Please select and answer TWO (or more) of the following questions following the film:
1. What elements depicted in this film reflect your community?
Which issues most affect health in your community, for better and worse: housing, jobs, income, transportation, racism, schools, social exclusion or civic engagement, land use and development…? How?
2. Who makes the decisions that affect your community?
Who’s missing? How can community members gain access to power? How would you change the process? What decisions would you make differently?
3. What compelling stories do you want to tell about your community?
How would you reshape the media coverage that exists? Which voices are missing? What messages and ideas? Who are your audiences? What images and symbols would you use in communicating with media?
4. How can you make things better in your community?
What are the greatest challenges? What additional resources are needed? Who are your natural allies and how will you begin creating alliances and partnerships? What are your priorities for action?
5. What initiatives are already underway that can improve health outcomes on the local, state or federal level (e.g. living wage campaign; a drive for universal preschool; mandated paid sick leave)?
2. Who makes the decisions that affect your community?
The person that makes the decisions that affect my community is council member Alan Maisel. He is the chair of standards and ethics for the community. My congressman is Hakeem Jeffries. He is responsible for the most of the regulation in the community. I would change the process by having a person who is responsible for the main issues in the community, such as violence, schools, finance, etc.
4. How can you make things better in your community?
There are many things I can do to make things better in my community. I can protest the unfair challenges and write letters to the my councilman to advocate for the community. There needs to be more safety measures in my community. I will begin by finding the barriers in my community and making a plan for action. For example, improving the violence in the community.
3. Media coverage in my community needs to be reshaped around the good that’s going on like the building of more affordable homes and community events for young kids.It seems like the only time media is around is when there is turmoil. The voices of people who grew up in the community for decades is missing because they can truly tell when how the community changed instead of the media telling false stories. I believe inviting media coverage’s to the community when events that are actually helping the people live there can shed some light onto the community as well as the people living there.
4. I can do many things to help my community from helping the elderly to helping with unfair rent hikes. I can also write letters or visit my councilmen office to teach them about the crime rates and how they are affecting the community. With communication the community can be a better place to live.
3) 3. Media coverage in my community needs to be reshaped to cover more positive concepts. They should telicast more programs that will bring the community needs in front of the authority. They should work as a voice of the community that will reach to the associate councilmen. they can suggest what the community are lacking with and also organize the updated news about the community.
4) I can do many thing to the development in our society. I can inform my councilmen about the problems of my area. I can put my opinion in a piece of paper that i feel will be good for my neighborhood. I can protest or join in a protest against of bullying, discrimination, and many other programs that run to development of the society.
1) I feel personal income and racism has diverse affect in peoples health in my community. People who doesn’t have enough income always struggle to buy their basic needs. They often can’t afford to buy healthy foods. Racism has something that always make you worry to live in the society. you always scare of any personal racial attack. This has a very negative affect in our mental health and sometimes it cause depression too.
4) I can participate in community programs to the development of my community. I can join the community club of my area who working for the progress of the society. I can also personally motivate people to lead a healthy and decent life. I can always push my opinion about the current condition of my community to the associate council member.
1) i live in a predominately black neighborhood where gentrification is taking place slowly. prior to the start of gentrification we did have access to good schools and groceries stores. now that gentrification is taking place the standard living if raising. there are several train stations located in my neighborhood. there are many families that have been living here for 20 years plus. with gentrification some of these families are forced to move out as a result of new management and increase in rent.
3)Media is a strong tool. i like to think of it as a double edge sword. it can do good and harm at the same time. usually media coverage of minority neighborhoods is negative. you rarely see coverage when the community comes together to do something positive. also when the community speaks up and ask for change the media again isn’t there. i would like for the media to show that there is more to minority neighborhoods then just crime.
(3). What compelling stories do you want to tell about your community?
I believe the media is biased towards the minority community, especially, to African Americans. Negative occurrences in the black community are quickly aired. This would normally last for long periods of time to make it seems worse than it really is. The positive is rarely noted when compared to the happenings of the white race. It would be great for the media to become rational, ethical and promote fairness in what and how they present the news. Motivating more blacks, Hispanics and Asians to become journalists and editors could help make things better for their communities.
Instead of displaying negative images of poverty, crimes and violence in the Black and Hispanic communities, and promoting images of successful minorities along with their stories will give a better perception. This may also motivate the others who think that it is definitely not possible to be more successful; to get positively creative.
(4). How can you make things better in your community?
The greatest challenges are the lack of developmental resources, such as workshops, jobs and easily available medical access. Some challenges are that the council members only exist for the title and power but are not doing. The community members also need to unite to get the government for their community to provide resources for them. Our allies are the people of the minority class in the community that need to unite to force a positive change of action into their community. The priorities for the community are quality skill training, job availability, and better health care for all, especially the elderly and children.
2.)The persons that make the decisions in my community is the council member. She represents the district that I live in. The council member attends meeting and tells district boards what the community lacks of. The council members also provides the community I live in free workshops which benefit the community by providing information about eating healthy or providing information of 5k runs. Another decision the council member makes is proposing the funding needed for the community. I believe this has to be one of the hardest decisions because he/she would need to write and speak about the founding the community needs.
4.)The way I can make things better in my community is by providing more safety for example providing more police officers, installation of cameras and consist police portal in the night. Also I would organize free sports or after-school activities for children and teens. While growing up I always wanted to join a soccer team, however there was a lack of community events for low-cost or free sports for girls at the time . Therefore the council member should provide these kind of activates s for the community.
1. What elements depicted in this film reflect your community?
The most important issues depicted in the film are the ones that affect the health in my community. Sadly, they affect it in worse. Between those issues are: housing, transportation, and schools. Starting by the housing factor, since I live in a Jewish neighborhood most of the landlords are also Jewish. Just few years a go, the area used to be made of family houses but they are in the process of being replaced by new rental apartment buildings. The construction process is generating noise and dust which make the area an unpleasant living place especially for kids. As these new building come to light, the area that used to be occupied by two to four families are now holding tens of mid-size families. It is true that an increase in the community’s households can contribute to an increase in tax collection but it also make the place more crowded which transforms the area from a quit place into a noisy one. On the other hand, the city did not readjust the services to the new trend and what ended up with is more crowded buses and trains and which run most of the time with delays. Also, public schools in my community were always known by their lower level of graduation. If we look for a reason that may justify this lower level of graduation, clearly, we will find that they underperform and if we try to push our investigation about the issue, we will come to the conclusion that these public schools are very crowded and the resources that are given to them are very limited. The department of education does not try to solve the problem from its roots but instead, it let the city opt for the option of closing some of these schools
2. Who makes the decisions that affect your community?
As I mentioned earlier, I live in a heavily based Jewish community. Most of the businesses and properties belong to them. I must say that Jewish make most of the decisions such us the one linked to the price’s decision. Let me just give a simple example: just two years ago, the rent of one bedroom apartment was $1000. Today and because the “Jewish” are the owners of the properties, the rent of the same size apartment went up 60%. The construction of a new Arena “Barclay Center” next door is also to blame for such change. When it comes to making money and development, Jewish have their say but why not when it comes to schools and transportation?. The answer is that they take their kids to private schools with their own cars
To answer question #1, one of the major problems that affect my community is housing. Since the rent all over the city is increasing and landlords want to get the most money out of the residents but kicking out the old news and bringing get in the new rich ones, many do not have a place to go and either move to the Bronx or Florida or even go back to their own countries back in the carribean. The income that people make in my community is not a great amount to say the least and now with many illegal actions taken by these landlords, many of these people become effected by this with major health issues such as depression or heart disases, especially the elderly. Another issue is transportation as the metropolitan transit authority is rising fares, making travel much more expensive.
For questions #2, there are many people whom make decisions on the community aside from the major. Such as councilman Rodriguez, Espalliat and Linares whom are all of Hispanic descent. They have their own offices in the city in order to have any complaints in which anyone may have on the community. However, I do not see the positivity of their work as of yet aside from being on TV alot. I would try to demand that these issues in the community be resolved if they may in order to improve the citizens and the quality of living.
1.) Issues that have affected health in my community are income. Many people that have moved into my community have a higher income which allows them to purchase more expensive food such as organic food. This then leads to a better and healthier life. Also the housing in my community has changed dramatically. When people live better they tend to be more healthy because their living situations are cleaner and safer. Schools have also changed becoming more aware of viruses and how quick they spread. Schools now have preventative measures to avoid children from getting sick. Health in my community has been affected negatively by all of the building that has been going on. When some of these old homes are knocked down dust accumulates within the community as well as mold and other harmful substances in old homes.
3.) in the media I would’ve reshape coverage by focusing on more positive issues instead of the negative issues that go on within the community. I believe that the voice is missing in my community are the voices that have been here before the gentrification process started. People that have lived in these neighborhoods within Brooklyn and have seen these changes really know how health and lifestyle has changed over the years. The audience in my neighborhood now would be wealthy people who have moved into Brooklyn wanting to change the neighborhoods. In communicating with the media, I would use symbols such as pictures comparing old neighborhoods to new neighborhoods. I believe a healthy living includes socialization and exercise. As children, after dinner, we used to play outside with neighborhood friends. That idea is now gone because no one know their neighbors and most kids are playing indoors. There have been positive and negative changes both to my neighborhood. People might be living healthier, but the neighborhood is beginning to become less and less affordable for middle-class families.
1. What elements depicted in this film reflect your community?
I do not know how is the community health because I have not lived here for long time, and besides I really do not use to share with people other than my family and friends. But what I have seen is the poor eating behavior that people here have, where they eat a lot fried food and soda. About housing people in my neighborhood are more dependent on NYCHA and ederly project’s; some private development project’s are offered wirh great opportunities for those interested in get their own home. Transportation is a one of the most stronger point, because with have several train lines and buses. We have a lot a school, I do not feel racism or any social exclusion or civic engagement.
4. How can you make things better in your community?
I think the most important thing is starting with having a good relationship with neighborh and community, trying to baile better people focused on education and family values. Our allies are the local authorities such a representatives, the city Major, and the community groups. Our priorities are education above all.
4. How can you make things better in your community?
I currently live in East meadow in long island. This is a really good community i believe. there is tons of helpful people all around. Since we moved here from Queens ive seen a huge change. In queens i believe everyone kept more to themselves. even though i did interact with neighbors and where in good terms with all of them, there was that clear distance between all of us. Since moving out here it is more of a friendly community specially on my block. Everyone on the block helps each other out. We all check up on each other take care of the proporty when the family is on vacation from getting male to just jiving a quick look around. When winter roles aroind we help each other with plowing snow ect.
2. Who makes the decisions that affect your community?
I live in the town of eat meadows which belongs to Hempstead which is run by a supervisor. As all the towns out here in long island there is a town board. I know all the details of that is going on thanks to my neighbor. He has been living in the town for over 65 years and knows all the ins and outs of what happens. he has takan part in almost everything. If anything was to go wrong or we needed something the town board would discuss the issue and bring it up to the supervisor and she would have to make the decisions.
#1 Housing in my community is one of the problems that exist, most recently there has been more difficulty to find a home to rent. Landlords are becoming more strict with their requirements such as having good income, proof of taxes,social security number, and the high cost of a rent. Not all residents are able to have access to all the requirements. The cost of rent can be so high for less rooms, space, or access to a garage,backyard, and porch. My cousins had recently had to move out of their house because the landlord was selling the house, and it made it more difficult for them because some landlords are strict with having children. Something I don’t understand is that how are people living in homes when landlords expect them not to have a family.
#4 I could help out my community in attending monthly meetings that are held by the community council members. There should be a way in which residents of my community have more job opportunities, medical access and won’t have to deal with the lack of resources. Writing a letter to the council president of my community may be helpful so he can be aware and change some problems in my community.
3.The media is overrated, it tends to always focus on all the negative things going on in society.
They need to focus and promote more positive things.
4. I can make my community better by attending the community council meeting and help them with community service etc…
1. What elements depicted in this film reflect your community?
Living conditions is what most affects my community. Trash is never thrown in the garbage, the river is filthy, the only big park for children is under construction, and the buildings are very old and haven’t been updated in a very long time. In my opinion, because I live in the projects that’s predominantly African Americans and Hispanics, people do not want to invest because they see it as unworthy. Next would be income. Unfortunately, many individuals from my community depend on the government to support their lives instead of working on their own, which means less healthier options and more inexpensive, fried foods. Jobs are limited, and the only transportation is one bus that is almost always running late and full, and runs every 45 minutes after a certain time. All of this contributes to some level of stress.
3. What compelling stories do you want to tell about your community?
I live in the projects in the Bronx. The media tries to stay away from my community and only appears when there is a devastating story to tell. Nothing good ever comes from police or the media being in my neighborhood. When they do come, you see people desperate to tell their story. I would reshape the media coverage by including the little good that’s going on. For example, the only big park in my community is being reconstructed (although it has been going on for the past 2 years and seems to have made no progress). There are also new housing being built for low income individuals and seniors. I would also shine light on the people who are choosing to better their life by going to school. A public congratulations may even motivate others to further their education and better their careers. Lastly, I would include the necessary reconstruction of the businesses in my neighborhood. For example, the doctors office, supermarkets, and the small shopping area. The voices that are missing are the young adults, and I say this because they are our future. The only voices heard are the ones who’ve been here longer. But maybe a fresh, young, new look would impact the community in a positive way. I would use pictures, videos, and the voices of the people from the community as evidence of the slow but impactful change in the community.
1. What elements depicted in this film reflect your community?
Which issues most affect health in your community, for better and worse: housing, jobs, income, transportation, racism, schools, social exclusion or civic engagement, land use and development…? How?
My community as a whole has practical taken a three sixty and i have to say it is good for the most part because they have been a lot of improvements and still more is on the way. People can walk the streets at night without having to be concern about being mud or shot at and cops are around more thanks to the all my new neighbors, which are white. What really will benefit my community are the two hospitals i live close too, which are kings county aka killer county and downstate, they both need to do a a three sixty too, with better service and care for the people in the community. To get the proper care and service I would have travel all the way to Methodist hospital which is in park slope. The downside to all of this is that some of the people who grow up in this community can’t afford to stay because they do not have income to pay the rent.
4. How can you make things better in your community?
What are the greatest challenges? What additional resources are needed? Who are your natural allies and how will you begin creating alliances and partnerships? What are your priorities for action?
Within my community the greatest challenge is keeping the rent from increasing and putting a stop to that is not happening because they aren’t any laws to make the landlords stop from increasing the rent. Even if you turn to the borough president or anyone on the counsel, it’s all about politics and what benefits them and their pockets. As for the action part, there isn’t any because the people who can’t afford to live here anymore are just moving out of the state to places they are afford. At the end, is it wrong yes and will be change anytime soon that will be a no.
#2) I think it is great for a community to have a function or a gathering of a small scale every week or perhaps just once a month. This way no one form the community will be left behind in terms of what better improvements we need to make the community better. The one way a community can gain access to power if every family in the community supports each other and show the outsiders that we are a strong body and no one can easily take advantage of the community or particularly someone in the community. I would go and talk to neighbors in the community mostly importantly have a good open relationship with them. If someone needs help and it is within my capacity I would most likely aid them with something I can, even if it’s something small. I would tell the community to watch everyone’s back because that way no one can harm or do something to the community.
#4) I guess to make things better in my community would be for everyone to have a standard manner towards other neighbors (which already exists in my community). But in other communities you don’t see this anyhow. And neighbors are against each other. So I think in any community in general what people should realized is that working together will make a community we won’t need additional resources from outside. I would tell the community by saying look we are living on one boat and therefore we should work together, respect each other, and help each other if needed. On the other hand if we work against each other the boat we are living on will sink due to the fact we are park of the same neighborhood and community.
Who makes the decisions that affect your community?
The local government is responsible for decision in my community. By local government I mean city council and city commissioner.The structure and power of local government vary from community to community. That particular local government is responsible for all kind of “small” things very important for my Queens neighborhood community like industrial and housing development, public school funding or speed limits on the streets. However, the city council and city commissioner aren’t there ruling community alone. Most local government is being supported by network or groups of volunteers. It means that everyone can be part of decision making process in their own community. The way to do it is just step up and speak up.
How can you make things better in your community?
I’m unfortunate to not have experience getting involved in my community, however I think is not that hard to contribute towards positive changes in community. The actual money contribution is as not powerful and beneficial as time and willingness. The good way to make things better in community is to be part of volunteer group or organization. You can be part of organization that takes care of recycling or clothing and food donation in your community.By becoming a volunteer at local animal shelter, senior center or hospital you can contribute to your community, too. I think the greatest way of impacting the community is the blood donation. We all know the blood importance for hospitals, especially for community based hospitals and clinics.
1. What elements depicted in this film reflect your community?
My community is affected by many factors, but the primary reason is income. There a lot of low income families that live in my community. Even though they receive help from the government it is not enough to keep up with the rising prices. The way people live is another problem, since they lack economic resources sometimes these families can’t afford a proper meal. A combination of malnutrition and working long hours can have a devastating effect in a person. It can consume the person leading them to live unhealthy lifestyles.
3. What compelling stories do you want to tell about your community?
The media always seems to broadcast everything bad that happens. I live in a neighborhood in the Bronx that is not as bad as other neighborhoods. The media has created this image about that Bronx that creates fear for someone that is used to living or visiting there. The media never seems to cover the good things that happen in certain areas of the borough. There are usually public events that help people better themselves in the area. The media should cover more success stories rather deaths and failures. Promoting positive messages in the media about the borough would help create a better environment for the community.
2. Who makes the decisions that affect your community?
Who’s missing? How can community members gain access to power? How would you change the process? What decisions would you make differently?
In my community we have a community board and a president. As a community we pay a one time annually community dues to up keep the landscaping and keeping the neighborhood clean and safe. I actually never attended a meeting in which are held monthly. Therefore, I would say youths are missing. Community members can gain access to power by voicing their opinions to make positive changes. When my family and I first moved into the community, my community hosted a welcome block party to get to know everyone. After my family and I moved in it was the last welcome block party they hosted. I would want to bring that back, because we have so many new neighbors that I don’t know. I feel that it is important to know your neighbors because we should look out for one another, which we do have to the neighbors that been here for a while. One problem we do have is crime in our community. Because we live right next to the projects and our community has large houses we are definitely a high target for burglary. I would invest our community fees in making our community more safer.
4. How can you make things better in your community?
What are the greatest challenges? What additional resources are needed? Who are your natural allies and how will you begin creating alliances and partnerships? What are your priorities for action?
One of the greatest challenges in my community is burglary. So many houses on my block including mine has one or more burglary or crimes such as throwing a rock through the window, egging houses, throwing down flower pots, etc. I believe we are a target neighborhood because of the house sizes. Many people including myself have security alarm systems however, burglary has occurred in garages in which people do not intend to have an alarm system. I recall three houses on my block that was actually cleaned out. I live a few communities away from Jamacia Estas that has a 24hour patrol security car that drives around the neighborhood. We pay enough taxes and should also have a 24-hour patrol security driving around our community. However I must say during the high burglary in my community, we had police offers that came by often to check our neighborhood. I remember one time my mom opened the front door and left the keys in the door lock, in the middle of the night a police officer was ringing the door, to inform us about the keys on the door. We need that security more often.
1. What elements depicted in this film reflect your community?
My community is normal or average and mostly quiet. There barely any news that is about my community. Some of the issues are transportation and jobs. Improving them would help my community.
4. How can you make things better in your community?
There not much things that I can do to make things better in my community. There no major issues in my community at this time. If there is one, then the greatest challenges would be getting all the people in the community together to resolve the issues.
How can you make things better in your community?
We can construct more schools and renovate the existing ones to better accommodate the volume of kids in the community. We can redesign parks playgrounds and streets.
What elements depicted in this film reflect your community?
A community that recently has made steps to change the “look and appeal.” More banks, cafes, restaurants and recreational areas are being constructed to appeal to a different group of people.
1) which issues most affect health in your community?
there are couples of issues that affect my community such as transportation, housing, income. transportation is one of the biggest problems that we have. it only B103 that pass by house. if someone miss that bus, that person can wait for at 30 to 40 minutes for another one. can you imagine what we have to go through in a cold day or in a raining day. because of poor transportation some of us make it to school or to work late. the area is very clean and not too many crime happening there. people don’t shoot in my area. because of that luxury houses are very expensive. you will need two good income to rent an apartment in my community. once a while we have a block meeting where people can speak their mind and one will update another one what the up coming events. we have a great relationship.
1. What elements depicted in this film reflect your community?
I can say that the primary problem in my community is income. A lot of housing buildings are around my neighbor-hood and many people from many countries are living together in there. Most of them are Blacks, Asians and Indians; Whites is rarely in my community. However, people are very nice to each other and we have no criminal issue in there. I use to get home late every night, but I never get rob or any problem. Never hear people get short either. I know a lot of poor families in my neighborhood because I use to see many elders with a shopping cart go around and pick up bottles from the public trash cans or recycle bags. Luckily, medicate for low income people in NYC is very good. It will help them rise up the standard of their health.
4. How can you make things better in your community?
Transportation is the number one issue. We have no subway stations around my community. The main transportation for go to work is buses. Because of lack transportation, so people need a car and a second problem is created. Overflow of parking spaces in my community occur every day. It is so hard to find a parking lot after 7:00pm and not serious car accidents are occurring usually. I was parking on the street before and it took me an hour to find a parking. One morning I woke up to go to work and saw a big hole in my back bumper. After that I had to rent a parking lot to avoid these things happen again. My community is really need jobs, transportation and spaces.