of my day, adjusted my schedule to meet you. Sometimes I canceled or rearranged other plans. I’m happy – no, I look forward to meeting you so I don’t at all mind taking the time. But I do mind when the agreed upon time arrives and you haven’t. I’m not sure whether or not you’re just running late or if you’ve been hit by a bus. So use that cell phone.
You’re probably the same person who’s on the phone while sitting in the stall in the ladies room so I know you’ve got a phone. And if you didn’t know it was rude to be talking on a phone while sitting in a public restroom, it is!
I know things come up. Maybe you did get hit by a bus. Or maybe you had to stay late at work, or your kid got sick, or that really tempting girl finally asked you out. I’m sorry/thrilled for you. But use that dadblasted phone.
You couldn’t be the person dialing your cell while negotiating that corner in your car, could you? I have my doubts that you’re a decent driver with both hands on the wheel so you scare me when I see you gazing at your lap. If you didn’t realize that cell phone use impairs your driving ability , it does! So hang up and drive! And if you have the decency to call to let me know you’re not coming, pull over to dial.
In that past 2 weeks at least 6 people have scheduled to meet me and then not shown and not called. May the apartments they rent have callous, absentee landlords and lots of bedbugs.
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