BXN Radio - EP 02: Felicia Forbes
For our second episode we talked with Felicia Forbes, the CEO & Founder of Freckle's Juice Bar, located at 3828 Dyre Ave.
Press play below.
Written by Dondre Green / Design by Hoay Smith
Written by Dondre Green / Design by Hoay Smith
Introducing BXN Radio
This has been a work in progress for quite some time. We took time to really develop a podcast with structure and one that all listeners could walk away with additional information than they had before. Alongside me, team members, Hoay and Kayla help bring their flavors to the show.
We hope to continue this monthly, highlighting more Bronx individuals doing things around our borough. If you'd like to give us some feedback or even want us to answer a question on-air, feel free to shoot us an email at info@bronxnarratives.com
In the meantime, enjoy episode one.
Written by Kayla Smith / Photos by Dondre Green, Hector Santos and Hoay Smith
Bronx Brewery Launches Beer For A Good Cause
August 9th was an evening of celebration for The Bronx Brewery as they launched their newest creation, Bronx Banner, a golden easy ale created to be “the perfect brew for those who embody the hard work mindset.” Over 200 Bronx influencers were invited to commemorate the release and acknowledge those that continue to make stuff happen in the Bronx.
Ghetto Gastro, the four man culinary crew, provided the victuals for the event. The team – comprised of Jon Gray, Malcolm Livingston II, Lester Walker and Pierre Serrao – specialize in gourmet cuisine with an Uptown twist. Legendary MC Lord Finesse kept the crowd moving with a mix of musical selections from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. The ambiance fostered the kind of camaraderie at a backyard BBQ elevated by visual artist André Trenier’s live mural painting.
“I really enjoyed the food, the DJ, and seeing so many of the Bronx artists I know and follow on social media… if you can have a space where so many different groups can gather, it’s a good thing.”
Inside the brewery were representatives from Bronx Museum and New York Restoration Project (NYRP), a non-profit committed to transforming greener, more sustainable spaces in under-resourced communities. Their current initiative, the Haven Project, is a plan to revitalize Mott Haven waterfront, provide green spaces in Port Morris and to improve the wellbeing of residents in these South Bronx communities. In support of the initiative, The Bronx Brewery is donating five percent of the proceeds from each case of Bronx Banner sold to NYRP; the ale will be available for purchase at the Brewery starting Monday.
The evening ended in dancing and laughter, the type of community spirit the Bronx Brewery hoped to foster while planning the event. Portrait and Street Photographer, Michael Young, had this to say about the event, “I really enjoyed the food, the DJ, and seeing so many of the Bronx artists I know and follow on social media… if you can have a space where so many different groups can gather, it’s a good thing.”
Visit the Bronx Brewery at 856 E 136th St, Bronx, NY 10454 or www.thebronxbrewery.com
Written by Kayla Smith / Photos by Dondre Green
Arts Oasis in the Northeast Bronx
My earliest memories of Mind Builders Creative Arts Center are from my late teens. I remember passing the building on my way to a friends house wondering what it was like inside. Residing off of Gun Hill Road and White Plains Road, it wasn’t until recently that I visited the building (now newly renovated) to take a tour and meet with Founder and Executive Director, Madaha Kinsey-Lamb, to talk about the center’s history and mission.
“One day we’ll wake up and discover we are family,” reads a quote by social activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu featured on the picturesque mural that welcomes every visitor. That message of community isn’t just painted on the walls, it’s carried through every classroom by the teachers, students and staff. It has been an integral piece of the Mind Builders brand for almost 40 years.
Mind Builder’s journey began in 1978 with Kinsey-Lamb’s desire to create accessible opportunities for quality arts and culture programs for her daughter and other families in The Bronx. The former public school teacher had always thought about starting an independent academic school that included the Arts, but realizing the need for the Arts in the North Bronx, her dream soon transformed into a nonprofit that would focus primarily on Arts Education. Kinsey-Lamb gained experience working as the education director for a nonprofit in the late 70’s and, with the aid of a colleague and friend, she began laying the groundwork for Mind Builders.
“It’s about developing responsibility in students, building leadership and the awareness of the tremendous power we have.”
Kinsey-Lamb hired one dance instructor to teach the inaugural class of 45 students. They started meeting in the basement of a local church, and within three months they had a waiting list of almost 100 students. Once the list increased to 300, Kinsey-Lamb began to look for a facility that would meet the growing demand. In 1984, the building on Olinville Avenue was purchased. The building, which was formerly a Yeshiva, was now the burial ground of many dead animals. It had been stripped down, broken and burned. It took three years of renovating before they could occupy the building in 1987 and more than 20 years to complete the latest project. In 2014 a $9 million renovation infused the arts center with new life. Now the four-level state of the art building accommodates 600 students weekly, mainly youth, from The Bronx and the New York metropolitan area.
While the arts center focuses on creative expression, one of its foremost aims is youth development. Mind Builder’s fosters leadership skills, social responsibility, cultural appreciation and self esteem through its music and dance curriculum. It’s not unusual for students to discuss current events or topics such as the Black Lives Matter movement, marriage equality, gay pride, immigration issues, and police brutality. “It’s about developing responsibility in students, building leadership and the awareness of the tremendous power we have,” Kinsey-Lamb says. “We want to motivate students in an environment that is nurturing, challenging, and exciting. Warm yet hardworking, rigorous yet fun.”
Kinsey-Lamb attributes her deep-seated passion for family oriented learning to growing up in “a time of knowing our power and seeing what we had the power to do when we got together.” It was a time when debates on black issues and notable figures like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Olatunji and James Baldwin, were common dinner time talk.
Kinsey-Lamb has even implemented a work exchange program at Mind Builders where parents can work at the center in exchange for free classes. “Little did we know when we started work exchange the benefit that would have. Parents are working right alongside us and when they come up with ideas they lead them. It created such tremendous ownership,” states Kinsey-Lamb. She plans to further its accessibility to the community by using the facility’s cafe to host various family friendly programs and to provide a space where people can meet and grab healthy food items.
Mind Builders will be having an Open House and Street Festival this coming September where people will be able to tour the building, sample the classes, and enjoy various performances.
For more information about how Mind Builders is impacting The Bronx or on how to volunteer there, visit www.mind-builders.org. Better yet, visit the building!
Written by Dondre Green
Crotona Park Walk with Diego & Lisa
For our third photowalk, we ventured through Crotona Park and partnered up with Diego León of Dandy In The Bronx and Lisa Gomez of The Bronx Socialite. For this walk, we decided to add some activities and prizes to the mix. We were happy with everyone who came out and the wonderful energy shared throughout the walk. We'd like to give a special thanks to our sponsors, Timberland & Frank & Oak for the prizes. Stay tuned for our next walk.
Photo by Diego León
Photo by Hoay Smith
Photo by Hoay Smith
Photo by Diego León
Photo by Hoay Smith
Written by Maryam Mohammed / Photos by Dondre Green
Bartow-Pell Mansion: A Beauty in Pelham
Pelham Bay Park is the largest park in New York City (1). The vast 3,000-acre green land includes forests, hiking trails, and is home to a number of wildlife species ranging from harbor seals to red-tail hawks. Many may also know it for the retreat of the Orchard Beach. What most probably don’t know, however, is the historical building of the Bartow-Pell Mansion. An integral part of the Bronx’s expansive and beautiful history, it sits on the east end of the park on Shore Road, overlooking the Long Island Sound. Now a museum, the mansion welcomes visitors from around the borough and the world to visit and partake in its external and internal beauty.
It is a Grecian style stone mansion with Greek Revival interiors, refaced in 1836 when a Robert Bartow acquired the estate (2). The property where the mansion currently sits was part of a 50,000-acre land purchase between the Siwanoy Indians and Thomas Pell, a doctor from Connecticut in 1654. The land treaty was famously signed under an oak tree, coined the Treaty Oak. According to the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, the land was chartered by King Charles II and consigned by Pell in 1666 (3). The area includes parts of what is now Westchester.
Pell began, but unfortunately did not complete, building his home. His nephew, John Pell, would go on to complete it for him in 1670. Unfortunately, the home then burned down during the revolutionary war. By the end of the war, the property was reduced to 200-acres. The land was returned to the Pell family, after Bartow purchased the land in 1836. Bartow completed the construction of the current skeleton of the home in 1842, where he lived with his wife and children.
The estate was acquired in 1888 by New York City. Structures neighboring the mansion deteriorated, but the mansion survived. It officially became a museum, in 1946, and then became a part of the National Register of Historic Places in the 1970’s. It is an official New York City Landmark. Upon your visit, you will see a home furnished with pieces reminiscent of its history - including a 6,000-piece postcard collection by Thomas X Casey showcasing photos of the last century. Like many of the Bronx’s historical landmarks, you will be welcomed by its rich history and beauty.
The Bartow-Pell Mansion is located at 895 Shore Rd, Bronx, NY 10464. It costs $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors, and free for children under six. For more information, please visit Bartow-Pell Mansion.
1. "Bartow-Pell Mansion." The Historic House Trust RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 July 2016.
2. "History of Historic Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum and Carriage House of the Bronx, New York." History of Historic Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum and Carriage House of the Bronx, New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 July 2016.
3. "History of Historic Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum and Carriage House of the Bronx, New York." History of Historic Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum and Carriage House of the Bronx, New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 July 2016.
Written by Kayla Smith / Photos by Dondre Green
Charlene Costor: Illustrating the Runway
As creatives, we sometimes give up on pursuing our passions for lack of encouragement from family, friends, and even doubt of ourselves. We give up on our dream jobs in pursuit of “real” work, which can leave us feeling unfulfilled and empty. A strong support system can give us the boost we need when attempting to walk the road less traveled. That was the catalyst that Charlene Costor, who was already driven to begin with, needed to keep going to accomplish her goals.
“People naturally like to help others, I would love to meet more people from The Bronx pursuing fashion. If I know you’re really serious about it, I’ll definitely tell you what I know and share different opportunities with you.”
Costor, a Bronx bred Fashion Designer and Illustrator, has worked with companies such as DKNY and Levi's Girls Global in the past. Currently, she designs accessories for the Jordan and Nike brands. She identified her ability to draw at an early age and began taking art seriously during her teenage years. “It was a hobby for me but I started thinking maybe I could be really good at this. I was at the Jane Addams High School studying hospitality and I wasn’t really serious about it. I applied to the High School of Art & Design in the city and they accepted me right away. I started learning the basics of art,” shares Costor. “I was lucky enough to have very supportive parents! My mother knew I liked art and encouraged me to do it. She even helped me do the paperwork.”
After high school, she turned her gaze toward fashion. “I had a certain kind of feeling every time I drew clothes, I loved it! I felt really good about it, I felt strong.” Costor’s art teacher, who also recognized her knack for fashion, encouraged her to go to the Fashion Institute of Technology. “She really pushed me. Having that positivity in your life it makes you feel like you can do anything.”
“People naturally like to help others, I would love to meet more people from The Bronx pursuing fashion. If I know you’re really serious about it, I’ll definitely tell you what I know and share different opportunities with you,” Costor says. “I think maybe there aren’t a lot of people from the Bronx pursuing fashion because it’s not very common. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with like minded individuals.”
She also offered a tip for those interested in pursuing a similar career, “you might feel [stunted creatively] sometimes when working for a company but I think it's good to work for a company that is comparable to your style/personality and you won't feel that way.”
In the future, Costor aims to start her own company, “I still have a lot of learning to do... when you work for a company, you gain all of this experience. But the thing that separates you having a business from not having a business is the money. Fashion is expensive, you need people to help you, you can’t do it all by yourself. But I want to get in the business of affordable clothes after seeing how affordable clothes is changing the market. I would go in that direction. I think everyone should be able to afford to look good.”
Charlene’s work can be seen at www.charlenecostor.com
Written by Dondre Green / Photos by Dondre Green
Bronx Day Party at the Gun Hill Brewery (Recap)
On Saturday, June 11th, we threw our first Bronx Day Party at the Gun Hill Brewery.
The goal was to get people from the community to come together and have a good time. With music, food and drinks present, this was surely accomplished. We'd like to thank everyone who came out and supported. We hope to see you at future events.
View some photos taken and the recap video below:
Written by Decota Letman / Photos by Dondre Green
A Bronx Way of Living - The Healthy Alternative (Part 1)
It’s no secret that the South Bronx is the poorest congressional district in the country or that our borough, as a whole, is often viewed as the “gutter.” Recently, however, we were named the unhealthiest county in New York for the seventh year in a row - which is why we have decided to do a three part series on healthy eating and living in The Bronx.
According to a recent Daily News article, “The Bronx ranked at the bottom for quality of life, which included poor physical and mental health and low birth weight, and in health factors, such as smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity” (Cutler, 2016). For the next few months, we will share some of the issues Bronx residents face with healthy living, why we continue to be the unhealthiest borough, and the steps we can and will continue to take as a community to resolve it.
Disclaimer, I am not a professional health expert and will only provide a perspective based on research and my personal experience of growing up in the Bronx.
As a child, healthy eating was not really a priority in my life. My family’s main concern was affordability and accessibility, so we made ends meet with the little money we had. Unfortunately, the same also goes for a lot of my peers - as well as, the children growing up in today’s society. I do not entirely fault them, nor their parents. Our neighborhoods are drowned in fast food chains like McDonalds, Popeye’s, or Burger King. As far as we’re concerned, “we’re getting our money’s worth and putting food on the table.” It’s quick, easy, affordable, and filling. Our attitudes may be different, though, if we truly understood that we are doing more harm than good to our bodies.
We must realize that a healthy lifestyle isn’t only for those who can afford it. Those of us in impoverished communities also have options. In order to come to this realization, more people need to be educated on these topics. As adults, we do have a responsibility to educate ourselves and our families on healthy eating, but we should also be provided with the basic tools necessary in order to do so. In communities like the South Bronx or Norwood, we are often overlooked and sometimes isolated, which hinders us from being fully aware from the health disparities we face and the initiatives we have to help change this epidemic.
“The Bronx ranked at the bottom for quality of life, which included poor physical and mental health and low birth weight, and in health factors, such as smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.”
The importance of healthy eating and living is not at the forefront of our minds partially because we are not actively exposed to these practices in the same way we are to our local high school star athlete or a crime on the front page of the newspaper. Initiatives such as the Montefiore Health System Program, Bronx Borough President’s Not 62 initiative, or Senator Gustavo Rivera’s The Bronx Can Health initiative aren’t heavily promoted or barely even recognized by many Bronx residents. Outside of these limited community based initiatives, there aren’t a wide number of health-based organizations that actively seek to educate Bronx residents in the same manner fast food restaurants consume our communities.
In a 2015 press release, health commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett stated, “The health disparities that arise in the Bronx are a reminder that we need to do more to address the health needs of populations that face the most significant social, economic, and health challenges” (Lewin, 2015). Misconception and unawareness are some of the key attributes that contribute to an unhealthy Bronx. Some of us have a perception that a healthy lifestyle is expensive and others simply may not be aware of healthier food options. As a community, it is our duty to encourage others to live a healthy lifestyle and break the chain of childhood obesity, low birth-weight, and physical inactivity amongst other health disparities we face in our borough. One’s geographical location or finances should not determine one’s physical and mental well-being, but this is a sad realization in our borough and other communities like ours that must be addressed.
Next month, in part two of the series, we will speak directly with Bronx residents of various communities of the borough to share their personal thoughts on healthy eating and living. In the meantime, you can check out a few healthy establishments in our borough such as Healthy Fresh, Juices for Life, and Vegans Delight.
Q+A by Dondre Green / Video by Kevin De Los Santos
Neighborhood Tales (Episode 04): Stephanie Nieves
We return with Episode 04 of Neighborhood Tales featuring Castle Hill resident, Stephanie Nieves.
Neighborhood Tales: A new editorial series that'll highlight the diversity of Bronx neighborhoods and help provide a visual identity, with stories told by the people who live there.