Buildings, Cities, and the People

On Thursday night, I went to a community meeting at a Carroll Gardens' daycare for my internship to discuss the facility's closure. Present were representatives from ACS (Administration for Children's Services) and 30+ angry parents. Now, you would be upset if your child's daycare was closing down and the nearest affordable one is 5 miles away. There are many daycares in the neighborhood but many of them are out of their price range. This is one of many results of the changing socioeconomic statuses in NYC neighborhoods and across the country. This phenomenon of gentrification has both its positive and negative effects.

Carroll Gardens, like much of North Brooklyn, is facing rapid development. New boutiques and trendy restaurants are opening everyday. The neighborhood's primary residential buildings are brownstones and project housing, leading to cultural clashes between yuppies and the ghetto. Within a block, I was able to find an upscale sushi restaurant and a Crown Fried Chicken. As you can imagine, the individuals who are the most upset about these developments are the ones losing their neighborhood. The same thing is happening to Bed-Stuy, Harlem, and somewhat in my own neighborhood of Coney Island, where I can see this firsthand. There are continuous debates in the community between the developers who want to build condos and resorts and residents who have sentimental attachments to the neighborhood. However, a new resort will bring more job opportunities to a fairly poor neighborhood and thus stimulating the economy. Are emotional values small prices to pay for opportunities that will benefit in the long run?

What upsets individuals even more is that new developments are by private entities and it feels personal that an autonomous group is taking something they believe to be accessible to the public. This is where much of the angst against private corporations are rooted. If this is viewed on a broader scale, the government does not have a lot of money and thus power compared to corporations. Thus, the possibility of have private space is greater than that of public space.

The demographics of neighborhoods have changed greatly between decades and centuries and development has always coexisted with it. Before project housings were built in Bed Stuy, there was a large Jewish community who all lived in brownstone house. There is no stopping the changes created by individuals and time, so development will always exist.

Halfway Through College Review

Today, I spoke at my high school to juniors about the college application process. Most of the students asked the same questions: effectiveness of grades, AP exams, and sometimes dorm life (my high school was pretty nerdy). I was in the same room as someone who is currently attending Columbia University and all the students seem to be more interested in him than me. To be honest, two years ago, I was in the same position as them. I wanted to go to a prestigious university and never expected to end up in Syracuse. Well, I did and I do not regret it.

I was an overconfident freshman. Coming from a large city and from an advanced high school track, I felt like I can do anything at Syracuse. I always had a hard time talking about transitioning into college because I never had issues in doing so. As heartless as this may sound, my mindset fueled me to get involved on campus and do well academically. This coincided much with my involvement in Student Association. After I accomplished my first initiative, I felt like I can do anything on campus in terms of influencing changes on behalf of students. I did accomplished many initiatives afterward but it became more about the experience and that helped me grow to love the school. It was not just about me leaving my mark here but how I can make it a better place. As a student at Syracuse University, I was given the chance to not just grow academically but to tailor make my experience here. I probably would not have received these opportunities at another institution.

Now that I am officially done with everything, it just hit me that I am in the limbo stage between sophomore and junior year and the feeling is a bit surreal. How have I changed these last two years? For one thing, my overconfidence has tapered off and into different directions where it became more about the people around me. That was a result of my experiences and the people I had the pleasure of knowing. For another, I gained a greater awareness of my capabilities- what I can do and cannot do. Together, I hope to use what I have learned and apply it to issues beyond the hill for my last two years of college.

Stars of Cyberspace: The Asian Variety

One of my final papers for this semester was for my Contemporary Asian Americans class. The research topic? Asian Americans on YouTube. Because it is a blog worthy topic, here is an excerpt/ summary.

From Nigahiga to Happyslip to David Choi, Asian Americans are proliferating the channels of YouTube. Many of the top 50 channels on YouTube were created by individuals of Asian descent and has caught the attentions of the blogosphere and Asian American based panels. This is surely a phenomenon. The videos range from beauty tutorials by Michelle Phan to humorous portrayals of everyday life by KevJumba. All of these individuals are second generation Asian Americans and almost all of them are under 30 years old. YouTube and the internet have collectively become a venue that allows accessibility and advocacy of groups that are traditionally underrepresented. These videos have promoted the image of Asian Americans by presenting common issues and topics in a positive manner as they are created by the very individuals themselves.

The videos portray a wide variety of issues faced by Asian Americans. KevJumba, for example, frequently has his father in his videos. The relationship portrayed between him and his father can be related to many individuals' own relationship with their parents. Between the accent and affectionate teasing, he might as well be Papa Kong. Interracial dating was brilliantly discussed in "Yellow Fever," a video by Wongfu Productions. Yes, many White men date Asian girls- sorry to all the Asian men who think this is an issue. Timothy DeLaGhetto's videos are very much influenced by hip hop culture, showing much of his persona. Do you know how many Asian guys follow the hypebeast/sneakerhead culture? Well I know too many.

So why YouTube? YouTube is easy to use and has a large audience. For individuals like KevJumba and Nigahiga, who are currently college students (both my age in fact), it is a noncommital venue. Thus, they can upload videos at their own leisure. Other individuals like Michelle Phan and Wongfu Productions have used YouTube as a springboard to launch their careers. In fact, many of them have received recognition and opportunities because of their videos. YouTube has proved to be a valuable venue for self expression. For Asian Americans that find it difficult to have their breakthrough in Hollywood, YouTube and the internet will always be there, creating new stars with changes in time.