bodega survey

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This Spring I helped my friend Basil (aka my xikano brother) with his bodega survey in El Barrio (aka Spanish Harlem, aka East Harlem). This consisted of surveying customers who entered two bodegas (aka delis, aka delicatessens) that he had selected as sites for the projects. We asked them specific questions about their food purchases at the bodega and in the neighborhood in general. Basil recruited me to help him conduct the surveys in Spanish. I helped Basil with this project on two consecutive days - a Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and this video cuts together a little of both. New York City had initiated a program to promote healthy food choices with a product called Carrot Crunchers and this is also mentioned in the video. Basil is currently getting his Master's in Public Health from Columbia University and his passion is nutrition, especially regarding preventive healthcare for obesity and diabetes. He also has a blog related to this topic that I hope he begins posting regularly again - nudge, nudge.

Third Annual Trans Day of Action

On Friday, June 22, 2007 transgender people took to the streets of midtown Manhattan to demand social and economic justice. The March went from Covenant House behind Port Authority down through Hell's Kitchen to 28th street and then across midtown through Little India to Murray Hill and back to Madison Square Park where there was a rally. The action, which had a permit granted at the last minute, was escorted by the police through rush hour traffic. The energy of the march was incredible, boyant and political, maybe similar to what the Pride Parade was in it's earlier years when that was still a march.

Bushwick Solidarity March

On June 16th, 2007 transgender, bisexual, lesbian, gay people and allies marched through the streets of Bushwick in Brooklyn in a show of solidarity for the month of Pride. This is the second year that Dee Paris Perez at GLOBE has organized the march. It was moving to see the commitment of the marchers and the varied reaction of the people in this working class, immigrant neighborhood. The march ended in a community BBQ.