What About Brownsville?
by 
Brooklyn has become one of the fastest growing boroughs of the year. Downtown Brooklyn just opened it’s doors to Nordstrom Rack, and soon to build new high-end retail shops and condos. Bed-Stuy, or as the new residents call is “Stuyvesant-Heights” has practically rebuilt the entire neighborhood, from new housing to outdoor diners and a great shopping area. But as Brooklyn continues to grow and change have we forgotten some areas?
(Brenda Ann Kenneally for The New York Times) Shamir Center
As I was reading an article this morning written by Mosi Secret of The New York Times titled “On The Brink In Brownsville“, I have to question, have we forgotten certain parts of Brooklyn? Secret describes a day in the life of a young man named Shamir. He goes on to detail Shamir’s environment or lack there of,
Among the walkers last summer was a 15-year-old named Shamir, who made the rounds with such abandon that his parents seldom knew where he was. He moved out of their apartment in July, after he and his older stepbrother got into a blowup over clothes (Shamir had sworn that he did not wear his stepbrother’s new shirt, until his stepbrother saw him wearing it in a photo on Facebook), and moved into an apartment with another of his brothers. The move took him from an area on the outer edge of Brownsville, where his parents had moved from the Van Dyke Houses, back to the heart of the projects, where he spent most of his childhood. There he woke up when he pleased, drank when he wanted and took girls back to his room when he could (after lots of flirting on Facebook).
I am questioning how it was even possible for a 15 year old to be able to move out. That’s another article. Secret then goes on to describe Shamir and his friends’ yearning for something to do to cut his boredom and keep him occupied.
The boys’ immediate hope is to make life better by finding something to do to cut their boredom or by buying things — like Michael Jordan sneakers — that will win them admiration. A deeper yearning is to escape the neighborhood altogether. But both short-term and long-term goals require cash, which is in short supply.
While this article is informing and justifies what most people already know, which is, our children want and need something to do, the article still lacks a resolve. What is there to do in Brownsville? Why aren’t business owners looking at Brownsville to build new business? Have we forgotten about Brownsville?
If you know any such locksmiths, the situations becomes easy in a lock out circumstances, but one problem with http://niksautosalon.com/?cat=1 cialis prescription not so known local locksmiths is you may not find him at your side, at the middle of the night, early hour of morning or at any deserted place.
According to Ginia Bellanfante in her article for The Nation, she goes on to describe Brownsville being constructed to “displace large groups of African-Americans into the newly built housing projects, it was really designed as a ghetto.” She goes on to say even though the South Bronx is still considered to be one of the poorest neighborhoods it has become “much more revitalized than Brownsville”.
While I do know that Brownsville has a lot of work to be done, I did find a NYC Parks Recreation Center that is open seven days a week. The amenities include a pool, exercise room, handball court, computer resource center  among others. The Young Adults membership is only $25 for the entire year (18-24) and young adults under 18 is completely FREE! (Click HERE for more info)
This is when we need to find young people like Shamir and tell him there are options and things to do that won’t cost you a dime! Brownsville won’t be the forgotten neighborhood for long! 🙂
Photo Credit –Â REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton (main)
