Cover Art: ‘A Burst of Butterflies’
By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com
The following is the art that appeared on the cover of the Feb. 1, 2024 print issue for Black History Month:
Digital illustration by Christine Stoddard
‘Stolen Dough’ Docudrama Details Bensonhurt Inventor’s Legal Battle with Pizza Hut
By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com
The next time you are salivating over a stuffed crust pizza, consider its origins. It just might be another Brooklyn invention. A new docudrama, Stolen Dough, directed by Stefano Da Frè, tells the story of Bensonhurst native Anthony Mongiello, claiming him as the real inventor of the stuffed crust pizza at the tender age of 18.
According to that same narrative, his patent was stolen by Pizza Hut, who brands the dish as Original Stuffed Crust® Pizza. The controversy stems from Mongiello’s history of communication with the company, including pitching his patent, which dates back to 1987.
The film, now streaming on Amazon Prime, tells the story of Mongiello’s one-billion-dollar lawsuit against the famous pizza franchise. At its heart, Stolen Dough is a story about capitalism, competition, and theft.
Prior to inventing the stuffed crust pizza, Mongiello worked at a local pizzeria that his friend’s father owned.
“I had a lot of respect for the small business owners, who put in 15-16 hours each day, with all the preparation of ingredients, and running a small business,” wrote Mongiello in an email forwarded to the Brooklyn Star by his media rep, Ryan McCormick of Goldman McCormick Public Relations. “However, most importantly, the person I respected the most was my father. He worked in the manufacturing of cheese products and held several patents all related to manufacturing inventions.”
Mongiello continued crediting his father in saying, “My father was a guiding force in my life as an inventor. He was the man who invented the actual Polio String Cheese stick that was sold as snacks to families across America. We were extremely inventive as a family. My father taught me to never take anything for granted and that supplied me with the values I still hold to this day.”
Mongiello has more than 30 years of experience in the cheese industry, most notably as CEO of Formaggio Cheese.
Getting Stolen Dough from concept to streaming was a years-long process. In 2022, director Da Frè, working in collaboration with Laura Pelligrini from Rosso International Films, won a grant from the Russo brothers, known for directing four Marvel films. The brothers, Anthony Russo and Joseph Russo, who are active members of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), fund the The Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Grant, which is administered by the National Italian American Foundation.
Mongiello said, “Stefano had pitched my story to them, and they loved the aspect of a true Italian American drama. The rest is history! Stolen Dough was only 1 out 7 features chosen to get funding and support from the Russo Brothers out of 1, 200 submissions.” The project won an additional grant from the Sons and Daughters of Italian American Foundation in May 2023.
Stolen Dough runs 46 minutes and is shot in a crime-suspense style. The film mixes interviews with stylized re-enactments of a young Mongiello inventing the stuffed crust pizza, pitching the idea to Pizza Hut and other major pizza franchises, and bonding with his brother over family history and pride.
“Seeing my story on the big screen and now streaming, is a dream come true,” wrote Mongiello. “I wanted to share my story with people for a very long time.”
Comic: Forget Fairytales (No. 1)
By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com
The following comic is from Christine Stoddard’s Forget Fairytales series and was published in the Jan. 4, 2024 print edition:
Forget Fairytales comic by Christine Stoddard.
A Brooklynite’s Quick Museum Guide to Mexico City
By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com
Right now, local museum-lovers gushing over the Spike Lee exhibition, which was recently extended at the Brooklyn Museum. But what if you are a museum nerd who longs for warmer locales? You might consider a trip to Mexico City, which is in some ways comparable to New York City for its size, cultural touchstones, and diversity in arts and entertainment.
A round-trip flight from JFK to MEX is typically $400-600 this time of year, and I swung a private Airbnb for just under $40 a night during my six-night, mid-January stay. During the day, temperatures reached highs in the 70s and, at night, the lows hit the mid-40s. With a currency exchange rate 16 times in our favor as Americans, the cost of eating out (and just about anything else!) is a gift to a Brooklynite’s wallet.
A view of Teotihuacan, a pre-hispanic archeological complex northeast of Mexico City.
Here are some of the Mexico City museums you might visit:
Museo Nacional de Antropología/National Museum of Anthropology: A massive museum full of Indigenous and ancient, pre-Hispanic wonders. Lose hours here.
Castillo de Chapultepec/ Chapultepec Castle: The Viceroyalty of New Spain lived here, so the visit feels like a mini escape to Europe. You will find many artifacts from the 1700s and 1800s. Think Hamilton-era but Spanish.
Teotihuacan: Not technically within the city, but nearby (and worth the hour drive), this archeological wonder is unlike anything in the Tri-State area. Giant pyramids call for your comfiest sneakers!
Museo Mural Diego Rivera/Diego Rivera Mural Museum: You have probably seen it in a thousand art history textbooks, but here you can soak in its full splendor: the sweeping Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central mural.
Museo Frida Kahlo/Frida Kahlo Museum: This cobalt blue house museum is sometimes referred to as la Casa Azul. A must-see for Frida fans.
Museo de Arte Moderno/Museum of Modern Art: A unique collection of Mexican Modern art (roughly 1860s-1970s), including work by Rivera and Kahlo in its permanent collection, but also artists less frequently known to Americans. It is similar to the Mexican version of our MoMa. The gorgeous sculpture garden truly distinguishes the experience.
Museo de Tamayo/Tamayo Museum: The contemporary art museum, full of exciting work by international artists working today. It is our equivalent of the New Museum or the Whitney Museum of Art.
‘Believe the Hype’ Column: Caring For Yourself and Others, Come Clay or Snow
By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com
The following was originally published in the Jan. 25, 2024 print edition:
On yet another teeth-chattering morning, I found myself yanking on my snow boots and burying myself under an annoying amount of clothing. In less than 20 minutes, I was due at Artshack, where I would begin my first-ever wheel-throwing class. It was just enough time to walk, I realized as I double-checked Google Maps, but I didn’t want to risk slipping on the ice. I remembered walking through NYCHA’s Red Hook Houses earlier on in the week. The largest public housing project in Brooklyn has been under construction since 2020, and I found myself sliding on its frozen paths like a penguin. Such frustration would not be repeated that week. On a clear spring day, I could bolt over to Artshack, located on Bedford Avenue in Bed-Stuy, in a quarter of an hour. So into the car I went.
Warming up the car adds to the list of tasks that require winter’s slower pace. This is not a pace most New Yorkers seem to appreciate. We want to get moving, fast. Yet the reality is that we live in a place that demands extra prep on a typical January day. After we go through the annoyance of bundling up, maybe with a warm thermos in hand, we arm ourselves with ice scrapers, snow brushes, salt bags, and shovels. Then we brave the cold and all of its inconveniences. The upside is that we live in a place that experiences changes in season and snow, when it first falls, is a sight to behold.
Artshack, a Haven
Though I had never been to Artshack prior to that class, from the moment I entered, I felt at peace. Started in 2008 by McKendree Key, this non-profit community ceramics studio offers classes to children and adults, but, this being the heart of Brooklyn, it has a progressive slant. The studio, which moved to its current location in 2016, brands itself as anti-racist and queer-affirming, and claims a strong belief in “the healing powers of clay.” Classes are affordable, with opportunities for scholarships and free and subsidized programming for low-income members of the community. (Benefitting from such financial aid allowed me to take my pottery class here.) In addition to there being studio space, there is a gallery and café. The café seems to be an ecosystem of its own, with folks chatting or clacking away at their laptops.
Donations to Artshack are collected year-round and very tangibly broken down on the website at ArtshackBrooklyn.org. A $50 donation, for example, will pay for one child to come to Open Clay Time. On Jan. 27, Artshack will offer a free clay workshop in honor of Gun Violence Survivors Week as one of its regular Community Days. Participants will “create, connect, and shape symbols of peace with clay.”
My wheel teacher is Ivan Samuels, a talented artist whose pottery depicting coral reef motifs called to me. From my first interactions with him, I found him to be patient and good-humored. Any teacher will tell you that these can be difficult qualities to cultivate and maintain. Still, I didn’t detect even the slightest strain in Ivan’s voice, no matter how much I bumbled. In a society that emphasizes perfection, it was a relief to have a space to try and fail among encouragement. Clay is messy, figuratively and, of course, literally.
As I cleaned up, I remembered that working with clay sucks the moisture out of your skin. On a wintery day, that means applying even more lotion than usual. I personally prefer cocoa butter, though I must admit I have not tried any of the local Brooklyn brands. (Of course, I am open to suggestions.) You have to take care of yourself in the studio, much as you do in the rest of your life. There are consequences for neglecting what your body needs.
Severe Cold Tips For Everyone
NYC’s Severe Weather web page outlines snow safety because, depending on where you grew up and how long you have lived in the Tri-State area, it is not necessarily common sense. Our city has recently welcomed more than 100,000 new arrivals. Many come from warmer parts of the world; at this time the top countries of origin for New York City’s asylum seekers are Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia. Can they really be expected to know how to dress for the weather? After all, how many New Yorkers neglect to layer up? How often do I see people of all kinds not wearing hats, hoods, or scarves, despite the fact that most of our body heat escapes through the head? Proper winter attire is not common knowledge across America; even so, having knowledge does not mean having access. Thanks to that blast of Arctic air from Canada, more than 90 people died due to weather-related causes this past week. At least three of those deaths occurred in New York state.
Floyd Bennett Field Migrants
You may be aware that many asylum seekers live at a shelter at Floyd Bennett Field in Marine Park. According to ardent complaints in a Facebook group called “STOP FLOYD BENNETT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS” (which I found because of a recent New York Post article), some of these migrants are going door to door not only asking for food and money but for warm clothes. Calls for donations to the “tent city” families have filled my social media.
While writing this column, I saw @southbrooklynmutualaid post a call for donations on Instagram. On the list were gently used or new winter coats, warm layering clothes (sweaters, heat tech, jackets), winter shoes, and ponchos. Advertised drop-off locations include Roots Cafe (639 5th Ave.), Community Bookstore (143 7th Ave.), Van Alen Institute (303 Bond St., Tues.-Thurs., 10am-5pm), and Brooklyn Army Terminal (with a filled out form, available on @southbrooklynmutualaid’s Instagram bio link). Inquiries for joining up the organizing work can be sent to southbkmutualaid@gmail.com.
Savvy Snow Removal
Now back to NYC’s Severe Weather tips. In perusing the list, I was reminded to stretch before going out; shoveling snow especially is a work-out. Another tip is to cover your mouth so brutally cold air does not enter your lungs. Shoveling snow can be a major heart attack risk, so take breaks and guzzle your H20. Also, keep dry, which means going back inside and changing your clothes if you get wet from lots of sweat, melting snow, or who knows what. And let’s not forget our neighbors! If someone is a senior citizen or has disabilities, they may need assistance. We may not always have the patience for kindness, but looking out for each other is part of what makes New York City liveable.
The City of New York also has a whole Snow Response webpage on the New York City Department of Sanitation site. Did you know that you can track snow plows in the city? There is a feature called PlowNYC that supposedly lets you see where plows are working in real-time. Of course, I found out about this feature after it snowed, so I cannot tell you how well it works. I will have to wait until the next snowfall to investigate.
According to the DSNY site, it is up to residents and businesses to clear snow and ice from sidewalks. The path must be at least four feet wide; snow and ice must be removed from around fire hydrants, as well as sidewalk corner ramps. If the snowfall ends between 7am and 4:59pm, it must be cleared within four hours. If it ends between 5pm and 8:59pm, it must be cleared within 14 hours. Snowfall ending between 9pm and 6:59am must be cleared by 11am. Precise! Fines range from $100-250. Yikes. Let’s try to avoid those, shall we? And not just because of tickets, but again, to do right by our neighbors.
Cover Art: ‘We Yearn’ Painting
By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com
The following painting appeared on the cover of the Jan. 25, 2024 print edition; it is a watercolor by artist and Brooklyn community editor Christine Stoddard:
Brooklyn Goofballs Release ‘Don’t Mind If I Don’t’ Episode on Bagpipes
By Aaron Gold | news@queensledger.com
The following was originally published in the Jan. 25, 2024 print issue:
Do most people, when interviewed, write their own introduction to said interview? Well, Christine [editor of the Brooklyn Star and co-host of Don’t Mind If I Don’t] asked me to, so here I am, introducing you to your introduction to our team and my silly little venture outside of my comfort zone. I believe it was Rosa Parks who said, “This feels weird.” And, boy, does that sentiment still ring true today. But these are odd times, as the world continues to descend into about 14 types of madness, so what the hell? If there’s one thing I’ve learned through doing Don’t Mind If I Don’t, it’s that understanding often breeds interest. In our first episode, we tackled the most annoying instrument I have ever heard in the almighty bagpipe. What started as a fun way for me to rag on things I’m irritated by grew into an appreciation and, dare I say, respect for the noble honkbags. And with Burns Night [Jan. 25th Scottish holiday celebrating poet Robert Burns, during which there are lots of bagpipes piping] upon us, it feels right to reflect on all the growth we’ve had through doing this project. After all, I believe it was Robert Burns himself who said, “Stop misquoting people. You already did this bit in the intro already.”
Don’t Mind If I Don’t began as a podcast that ran four years. Last year, two people I greatly admire approached me about making it a TV show, which we could shoot at Manhattan Neighborhood Network and in the wilds of New York City. And speaking of people I admire, please enjoy getting to know the crew of Don’t Mind If I Don’t: me, creator/host Aaron Gold of Bed-Stuyvesant; director Thomas Dunn of Crown Heights; co-host/art director Christine Stoddard of Bed-Stuy (and, full disclosure, community editor of this newspaper); director of photography/editor Jacob Maximillian Baron, formerly of Crown Heights but now of Harlem (traitor); co-producer/production manager Nate Brown of Park Slope; and line producer Bridget Dennin of Bay Ridge.
As editor of the paper, Christine drafted all answers of the questions, dumped them in a Google Doc, and demanded that the rest of the team answer them. They mostly complied. Sometimes Christine answered her own questions because she’s weird.
I know this is painful, but I’m a sadist: What’s your one-sentence pitch for what this show is?
Aaron: Fans and experts of things I don’t like convince me why I am wrong.
Tom: It’s a show about using comedy to learn to (maybe) like something you once hated.
Jake: Aaron dislikes things for dumb reasons, experts like things for smart reasons, who will win?!
Nate: Aaron has a lot of things he doesn’t like, but he’s ready to learn about them from experts and enthusiasts who actually do like the things.
Um, why are you (we???) making this TV show?
Aaron: One part entertaining others through expanding my horizons, and one part this is the only way I would probably try these things so might as well make my pain the audience’s gain and pass the savings on to you!
Tom: Petty hatred and frustrations are the source of all good comedy. Using your knee-jerk jokes as a way to hate something a little bit less is just plain fun.
Christine: Aaron is my boyfriend and I felt like supporting his dreams and [insert more sappy stuff here.] Plus, I like being on camera and designing things.
Jake: Christine is my friend and Aaron is her boyfriend and I felt like supporting his dreams and [insert more sappy stuff here]. Plus I get to play with shiny film equipment.
Nate: Aaron’s such a people person, but there’s a lot of things that he doesn’t like. And in learning to understand why a person likes a thing, it’s an attempt to understand people that we don’t always agree with. Being able to learn and grow, and change your thoughts about something is one of the biggest things we can do as humans. Also, [insert sappy stuff here].
What was your favorite part of making the first episode on bagpipes?
Aaron: Actually playing the bagpipes was pretty fun! I didn’t expect to enjoy that, but hey, that’s the name of the game, right? Also, jumping through the paper at the beginning. What can I say? I like to make an entrance.
Tom: Having two pipists in our studio, holding their ears while the other one readied their bagpipes for the exhibition. They love their instruments, and the culture around them, but they acknowledge that they are still LOUD.
Christine: Our guests were such a delight! And I could ask them whatever I wanted—good news for a journalist.
Jake: The interview subjects were just really fun people behind-the-scenes and the set had a great vibe that day, despite the chaos of a first shoot.
Bridget: I personally loved learning the history of the bagpipes. As someone who went to school for music and has a family that is very proud of their celtic heritage; it was interesting to hear our guests talk about the musicology of the bagpipes.
Nate: I didn’t help with it, but I watched it! You could tell the enthusiasm that guests had for what they were trying to teach about it.
How is the experience of watching the TV show different from listening to the podcast?
Aaron: Hoo boy. Well, for starters, the editing is a lot more intensive. You can get away with a lot more rambling and pausing in the podcast format. Also, finding ways to keep interviews funny and lively can sometimes be a challenge, but Jake and the rest of the team do a great job finding visual jokes to plug in.
Tom: Podcasting is a much more forgiving medium. You can ramble, make faces, reference research notes…you can pretty much do anything and it will be condoned. Not so much with TV. There is a greater expectation to be entertained and you will be judged on your preparedness.
Jake: I don’t listen to podcasts other than having helped edit one about the sex lives of middle-aged divorcées, so I’m going to defer to the others on this one. Shoutout to “Women on the Remake,” though. I learned far too much.
Nate: The medium is the biggest difference for me. Podcasts are such a low-participation form of media. You can be doing anything else while listening to one. They can go on for hours, and it’s just people having a conversation. But TV is a visual medium. You have to be able to answer the question, “Why does this need to be seen and not just heard?” What about it makes it visually interesting? So it’s up to the producers and directors to figure out how to make that conversation at least a little visually dynamic.
What are your hopes and dreams and unicorn fliffy-fluffs for this show?
Aaron: A budget would be nice. One that doesn’t come from my bank account. Aside from that, I’d love to be on a streaming service with a regular production schedule. This stuff takes a lot of time and effort and getting paid to do it all would go down oh so smoothly.
Tom: There are so many things we all don’t like in this world and comedy is still the best way to talk about it without making people feel like they have to eat their vegetables at family dinner. I think it would be interesting to have guest costars with our hosts, so we could learn the petty hatreds of our favorite celebrities, athletes, politicians, etc…
Jake: This is the kind of show that I feel like has the potential to get bigger and more creative with each shoot, especially considering how creative and collaborative the whole team is. Oh, and getting paid more than Taco Bell and free office coffee would be a lovely bonus, but then again, I’d just be using the money on Taco Bell anyway.
Nate: I absolutely want to see Aaron out in the field doing Billy On the Street-style interviews with regular people, to see if he’s alone in his hatred of a specific topic, or if he’s a part of the general consensus. And maybe even a street segment after he’s learned about the subject, so maybe he can go do things like teach the world about how okay bagpipes are!
Do you believe in life after love?
Aaron: Yes, of course! I think getting your heart broken is a great way to shatter a lot of the illusions of a relationship and help crystallize what you actually like and don’t like in reality. I know that’s not a joke but I take Cher lyrics very seriously.
Tom: Very much so. Why just the other day someone ate the last half-sour pickle in the fridge. I still can’t bring myself to talk about it. My wife tells me I am brave to put my feelings out there like this, being so open.
Jake: My heart knows only hate.
Nate: Only if I could turn back time.
And now, dear readers, go watch the first episode of Don’t Mind If I Don’t on YouTube. The channel handle is @dontmindtheshow. So, that’s: youtube.com/@dontmindtheshow. You can do it! We believe in you!
Fun Facts about Pigeons, the Unofficial Winged Mascot of New York City
• Pigeons are birds that make up the family Columbidae (order Columbiformes)—though not all pigeons are graduates of Columbia University. Some went to NYU.
• The most common pigeon in New York City is the rock dove, or Columbia livia. Some people prefer the term sky rat.
• Doves and pigeons are cousins, with doves generally
Illustration by Christine Stoddard.
being smaller and pigeons bigger. Exception: the white domestic pigeon. You know, the Jesus kind.
• All pigeons strut and bob. It’s not scientifically known if all pigeons boogie.
• Pigeons are monogamous. There is no known dating app for pigeons.
• The mama pigeon lays two eggs at a time in a nest. This is just a plain cute fact. Please don’t try to make it cuter because you will fail.
• The mama and papa pigeon take turns incubating the eggs–Mama at night, Papa during the day. Equality!
• A young pigeon is called a squab or squeaker. You also shouldn’t try to come up with something cuter. Those are cute enough.
• All species of pigeons are edible. It’s up to you to decide if you want to go there.
• Pigeons poop on monuments. This is just known. Ask a toddler. But we needed another fact to fill up this column. That’s how designing on deadline works.
Sources (for the real stuff):
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, NYC Parks, Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds (London: Merehurst Press).
‘Believe the Hype’ Column: Excitement, Not Worry, for the Future
By Christine Stoddard | cstoddard@queensledger.com
This piece was originally printed in our Jan. 18, 2024 edition.
This week, our new community editor, Christine Stoddard, returns with her column “Believe the Hype.”
There’s a relief that comes from writing a show and not having to direct it. Midway through another dress rehearsal, I reminded myself that my work on this production had been done for literal years. I could afford to lose some control. It was time to meet my boyfriend at a digital art installation—whatever that meant. I ran to the stuffy attic lobby of The Tank, where I was met with an anti-climactic wait for the elevator. About two minutes later, I bolted down W. 36th Street and rounded 8th Avenue, elated as a kid playing hooky. I deserved to relax.
A tourist at Shirley Chisholm State Park.
Full of anticipation, I wiggled on the platform. In an effort to shed myself of one more responsibility, I kept myself clueless about Inter_,the venue where I was meeting Aaron. I was even more excited about what would come afterwards. He was taking me “somewhere”—a true surprise.
Fast forward to me bounding through Canal Street, jumping over tarps bursting with knock-off designer purses, nearly running into tables piled with cheap sunglasses and the slow-moving tourists who clogged the sidewalk. I squeezed through the sweaty masses until I saw Aaron outside a stately building, probably a former bank. A wave and a couple of moments later, I was in his arms. We stepped inside and grabbed our 3-D glasses.
Inter_ delivered a dizzying array of lights, animation, and booming narration that I mostly didn’t catch. Something about humanity’s future announced in a British accent.I found myself hunting for glitches in the psychedelic videos and semi-hidden projectors in the motion-activated rooms. Sometime in the glow-in-the-dark alien rainforest room, I chastised myself: Don’t be cynical. Have fun.
We both felt slightly ill stumbling out of Inter_, though I distracted myself with the impending surprise. I showered Aaron with guesses as he led me to the N train and in circles around the station. Usually I was the navigator. We rarely ventured to the Upper East Side, which made the destination tougher to pinpoint, but he said he wouldn’t tell me even if I got it right. Once we found ourselves on the street again, I spotted red boxes swinging in the sky and shouted “Roosevelt Island!” I clapped and hugged him. I had never taken the tram.
We pushed toward the card kiosk and swiped our MTA cards. Five minutes later, the tram arrived, bright, clean, and air-conditioned. Aaron pushed inside to grab us a place by the window. We squished ourselves by a handful of children chattering in Portuguese as the tram ascended the guts of the Queensboro Bridge. As we climbed higher, Aaron beckoned me to peep inside of skyscraper windows. If the offices looked like movie sets, it’s because we were hovering among prime Manhattan real estate—the stuff of American fantasy. The East River sparkled below us. So says the Brooklynite, even Queens looked beautiful with its more modest cityscape glimmering before the waterfront. Aaron beamed at me. I didn’t have to put on a show: I was happy.
Prospect Park After Dark Hike
One way I personally find more peace in my own life is by connecting to nature. Once again, I am not the only one. According to an article published by the University of Minnesota, “How Does Nature Impact Our Wellbeing?,”more than two-thirds of people retreat to nature when stressed. NYC Parks programs a whole calendar of free and low-cost events that you can check out at https://www.nycgovparks.org/events.
Here are three upcoming NYC Parks events in Brooklyn locations that caught my eye (just examples):
Jan. 20: Gather Around the Campfire at Vincent Abate Playground (in McCarren Park), 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Join the Urban Park Rangers for an afternoon of campfire activities such as stories, songs, and s’mores!
Jan. 20: Prospect Park After Dark Hike at Parkside Avenue and South Lake Drive (in Prospect Park), 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a hike after sundown around Prospect Park Lake. You’ll explore and experience the sights and sounds of Prospect Park at night.
Jan. 21: Birding: Winter Waterfowl Super Hike at American Veterans Memorial Pier, Bay Ridge, 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a long walk.
Meowzers!
Maybe a more permanent commitment to Mother Earth is what your waning optimism needs. My boyfriend and I look for any excuse to have an animal sighting, playdate, or encounter, but are wary of taking in a pet because of our hectic schedules. (I volunteered at a nature center in high school; I have some sense of the commitment proper animal care entails.) Animal shelters are the first place that come to mind for urban animal care and advocacy. But not all animal rescue organizations are shelters.
Recently, I was reminded of Brooklyn Animal Action, which rescues and rehomes cats and has no physical location. Yep–not a shelter, just doing what many shelters ought to do. This volunteer-run organization is keen on Trap-Neuter-Return programs for managing our local feral cat colonies. Supporters include Brooklyn Veterinary Group, Park Slope Veterinary Center, Vinegar Hill Veterinary Group, and others. If you may want to foster, adopt, volunteer, or donate, go to BrooklynAnimalAction.org for more information. A feline friend may just light up your life.
AmeriCorps in Our Borough
Not everyone is gaga for nature, especially in a concrete jungle like ours. Another way to choose happiness is through service. With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day so recently passed, I would be remiss not to mention volunteering. It is, after all, an official day of service. When I was an AmeriCorps volunteer, MLK Day meant organizing our biggest community service event of the year (preparing and hosting lunch at a homeless shelter in my college town.) AmeriCorps is a federally run government program that trains and places volunteers across the country. But you don’t have to go anywhere! Many AmeriCorps decide to serve right at home, like I did. AmeriCorps State and National programs exist in a variety of fields. While I volunteered at a public elementary school, other AmeriCorps volunteers serve in clinics, youth programs, financial literacy programs, senior citizen centers, and, yes, parks and nature centers. One of my college classmates did AmeriCorps at Shirley Chisholm State Park! AmeriCorps benefits include a modest living allowance, scholarships, loan deferment, interest forbearance, and alumni network, and more. Find out more at AmeriCorps.gov.
May your hopes for the rest of the month and year remain bright (or get brighter) in however you choose happiness.
For news and tips, please email brooklyndtstar@gmail.com.
‘Believe the Hype’ Column: Casual Encounters in City Life
The following piece was originally printed in our Jan. 11, 2024 edition.
This week, our new Brooklyn community editor, Christine Stoddard, returns with her column “Believe the Hype.” Send your comments, questions, and tips to brooklyndtstarnews@gmail.com.
On this page, you will find a photo of my former neighbor Christina, dated from 2018. I use the term “neighbor” loosely. Christina lived a few blocks away from me when I called Howard Avenue, just south of Atlantic, my home. At the time, I was walking through Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, and Brownsville to take posed portraits of people I encountered. The cityscape served as our set. We always exchanged a few words, sometimes going into longer conversations if it flowed naturally. I was curious about folks’ experiences and how we co-existed in Central and East Brooklyn, despite living totally separate lives. Every apartment building or brownstone is a microcosm; bodegas occupy parallel universes. A city park contains galaxies upon galaxies.
A photo the columnist took in 2018 of a neighbor.
Resumed Mask Mandate at NYC Public Hospitals
Though the COVID pandemic has ended, the coronavirus remains with us. As of Jan. 3rd, the mask mandate has resumed at all 11 of New York City’s public hospitals due to a rise in not only COVID but flu and respiratory syncytial (RSV) cases. The mandate applies to NYC Health + Hospitals’ health clinics and nursing homes, too. A COVID surge may inspire any number of reactions: ambivalence, disbelief, fear, frustration, sadness. When I first learned about the reinstated mask mandate, I mentally transported myself to March 2020, back to that apartment on Howard Avenue, and that crippling feeling of isolation. Even next door neighbors were suddenly off-limits. I had to abandon my neighborhood photo project, or at least put it on hold.
Eventually, as we all know, the city reopened, but, as we also all know, it is not the same city we knew in 2019 or even early 2020. What I miss most are the abundance of casual, sometimes heart-warming, hilarious, or incredible encounters that can only happen in a big city like ours. In suburbs and rural areas, people are simply too spread out from one another. There is far less foot traffic (or perhaps none at all). Have you ever been to a small town with no sidewalks? Having lived in different parts of Virginia and Iowa, I have…and it is creepy.
Outside of a metropolis, stand-alone houses and cars silo neighbors from one another. You may have a bigger lawn, but it is unlikely you will meet interesting strangers on the bus or witness unexpected acts of kindness from someone you just met.
Vendor Ban on Brooklyn Bridge
New Yorkers’ appreciation for synchronicity is probably one of the reasons so many people are upset about the vendor ban at the Brooklyn Bridge. The city ban went into effect on Jan. 2, with the Department of Transportation employees and NYPD officers clearing tables and carts at the stroke of midnight. No more souvenir tables. No more pop-up photo booths. No more kebabs. According to Mayor Adams, this ban is necessary for improving pedestrian traffic and safety. Last fall, more than 34,000 pedestrians visited the bridge on an average weekend.
Not everyone agrees that the vendors should go. Currently, New York City Council member Gale Brewer (District 6, Manhattan) is working on legislation to create a designated space for vendors. I, for one, am intrigued by this possibility and hope for a solution that promotes street life without allowing a circus to take hold.
Abolitionist Plaza
While there’s debate on how we ought to use our public spaces, one thing is certain here in Brooklyn: We have them–and, according to the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership’s 2023 Year-in-Review report, there are more on the way. In July, the mayor announced that more than $40 million would be invested in Downtown Brooklyn for streetscape improvements, public space and transportation upgrades, and pedestrian safety enhancements. That includes $8 million in dedicated funding for the Fulton Mall Streetscape.
Also mentioned in the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership report was Abolitionist Plaza, which I am waiting for with bated breath. Slated to open in Spring 2024, the 1.15 acre space between Duffield Street and Albee Square West promises “a children’s play area, waterplay feature, lawn space, a dog run, multiple seating areas, and more.” It’s hard not to raise an eyebrow at “and more,” but let’s check it a few months (fingers crossed) to see what we find. Or at least I will!