- Read: NYT article: Kyle Spencer, “The Memory-Keeper of SoHo” (2015) Class Google Doc Annotation
- Watch: Documentary (14 min): Or Szyflingier and Jonathan Baez, “The SoHo Memory Project” (2020)
- Comment:
- 1. Below, write a 1-paragraph response to the article and the film. You may focus on anything that interests you– ideas from either work that you found interesting, connections you can make to your own neighborhood or experience of New York or another place, something you noticed about the writing or filmmaking, images from the film that you found important, how different genres (newspaper profile of Yukie Ohta vs. documentary) affect our understanding of a story, or any other topic.
- 2. After considering genre with this new material, think about your Unit 3 project. Re-read the assignment (under MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS). What is your topic, and what genre have you chosen? Has your thinking changed about what genre you’d like to work in for your project, after our discussion of genre with the SoHo Memory Project? How will your choice of genre help tell your story and get the word out
- 3. EXTRA CREDIT OFFERED for writing a 1-paragraph response to the event, below. If you were unable to attend you can watch the event here
1) I like this project that Yukie Ohta started. I believe that people should appreciate the history of their neighborhood and community. If more people got involved, it would be helpful because there will be more perspectives. This is mainly her story, not everyone experienced the same things that she did. Some people might even like how Soho transformed. Different people have different opinions and points of view. Another thing is that her family was rich/wealthy, her parents owned a building that they turned into condos that they sold. For her to say that she liked how Soho was before is pretty unbelievable. If it wasn’t for the way that Soho developed and transformed, her family may have not been as wealthy. I like how there were old photos and her childhood photos. One photo that stood out to me was the one in front of her building, where the street was dirty and empty to designer stores and a Porsche parked. Different genres affect my understanding of the story because I understand the video and photos more. I get to see what the project is about and get to see what she is trying to preserve. Also, I got to see how the neighborhood looked before and after. When reading you have to try to visualize whereas when watching it you are seeing it all.
2) For Unit 3 I am thinking of a photo essay or magazine article. My topic will be gun violence in NYC (Not during pandemic). I plan on choosing a genre best to get the message out for all people to understand. Need to know all of the genres that I can use. Overall, Still brainstorming.
(Sorry just realized that this was due yesterday, Forgot all about this)
Hi Ali,
Wise thoughts here about preservation and history always entailing a perspective and subjectivity, depending on who is writing, speaking, reporting, recording.
Re Unit 3: I know we’ll talk further in class about this but I notice you’re changing the focus of your topic to before the pandemic. Once we chat and get a good sense of the scope here we can talk about who you think your audience is and how best to communicate to that group.
Yuki Ohta is working to create a local historical society to pay homage to the rich history of SoHo. She collects stories from her neighborhood past to preserve them for future generations. In the documentary “the Soho memory project”, Ohta explains the benefits of loft living by saying that loft offers a new kind of living by combining the spheres of work and life.
Artists were living and working in the same place, then galleries started opening closer to the artists, people started coming to the galleries, and started opening restaurants.
Around the high school I was attending, there were only factories. But as time passed by, the high school got bigger, more students attended, restaurants and houses were built around and so on.
For unit 3, I might use the topic of my unit 2. If so, I will use narrative photo essays as a genre to illustrate the story of my topic.
Hi Naomi,
Smart points about lofts being both work and domestic spaces and how SoHo changed through the years.
Are you referring here to a high school in New York or in Senegal? Interesting connection.
Re: Unit 3, let us speak further in class, but who do you think your audience is for your work? That will help determine and flesh out the genre decision.
I like the idea of making a mobile museum which can move anywhere. And neighborhood residents make commercialized upscale hub of fashion, retail, and food. The neighborhood residents make their neighborhood look beautiful anyone love to live there. They put their history in the museum to make the next generation, know their grandparents history. I love to make new decoration in my neighborhood most of neighborhoods in Egypt are old. I love to paint the wall and put flowers in the balconies to make the neighborhood look good. Also I love to make like a book of my neighborhood. All of old people put their history about what happened in the neighborhood. To make the new generations learn about their grandparents history.
For unit 3 I am think of magazine article. My topic will be on celebrity person.
Hi Diaa,
You make a nice point about the mobile museum here; this isn’t something we touched upon enough and you bring it out well. Thanks, too, for bringing in your neighborhood in Egypt. Perhaps think about what might go into this book! It sounds like a cool endeavor.
For Unit 3, can you tell us more about your topic and what you are thinking? Is this a celebrity related to Palestinian activism?
1. After watching the “The Soho Memory Project” documentary I notice that Yuki Ohta said that the change in Soho was very sneaky at the beginning because this is the truth about gentrification, it happens slowly but surly and by time residents come to a realization of what’s happening it becomes difficult for them to voice their opinion. I also notice that she didn’t use the word gentrification in the documentary Yuki Ohta used the word change for what I would consider gentrification. Based of these observation I can tell that Yuki is more comfortable with change in the neighborhood but also don’t want people to forget what Soho use to be before. I can understand Yuki Ohta point of view because the change was beneficial towards her and her family. Different genres affect my understanding of the story because I rather watch the documentary than read the article, yes both was very informative but hearing the narrator of the story voice can help you with visualizing.
2. For unit 3 I was thinking about doing a presentation at a community board meeting (our classroom would be who I’m presenting to). My topic is “Gentrification in One of Brooklyn’s Most Caribbean Populated Neighborhoods.” With a informative presentation I will be able to attract a wider audience and help people see and hear the residents of Flatbush.
I like this task that Yukie Ohta began. I accept that individuals ought to
like the historical backdrop of their area and local area. In the event that more individuals
reached out, it would be useful in light of the fact that there will be more points of view. This
is principally her story, not every person encountered exactly the same things that she did.
Certain individuals may even like how Soho changed. Various individuals have
various conclusions and perspectives. Something else is that her family was
rich/affluent, her folks possessed a structure that they transformed into apartment suites that they sold. For her to say that she enjoyed how Soho was before is pretty
mind blowing. If not for the way that Soho created and changed,
her family might have not been as well off. I like how there were old photographs and
her youth photographs. One photograph that stood apart to me was the one before
her structure, where the road was filthy and void to planner stores and a
Porsche stopped. Various classes influence my comprehension of the story in light of the fact that I understand the video and photographs more. I get to see what’s going on with the task what’s more get to see what she is attempting to protect. Likewise, I got to perceive how the neighborhood looked prior and then afterward. When perusing you need to attempt to picture while when watching it you are seeing everything.
For unit 3 i am gonna be writing about stock marketfluctuations and and how its been in the past month, im gonna be using a newspaper genre because i feel like that ould be fitting since it is an informant piece