Our Stories, Our World

Welcome to the D Block English blog.

The work on the following pages documents the experiences of our students as they explored their respective communities through the gathering of the living stories of the people around them.

Go the Blog Archive on the right and click on the arrow to open the menu. Click on a student's name to see their blog page.

*Note to students*
See the sample oral history below for a sense of how your work should look.

Oral History of Ann Zambrana

Ann Zambrana is a 40 year-old mother of two. She is of Puerto Rican descent - born and raised in New York City. She has a 6 year-old boy and a 4 year-old girl. We sat together on a bright, yet lazy Sunday afternoon to discuss parenthood and, more specifically, motherhood. Throughout the interview, the children could be heard playing in the background.

When I was a kid being a mother was more of an idea, a fantasy. Now as a mother, I realize it’s a lot of hard work. It’s a lot of dedication - not like the fantasy I had as a child.

Motherhood has a lot of meanings to me. I think the most important one is to shape the minds and the souls of these two individuals I brought into this world so that they can respect one another, be honest with one another, and live harmoniously with not just the people on the planet but the planet itself.

I think anyone who deals with children in one form or another is considered like a parent – someone who’s responsible to teach them right from wrong and to help them, guide their way. But motherhood is different because those children are yours. They’re not somebody else’s child. There’s a certain sense of moral responsibility when they’re yours more than when they’re somebody else’s. You know.
The same thing with a father - someone who guides them, shows them, protects them and is there for them. You know, anyone can just make a baby. It’s another [thing] to be there, and guide them. Be responsible for them; Responsible to them.

I mean, you’ve got certain men who will hit their child to put them in place, you have men who will put the fear of God into the child to keep them in place. And then you’ve got those who will sit down and speak to them as an individual and help them understand what their place is, not just put ‘em there, but let them know why it is that they’re there and where it is that they’re going from there.

There are very many different approaches. (Laughs) [Motherhood] has both positive and negative effects on my life. I mean, the positive effect is that they’re my children, they’re my soul. Right now, they’re the center of my life; whereas before, I was the center of my life and things that I wanted to do came first. Now, they come last. I would have to honestly say that I’ve lost some of myself in becoming a mother and a parent.

[But], it is absolutely worth it! (A huge smile comes across her face and tears well up in her eyes as she says these last words.) Everyday, when I look into my kids’ faces and I see those eyes of wonder, it replenishes my soul; it breathes new life into me. And to hear them say, ‘Mommy, I love you’ and to see them hug and kiss each other. It is… it is absolutely worth it!

Oral History Drafting Checklist, Portfolio Checklist, & Scoring Rubric

Follow the steps in the Drafting Checklist under the style you have chosen to report your oral history. Be sure to email your draft and interview transcription to me (hector.zambrana@gmail.com) as soon as possible.

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Also, remember that all of your portfolio pieces are due for your project on Monday, April 20th. Use the Project Portfolio Checklist below to make sure you have everything.

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Use the updated checklist handed out in class to keep track of your work. Then, use the rubric below to make sure you get a good grade.

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Jeremy Torres

Oral History of Jessica Cruz

Jessica Cruz is a 30 year old mother of 4 kids, a 14 year old(Me), a 9 year old, an 8 year old, and a 1 year old. She is a stay at home wife.She was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico in 1978, and raised in Spanish Harlem since she cane to New York in 1982. I was in my moms house in Brooklyn. Me and my mom sat in the kitchen to talk about racism on a beautiful night. My brothers we’re upstairs playing, so it was quiet in the kitchen.

Well, racism affects everyday life for myself and others like myself because as a puertorican, I’m looked upon as a minority, I feel sometimes, it takes a little more effort to do and get things, just because of the level of racism still around now a days.

I think that there will always be some type of racism, although not as much as years ago. But racism will always exist, hopefully, I’m wrong, and people will change their point of views that racism will be stopped in the future. Who knows?

I really, never had any experiences with racism, but I must say I have felt, and I have been treated differently because of who and what my nationality is. For example, in schools, applying for different jobs, government offices, even outside my own community.

Nah, I don’t feel, that at this day and age there will be any riots. I believe that people have found other ways to express their issues other than violence.

Martin Luther King Jr, was a great man who believed in peace and equality, and now a days, I think that there should be more men and women who should, you know, follow along in his values.

Yeah, racism has always existed, just that years ago, there was more racism than now.

I never wanted to go back because of racism, I actually wanted to go back because I miss my family, my culture, you know, my beliefs.

Its stupid, we’re all the same, we just come in different colors and flavors, that’s all.

No, it was more common, I believe, especially in the 50’s and 60’s.

No, getting arrested, I don’t think is ever the solution, that’s my opinion, but, you know, what she did do, she did stand up for herself, and she did make her voice be heard. So, I applaud her for that, even though I really don’t believe getting arrested, breaking the law is the right solution.

(Proudly)No, I don’t fear racism, I am who I am, and who don’t like it, stereotype me, and whatever.

Segregation was just a way of(pause),you know, another word for racism, it was a way in which people were separated, either by their skin color, their race, and religion. I mean, segregation and racism, it’s all the same.

The End

Christopher Matos

Oral History of Noel Rodriguez

Noel Rodriguez is a 59 year old puertorican. He is a a veteran in the U.S army. He has worked as a cashyear for seven years. He also works at a local baseball clinic to help children get better. He currently lives in brooklyn. On the 23rd we sat down and spoke about segregation.

Segregation kept the poor in my community from going to school. Certain schools didnt except puertoricans or black people. Also segregation kept us from geting better Jobs because of our color not because of our Job. Some people were forced to take less paying Jobs although we had the education to work at better Jobs.

I feel very bad because segregation depride me of alot of oppurtunites. For example I wasent able to get housing in certain places and good nieghborhoods because I was puertorican.

I see segregation in the southern states people there are still living in the bad condition and are unable to get good Jobs or places to live and that deprived me of alot of oppurtunites.

Well myself for example I wanna live in a save area so my family can get a good education and a good Job.

If your able to get good housing and education you will get better Jobs.

Certain people try to put people down who believe there not equal to them or they chose to make fun of them instead of helping them.

The goverment are doing there Job but they are being to slow to enforce laws that are already in the books. Like segregation in the buses in the 60s where a black person could not ride in the front of the bus like a white person could.

In my opinion television has to many programs based on racism. For example a television show about a family living were you only see white people and there going to the good schools. When television puts a show with poor people. They always put us in a situation like comedy were the family lives in a poor neighborhood. Another example would be a show called good times was about a poor family living in the projects.

But sometimes the only way you could get your point across is when your joking and people listen to you because they think your telling a joke. For example Black comedians will tell a joke about five or six black people sleeping in the same bed telling it as a joke but actually Its something that is serious.

That is the reason I feel segregation is discrimination because your keeping people from being together and there not able to get good education or good jobs.

Edwin Prado

BELIEF

Yolanda Prado was born July 24 1957. She is 51 years old. She is a mother of three children and is married woman. Yolanda loves to cook and spend time with her family. She was born in Ecuador and moved into the United State. She was very close to her mother.

It was a nice warm night. The television is on channel forty-one. Yolanda is laying on her queen size bed. As I walk to Yolanda I drop my interview question on the ground. I sit on a chair next to her and start to ask her question.

I ask, “What are you a Catholic or a Christian?”

A quick answer “I am a Catholic”

She looks shock “It took a little bit of half a minute for her to answer the question”. I believe in Jesus because he died, suffer for us. She stops and continues to answer my question again “He died to save us for our sins”. The room got colder

“I followed my mom foot step. Pause “She taught me about Jesus and what happen to him.” “Mostly every night she was to teach me about Jesus. I wouldn’t think she would lie to me about something like that”.

“What did you see in your head when your mother taught you the life of Jesus?” I ask

She thinking very hard with a face like she day dreaming “I saw Jesus getting hit. I saw blood, mother Mary crying, and Jesus suffering. Pause. “Also I saw a little bit of my future” “I stop for a moment because that last line that she said go to me” “I asked her another question” “I felt sad and mad when my mom told me this. I felt sad because the way Jesus and Mary didn’t do anything back to the people that was hurting him. And how them Jesus, and Mary was suffering. I felt mad because the people who were hitting him didn’t stop and didn’t give him a chance to prove himself who he really is.

“If I was to see Jesus face to face I would be happy,” She said with a happy voice. I wouldn’t want to wake up. I would be in shock. I will probably thanks him for being her and ask why are you here.” She looks to the left side of her room. Where a cross with Jesus is on it. Yolanda looks at it for about a minute I look at her and the cross back and forth. Her face was a face of prayers. Yolanda stops and tells me lets continue this interview tomorrow. I said “Okay” I walk to her and gave her a kiss on the ford head and said “Good night” then left the room. From what I seen jus now “I think she was thinking about what happen to Jesus one thousand seventy two years ago. I also think “Jesus was calling her to go to sleep and to speak to her in her dream or something. “I really think Yolanda believing is very important to her.

Elmer Soriano

Oral History of Reyna S.

Reyna Soriano is a 39 year old mother of two. She was born and raised in Mexico. We both sat on the couch on a Tuesday afternoon. The Sun was setting and we talked about immigration. Throughout the interview, you can hear the television and a dog barking in the background.

Immigration, I’ll tell you the problem with immigration is security anyone can come nowadays. Sometimes I think that people are coming here for the same reason. When I first came, I wondered, Is immigration really a big problem? Immigration isn’t a problem now. Well, it used to be. Everybody came to America because they wanted better lives. I used to hear a lot about immigration during 2001 and last year. Now, I barely hear about it, I mostly hear about the economy. When I first came, I used to hear about a lot of different people coming in, but now I don’t mostly hear or see anyone coming to the United States of America or maybe because I am not there when they come. Immigration did a lot to America in my opinion [Immigrants] help the economy and take jobs the most people don’t want.

I remember when I came to the United State. I was only 18 years old.

When I first came, I thought “Now I could improve my life and give myself and my future family a better life”. Luckily, I didn’t come alone. I felt more comfortable with my husband, brother - law and my mother -law at my side. I didn’t have a single dollar in my pocket I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t have any money. I had to get a job I remember working in a factory. That was the only job available to me (she stared outside for about a minute) those were hard times for me.

When someone talked to me in English I would talk back in Spanish and they wouldn’t understand me. It was very hard to understand someone, so I had take classes I took these classes for three years but I still have trouble in some words. [But], I am getting a little better everyday with my sons helping me out. Life was hard when I first came I didn’t know how to get around in the city I couldn’t ask for directions because I didn’t know any English.
Everything here is expensive. You have to pay for everything, back in Mexico you don’t have to pay tax for everything and it’s not very expensive. Everything was much different when I first came. I saw a lot old buildings, the streets were dirty and now a lot has changed. Now, I see modern buildings being built every where, the streets are much cleaner and there is less crime. If I had the chance of going back to Mexico, I would go because my mom lives there and I want to help her out, my brother is disabled and they need me.

During the years that I have lived here, I have faced many challenges I needed to learn English. I didn’t have any money. Socializing with other people [was hard].Those were difficult times for me. I remember one friend who helped me a lot. She taught some English. She also helped me with getting a better job. She showed me other people who can help me. Yeah, she was a good friend. Yeah, I have good life here. I wouldn’t change anything; I have everything here expect my mom and my other brother. If only they had come with me. Living here improved my life. I always wonder “if I never came to America would my life have been different?”

Edgar Primo

Oral History of George Baez
Struggle through Racism

I interviewed my uncle George who is my mothers brother. He live in new york now with his family and runs his buisness. He was born in mexico and was raised there until the age tewnty-five. He deicded to come to the U.S

Well I was born in Monterrey, Mexico September 15 in the year 1967. The circumstances when I was born were very difficult for many reasons. One of the reasons was that my parents didn’t have a steady job so I kept worrying about that. Or sometimes would find a job and a month later lose it. So it was hard for them because having me meant having more expenses in order to take care of me. They soon found a job that was steady and had a good salary.

Another way that the circumstances were bad when I grew up were that the neighborhood where I was growing up had a high rate of crimes going on. There were different kinds of crimes like robberies being committed to people’s stores and kidnaps also happening to the people who had money. There were times that my father would come home and tell us how these people stole his money or anything with value on him. These circumstances made us move to a different place.

So we moved to the Puebla, Mexico where they bought a house with some savings they had. There I got enrolled in school and I was really excited to go to school and meet other kids my age. I remember the first day of school my mom fed me breakfast, cleaned me up and dressed me. She was so happy to see me going to school. She walked me to school but my father didn’t seem excited or at least happy about me going to school. He was always unhappy for some reason. That first year was really nice for me. I learned and played but it ended which I wasn’t so happy about because I did enjoy school.

Next year came and I went to school but one day when I came home my Father had left with al his belongings for ever. I didn’t see him a lot. Sometimes he came by to see how I was. But him leaving really affected me and my mom. I was just 6 years old but understood that I had to be the man of the house, in order for me to help my mom out. I still went to school and worked hard to make my mom happy. I always tried to make her happy anyway I was able to. Everyday after school I would get home and clean the house until she got home from her job. She worked so hard to have money to pay for school and any other expense there was.

Soon I had grown up and finished high school my mom was very proud of me because she didn’t finish high school. I finished high school with honors and that certainly made my mom feel very proud of me. After finishing school I looked for a job and helped my mom. She told me that I should do something with my life and not just work for the rest of it. So I agreed with my mom and I still worked and went to school at night. It was kind of hard but I knew that doing this would help me and my mom have a better future. So I took up another class at a college. I kept working in order to pay for my classes and help my mom. The classes I took were to be an accountant. I decided to become an accountant because I guess since I was little I helped my mom with money issues and enjoyed doing it. So why not take up a career doing something I like to do.

I finished the class sooner than expected and immediately went out to look for an accountant job. I did find one that I worked at for about 6 years. Working there was ok. The salary was good but it seemed as if I was never going to be a better accountant. So I talked to my mom and decided to move to the United States. She agreed with me. I wanted her to come with me but she decided to stay in her house. So I packed up and said bye to my mom. Tears came out as the cab pulled outside and I walked in. I couldn’t imagine not seeing my mom everyday and telling her how much she had done for me.

I arrived to New York and started looking for a place to live. I couldn’t find anything and for a week I had to live in a hotel. I found many places were they had empty apartments but overtime I called to ask about it they would send someone to show me the apartment. As soon as he saw me he would decline the apartment to me. This happened one after another so I started figuring out that it had something to do about my race. One day I was eating lunch and this person of my same race started talking to me and I talked back. At a point in the conversation I told him about my problem and he understood my situation.

He told me how hard it was for him to settle down due to all the racism going on. So he rented me a room in the apartment he rented. He also ask me if I had a job and he told me about an opening they had in a restaurant as a dishwasher. So I took it as an alternative until I found a job as an accountant. On my free time I looked for a job as an accountant and explained to them I went to school and had six years of experience. They always denied the job to me for some reason. There were two times when I figured that it had something to do with my race. Cause one time I asked for the job I wanted and the guy said no we don’t like your kind to be accountants just delivery guys.

I was so mad and told myself not to give up. So I kept looking for that job and there was this one time that as soon as I said I’m looking for a job he said no we don’t need no more delivery guys. Even before I told him what kind of job I wanted. I felt like giving up but told myself that I needed to succeed for me and to make my mom proud. So there was this one time when the restaurant I worked in the boss needed an accountant quick for some issues. I told him that I could help him if he wanted. He looked at me and said, “Do you know anything about this”? I responded, “Yes I am very experienced in being an accountant”. I did the stuff he asked me to do and he was so impressed with my work that he hired me immediately as his new accountant for his chain of restaurants.

That same day I called my mom and told her the good news and she was really happy. The salary I had was very good so I moved to an apartment for myself and thank the guy that let me live with him and was such a big help. A few months past and I decided to get my citizenship. It was a really long process but I got it and went to Mexico to visit my mom and gave her some money I had saved up in order for her to stop working. She didn’t want to take it but I told her that without her being so hard working and thoughtful I wouldn’t have anything. She finally took it and we both started crying because we felt so happy. I stayed in Mexico for a week and had to come back to continue my life. A few years past and I got married and had two kids. I had saved up enough money to buy a business so I bought one. It’s a grocery store that my wife runs and I still work as an accountant. I didn’t forget about my mom. I still visit her once a while.

Now I work as an accountant run my own business and made it threw racism. I never let it bring me down because the mean words just made me keep on trying and I can say that thanks to persevering I now am a successful person. I also live with my family in Queens and running a business gives me something to do. I guess I could have never come this far without my moms help. Even if my father did leave me I still got to be somebody in my life. So I still send money to my mom in Mexico as a token of how much she has done for me. This is how I have been affected by racism as a grown up trying to have a career.

Danilo Ferrand

Oral History of Ms. Sonia

Ms. Sonia was born in New York City. She works at the Upward Bound Program located in 104 street between 5fith and Madison. She has worked in Upward Bound for 6 years,

she’s been making more and more people join this academic program everyday. In this academic program it’s a good place to do your homework and learn more about what your going to do when your older, like college. This program is mostly about college preparation.

It was a sunny, kind of cool day this Tuesday afternoon. I was inside Ms. Sonia’s office it was small and full of life there was light and lots of toys. Ms. Sonia was at her desk holding her daughter. As I reach to get my questions, I see my interviewee laughing, I ask what’s so funny she says “ You in my office asking me questions”.

I ask her the 1^st question What are you in you career ?. Um She replies I’m a College Preparation Counselor”.

What goals have you accomplished that you are most proud of?
My Bachelor’s Degree, um I’m proud of my career and what I do, I’m a proud mother, (Small Laugh).

Have you ever had any experience with discrimination?

Let me think…. Yes, When I went to eat in Taco Restaurant with my daughter the taco restaurant was filled with Caucasians, There were only um Me and some other woman that were Latina in the restaurant. Even though we came first than the other couple the waiter sat them first even though we were first.

In the country you were born in how did they discriminate you?
Umm,….(Curling her hair) Woman’s Rights, Woman are usally paid less than men.

How has racism affected your life?
It hasn’t really affected my life personally.

Do you hear some racism comments now ?

Um… I feel like it’s not much of a big deal now than before.

Noel Fernandez

Oral History of Freddy Fernandez

Freddy Fernandez is a 43 year old man of Dominican descent. He has a wife, a 14 year old boy, a 15 year old boy and a 12 year old girl. We sat together on a gloomy Monday night to talk about immigration. Nobody except us was in the room so the room was quiet throughout the interview.

The biggest problem with immigration is that there are so many problems with people’s jobs, no houses to live in. They also need to find jobs. That’s why you see a lot of immigrants out on the street. I lived in Dominican Republic and I had a little hard working life. But I had a good life. My life was okay, I didn’t have any problems and I had my family to take care of me. I didn’t really have a struggling life (pause) we were a little poor but we got by.

The reason I left DR was because some of my family was here, my brother [and] my father. I just came here to get a better opportunity and find a good job. As the years went by and I got older I wanted a better life. When I came to America, the year was 1985 and I was about 19 years old. When I came, I came with my sister Gisela. I came here in a plane. I was a little nervous because it’s a different and bigger country; I came from a little town. All I brought was my clothes and my belonging.

When I got here I was planning to go back to school but I got a job so I never went back.When I was already in America I only knew a little English. I learned from the people around me [who knew both languages]. When I got a job at a restaurant there was one guy that started teaching me English and I got better at it.

My first job was at a restaurant, I was a dish cleaner and then I got promoted to salad man and then Chef. Then I moved with some guys to another restaurant and worked there for 19 years.

Coming to America affected me in a positive way. Everything went good for me. No problems.(Pauses) I love America! I started to live with two of my brothers and my father in Manhattan for some years and I had no problems living there. Then I went back to DR about 2 years later. The year was 1987 and I was about 22 years old. While I was in DR again, I got married to my girlfriend.

I came back again by myself. It was easier than the first time. I don’t like planes. I was already used to flying. Things went as planned for me, I never had a problem and I had a family here and that’s it. I don’t have any regrets about coming here because it was a good life.

Looking back, over the years, immigration has changed. There were no chasing, no problems. But now there are people getting sent back to their homes. It was a better time back then. Today it’s twice as worse than when I came to America. That's why immigration is an important topic going on in the world.

Emet Valentin

EMET'S INTERVIEW WITH HIS GRAND FATHER

He is my grandfather. He has three duaghters,and two sons.He lives P.R.He always wears white clothes.He has a very nice car.He has a pony tail like my mom's.He likes being outside.He goes to party on friday's,it's called friday.I love the funny magic tricks he does when he visits my family,whenever he comes.

Pues (well) where do I start,I can tell you that poverty is dificil (hard) to understand.One reason it's hard to undertand is that alot of people go through it every day and will keep going un til they die or something is done.Yo creo (I think) that if I was poor I might go crazy, or just loose my mind.

Dior Thiane

Oral History of Leslie Jennings

I sat down with Ms. Leslie Jennings on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. Here in a small and quiet office Ms. Jennings sits and waits patiently to be interviewed. With the look of excitement on her face, we started talking about decision-making and responsibility. I hope to discover the correct way to go about making wise decision and taking responsibilities for your actions. This is her story...

I am Leslie Jennings and I'm an immigration lawyer. I have been a lawyer for more than 15 years and I like my job. I sit down with people who have problems and try to find information about them that may be useful to helping me solve the problem. In my childhood education was very important. My mom made me and my sibling read. She said if the Kennedy's made their children read, so then we had to read. Than that’s when I got my first shot at being a lawyer. In my old college there was a law school that they opened and I decided to apply. At first I was too shy and leaving high school and my first years of law school I didn’t think I was able to do this. Being a female made this even harder. I went to school was with 3 other males and they always told me I was wrong. Every research I did they told me I was wrong but I never listened, because if I did I wouldn't be a lawyer. And those same guys that told me I wasn’t going to make it, they don’t have a licensed of there own to be a lawyer.

I was so determined because in my mind I knew as African American women I wanted to be something that is useful. I started watching law shows like L.A law and I remember Angela Davis, who was lawyer in California who defended prisoners who were mistreated and things like that just made me want to be a lawyer even more. After watching these law shows I started seeing that maybe this could be a good experience for me.

I attended college during the civil rights movement and it was very hard for African Americans to get a good education at this time. I took a few years off school before I finally decided to go back and study law. Law school wasn't easy at all. There were many times I found myself thinking about dropping out, but I pushed myself and never did. Despite the fact that I was poor my determination was too strong to let anything come in my way of succeeding. Compassion is a very big thing to have, help because it’s the right thing to do and because you want to. I think this is the reason why I am an immigration lawyer and not a criminal defense attorney. My personality does not want to defend someone who did something against the law. I think its way of teaching you how to lie. For example, I don’t not want to defend someone who robbed a bank. Because all you’re doing is lying to the jury and the judge and making them think your client wasn't apart of any robbery. 25 percent of law is about criminal law, and that’s a very big percent compared to the rest of the law categories. But it was a decision that I made because I knew it would be best for me. I am a free thinker and I’m also a Muslim, because of my beliefs in god, if a decision doesn’t feel right, than most likely it isn’t.


Sometimes we have clients that convince the lawyer to go against the law. Sometimes we have lawyers that don’t follow the code of ethics. They think there superior and use their powers for the wrong reasons. But not every lawyer is irresponsible and wise decisions. We do have lawyers that are responsible. They listen to there clients and try to help their clients solve their problems and still enforce the law. We lawyers must represent our clients zealously, but at the same time still be respectful towards the other lawyers. That’s why I think its very important for me to choose my own clients because if not than you can find yourselves in situation where you may have to go against the law. Being a lawyer you have to have good connections. I want positive clients that are willing to help themselves as much as I’m willing to help them. They’re my clients because they are my friends or I feel I can have a good relationship, and that we can solve this problem together.

My responsibilities as an immigration lawyer is to keep the trust of my clients, make sure my clients aren't arrested for being here illegally, and I also make sure I have a translator. As in immigration lawyer I have clients that speak different language(s) than I do so it’s my responsibility to hire a translator. Also I have to be careful on how I give out information. I always have to think like judges. I have to be logical and compare everything to the law. I also had to learn how to read between the lines and take notes on peoples reaction. It’s mostly cause and effect, if they react this way that’s because of this. Make sure everything makes sense to you first before you try to persuade others.

Decision-making and responsibility is extremely important in law. I have to be careful on the decisions I make because it doesn’t only affect me but my family. If I choose to take a long case than I wouldn’t be able to see my kids. Basically what I'm saying is being wise about your decision. Think about the consequences and always take responsibility for your actions.

Azalea Rosario

Oral History of Yvette Fernandez

Yvette Fernandez is a 42 year old hard working mother, who raised six kids on her own while attending college. She grew up with two brothers and six sisters in New York, born and raised.


I was born in Midtown Manhattan, 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue in a clinic called a Poly Clinic. [I] grew up around 50th Street and 10th Avenue. I don’t remember a lot from that time, I only remember some things. I mostly remember 53rd and 11th Avenue and of course 55th and 56th between 10th and 11th. I [attended] Interboro college when my oldest daughter turned eighteen years old. The reason why I didn’t go straight into college is because I was pregnant with her, so I waited, I didn’t think I was going to do it, but that’s always been my dream and I to wanted better myself . So I surrounded myself with people who were honest, hardworking like me, didn’t nag and didn’t ask me to go out all the time because I didn’t have time for that. I surrounded myself with someone that would support me knowing that I had so many children. I think I surrounded myself with some good people.

When I was younger, like a teenager, I was introduced to pot, marijuana and they had asked me to try it. I eventually did, and truthfully in the beginning it was all about trying to be cool because everyone else was doing it, but it was actually giving me headaches. I’m glad I wasn’t attached to it, I wasn’t hooked. I’ve actually had many experiences with peer pressure, but I just brushed it off because I thought I was better than that, I was better than the people that were trying to push me. It wasn’t like if I was better than them, it was more like I’m smarter than them.

I have learned from my experiences with peer pressure, for an example the pot situation. I thought that you don’t need to get high to have fun. Even after I became legal, I even stopped drinking because what’s the use? I still have fun without it! When I go out with my friends I usually have a coke. I don’t want to get tired, and when you drink you get tired or you have to run to the bathroom. [I’m here] to have fun, I’m a happy person.

[I personally] think peer pressure is a bad thing because nobody should tell anybody what to do with their life. Nobody should force someone else to do what they really don’t want to do. Peer pressure pretty much means somebody pushing you to do something against everything you believe in. In life you have to make many decisions, life is about learning from your mistakes, everybody makes mistakes, everybody falls for something. Teenagers now-a-days are so much different than teenagers in my days, even the clothing they wear. Those boys have their pants bellow their rear ends, it’s disgusting . I don’t want to see a boy’s underwear! [Back in the day] that was against the rules. The young girls now are too provocative, [they show too much for these young boys.] They shouldn’t be thinking of that, it’s all in the [television], these things going on and they think it is okay. Society has allowed this to happen. It’s not a good thing. Don’t try to grow up faster than you are, stick to your own age.

[Many teenagers pressure one another to do something because] misery loves company. They did something they shouldn’t have done. So they want to drag the other person along with them, it’s stupid, but that’s the way people think. That’s the way it is….

Krisalys Cruz

Oral History of Cristian Ortiz

Cristian Ortiz is a 33 year old mother. She has three kids: A 16 year boy, a 15 year old girl, and a 11 year old boy. She is Puerto Rican- born over there and spent half of her life over here in New York. We took time off in the night to do this interview about peer pressure.

As a kid I had a lot of friends. When growing up I got to admite I did go under peer pressure. To me peer pressure just means that people are followers. I always told my kids not be like others all the time I don't like that. When I was young my friends always wanted to cut school and since I wanted to be cool like them I fail all my classes and didn't finish school. Thats what happens when you go under peer pressure. The friends I like are people who's honest , always there for me , and when I'm doing something wrong they will let me know. To me I think peer pressure is always negative. People fall into peer pressure when their friends tell someone to do something and if they don't do it, they are not cool. Peer pressure influences the way I dress because I want to be down and cool. Peer pressure influences people sometimes to do sex, drugs, to drink, etc. I am the way I am today because the people i really grew up with didn't put me under pressure. To me, peer pressure has not affected me because i didn't follow it. The way people dress and the things they use some things that under peer pressure that people don't notice. People are influences by other people because maybe they just want to be better than them

Frederick Inoa

Oral History of Crystal Floyd

It was a cold day as I walked in the upward bound it just got colder. I took the elevator to the third floor. As I walked in to crystal’s office I was nervous to how she would react to the questions I was going to ask her during the interview. Yea I was nervous but I sat down and told crystal that I was ready to interview her. So then I asked her my first question.

Where did you grow up as a kid?

As a kid I grew up in Brooklyn New York

How was your childhood?

Sometimes it was good sometimes not so good

As you were growing up did you ever live in Spanish Harlem?

No I never lived around here

Around where you lived did you experience fights?

Yes but they were regular fights back then no weapons

Were students in your school segregated?

Elementary school was intergrated there were more black schools

Were you ever picked on because of your race?

I was never picked on because of the color of my skin

As a teenager did you have more challenges in life?

Yes I had more challenges as a teenager life was harder more work

What race are you?

I am black

As I was interviewing crystal it smelled like pineapple juice and fish. I was looking around I was surrounded by many pictures on the wall showing other students that long ago went to the upward bound program. I kept on hearing Christians voice as he kept telling Ms. Crystal that he needed to interview her. I was touching the table squeezing my hands as I patiently waited for ms. Crystal to tell him to get out

Christian Sauri

Christian Sauri

Mr.Green is a 50 year old man and he is currently working at a program that goes by the name of Upward Bound. Upward bound is located on 104th street between 5th and Madison. He watches over the kids who play basketball in the gym and sometimes he plays himself. Mr.Green was born and raised here in New York.

Mr green used to play basketball in his college.

How was the neighborhood you grown up in? Why do you think that was?
Green: “ Um... well I can't exactly say that is has been good or bad so ill say in between.”

Have you dealt with racism?
Green: “ I will say yes because i used to be called names because of my skin complexion.”

Have any of your friends or neighbor's acted in anyway racial to you?
Green: “ Well no but, i have seen them have arguments about other people's skin complexions.”



What type of school did you used to go to?
Green: “ Hmm... I'll say the school I went to was all right, there weren't a lot of fight so it was good.”