Roshan Benefo PA '16

Hemos contado que Lawrence es una ciudad de personas talentosas. Hemos leído sobre el activismo y arte de la ciudad. Pero, ver y escuchar a personas de la ciudad—es impresionante. Es una cosa ver Lawrence y sus fábricas grandes y en cierto modo impersonal y grupos de casas, pero es otra cosa totalmete diferente escuchar y ver a personas hablar sobre cómo Lawrence se ha dado forma, cómo sus calles y parques se han convertido, para muchos, en un hogar. La clave es resolver cómo traducir esto a la palabra escrita. Un problema que tengo es el balance entre la estética y el cuento. Es muy fácil crear una página que es muy agradable estéticamente, pero lo conecta muy poco con el texto y dice nada sobre el cuento. Y para mí, con mi intelecto limitado e inclinado hacia el minimalismo, todo lo que no consiste en mucho espacio blanco y líneas lisas simplemente es feo. Pero creanr una publicación llena de diseño minimalista es igual que imponer mi vista en una historia que no es necesariamente mía. La pregunta es—¿es corecto? ¿es justificado? Habló sobre el propósito de esta publicación. ¿Estamos simplemente documentando la historia de Lawrence, una ciudad con una historia y cultura que excede nuestras existencias? ¿Somos simplemente los comunicadores, que están trayendo el mensaje de Lawrence hacia la comunidad de Andover? ¿O estamos mirando la publicación como más de un depósito sobre cómo nosotros, entre otros, somos afectados por la ciudad? Sí así es, se me debe animar que proyecte mi voz y que se me escuche. Pero el problema es que aunque la fecha límite se acerca, no he averiguado la solución para ninguna de las preguntas. Lo mejor que puedo esperar es un balance—abrir mi mente cerrada, e intentar comunicar la historia tanto de la ciudad como mi crecimiento personal.   

We’ve heard from adults that Lawrence is a city of talent. We’ve read in texts about the activism and art of the city. But, to see and hear from people from the city proved awe-inspiring. It’s one thing to see Lawrence and it’s large and somewhat impersonal factories and clusters of houses, but quite another to hear from people about how Lawrence has really influenced them, how its streets and parks have become, for many, a home. The key is figuring out how to translate that to the page. One issue I’ve run into is the balance between aesthetics and the story. It’s very easy to create a page that looks very aesthetically pleasing but connects very little to the texts and tells absolutely nothing about the story. And to me, with my limited and minimalist-leaning mind, anything that is not comprised of lots of white space and smooth lines simply looks ugly. But creating a publication full of minimalist design would be me imposing my own view on a story that isn’t necessarily mine. The question now is, is that correct? Is it justified? It gets down to the purpose of such a publication. Are we simply documenting the story of Lawrence, a city with a history and culture that far exceeds our own existences? Are we just the communicators, bringing the message of Lawrence to the Andover community? Or are we looking at this publication as more of a repository of how we, among others, were affected by the city. If so, then my voice should be encouraged and should be heard. But the issue is, even as the deadline nears, I have not yet figure the answer to any of those questions. The best I can hope for is a balance—to keep my single-minded brain in check, and to attempt to tell the story of both the city, and also my own personal growth.

Laura Bilal PA '17

I am a three year upper from Methuen, MA who took this class for a new outside experience. I am always looking for new ways to learn about my surroundings and to be a part of a larger community. This class has put me out of my comfort zones and taught me that it is okay to be afraid of the unknown, but that it is essential to put yourself out there and let the experience guide your learning. Being from Methuen, Lawrence is something that has always been in my life whether or not i have chosen to recognize it.This class has provided an eye opening experience to me as to what Lawrence really is and what it can bring to me. The city has so much positive movement in the city and it has such forward thinkers that I see this city going places very soon. I feel as though the part of this experience that gave us the most trouble was finding a way to give justice to the amazing city that Lawrence is and what great potential the city has to those who are willing to embrace it with open arms. I hope that this publication give people the opportunity to dispel any myths that may be lingering about the city of Lawrence and I hope that people are able to see that beauty that lies within the city. This is not only to document our experiences, but also to use a teaching material to show that these kinds of collaborations can end with such positive experiences.   So most of all what I would like to say is thank you Lawrence for the wonderful experiences and new friendships we have made. To all those who have yet to experience Lawrence I urge you to go out there and see all that it has to offer from the warm cafes, to the urban renewal that lines the streets. Enjoy the experience!

Yo soy una estudiante de Phillips Academy de Methuen, MA y llevo tres años en Phillips Academy. Yo cogí esta clase para una nueva experiencia fuera del campus que vemos todos los días. Siempre estoy buscando nuevas formas de aprender de lo que está cerca a mí y de ser parte de una comunidad más grande. Esta clase me ha sacado de mis zonas de comodidad y me ha enseñado que es normal tener miedo de lo desconocido, pero que es esencial ponerse en estas situaciones que te dan miedo y dejar que la experiencias guíen tu aprendizaje. Como soy de Methuen, siempre he tenido Lawrence en mi vida, aunque haya optado por reconocerlo o no. Esta clase me ha dado una experiencia reveladora para mí, para mostrame lo que Lawrence es realmente y lo que yo puedo aprender de la ciudad. La ciudad tiene mucho movimiento positivo y tiene muchas ideas más innovadoras que veo en cada interacción que tengo con la ciudad. Siento como si la parte de esta experiencia que nos dio más problemas fue encontrar una manera de hacer justicia a la increíble ciudad que Lawrence y lo que un gran potencial de la ciudad tiene para aquellos que están dispuestos a aceptar con lo brazos abiertos. Espero que esta publicación dé a la gente la oportunidad de disipar cualquier mito que pueda permanecer sobre la ciudad de Lawrence y espero que la gente sea capaz de ver la belleza que se encuentra dentro de la ciudad. Esto no es sólo para documentar nuestras experiencias, sino también para utilizar un material de enseñanza para demostrar que este tipo de colaboraciones pueden sacar de estos tipos de experiencias positivas. Así que la mayor parte de todo lo que me gustaría decir es gracias a Lawrence por las maravillosas experiencias y nuevas amistades que hemos hecho. Para todos aquellos que aún no han experimentado Lawrence le insto a ir por ahí y ver todo lo que tiene que ofrecer, desde los cafés en las calles, a la renovación urbana que puedes ver por todos lados. ¡Diviértanse con las experiencias!

Parker Tope PA '16

Today, as I was watching Isabel Meléndez speak into her microphone on the radio, I kept glancing at the sign next to our heads, which read “WCEC IMPACTO” in big, bright, bold letters.  It reminded me of Sra. Melendez, a woman with a big, bright, bold presence and impact herself.  It brought me to really wonder what exactly our impact is in our project.  I realize that our impact might be small, this publication won’t go many places, but it has been the creation of our publication that has been the most meaningful.  This might seem silly, but the past few days, it has hit me that I’m actually leaving.  Not for the summer, but for good this time.  One of the most incredible lessons I’ve learned during my four years at this institution is the power of listening.  Not just hearing, but actually listening.  In terms of community engagement, so much action is taken, and I feel that often the needs of others are heard, but never listened to.  In our publication, we have taken the time to listen to others’ stories, however small.  So, we might not be taking action, our publication maybe won’t go down in history, but we took the step of opening our ears and recording others’ words, not only ours.  Slowly, our impacto will grow.  

Hoy día, cuando estaba mirando a Isabel Melendez hablar en su micrófono en la radio, no puedo dejar de mirar el letrero encima de nuestras cabezas que decía “WCEC IMPACTO” en letras grandes, audaces, y brillantes.  Me recordó a la Sra. Meléndez, una mujer con una presencia grande, audaz, y brillante.  Me llevó a preguntarme ¿qué es exactamente el impacto de nuestro proyecto?  Me da cuenta que nuestro impacto es seguramente pequeño, y que esta publicación no va a muchos lugares, pero la creación de nuestra publicación ha sido lo más profundo.  Es posible que esto le parezca ridículo, pero en los últimos días de mi tiempo en Andover, se me ha golpeado que en realidad estoy saliendo. No solo para el verano, pero esta vez, para siempre. Una de las lecciones más increíbles que he aprendido durante mis cuatro años en esta institución es el poder de escuchar. No sólo de escuchar con los oídos, sino escuchar con la mente y con empatía. Con la participación de la comunidad, muchas personas solamente toman mucha acción, y siento que a menudo se escuchan las necesidades de los demás, pero nunca escuchan con la mente y con empatía. En nuestra publicación, hemos tomado el tiempo para escuchar las historias de los demás, por pequeñas que sean. Por lo tanto, no tomamos acción ahora y nuestra publicación quizás no pase a la historia, pero tomamos el paso de abrir nuestros oídos y grabar las palabras de otras personas, no sólo nuestras palabras. Poco a poco, nuestro impacto crecerá.

Anna Kramer PA '16

This final project was more than just an exploration of Lawrence. It was an opportunity to tap into our creative juices, come out our shells, meet new people, receive a few brief history lessons, and of course learn how to manage a long-term project with other people. I am so proud of our hard work! Not only is our book quite aesthetically pleasing, but it also is true and honest. That was our primary goal, and we definitely succeeded. We covered a broad range of voices (a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, races, opinions, genders, and ages) both at Andover and in Lawrence. It’s easy to just stick with what is convenient, but what good would a book be if it was only a fraction of the truth? That would be like painting a picture of the vista view without including Sam Phil. It’s idiotic put in a different way.

It definitely helped that most of us had prior experience in the world of publications, both in Pot Pourri and the Phillipian. We knew at least to some extent how to get in touch with a heterogeneous group of participants as well as the importance of talking to people who were different from ourselves. This resulted in conversation that was more than simply an affirmation of what we already knew. For example, in commons, we interviewed students in upper right, so we could talk to underclassmen. We also tried to interview students who stereotypically speaking might not be as informed on social justice issues, as well as those who were. There were definitely some surprises. People we expected to know nothing about Lawrence, turned out to be very much informed and up to date. There were also pace seniors for example, who knew nothing, other than its state of poverty in comparison to Andover.

Overall it was an eye-opening project. My favorite part of the term was definitely going to El Taller to interview people randomly. People had so many interesting things to say, and I genuinely believe they changed my outlook on diversity. One quote in particular stood out to me. I’m paraphrasing, but one woman corrected me and said, Lawrence isn’t actually diverse. It’s just as homogenous as Andover, but it’s different, so people interpret it as diverse. It looks as though I have a lot to learn, I suppose!

Este proyecto fue más que una exploración de Lawrence. Fue una oportunidad para aprovecharse de nuestros jugos creativos, salir de nuestras cáscaras confortables, hacer amigos nuevos, recibir algunas lecciones de la historia, y por supuesto, aprender a gestionar un proyecto a largo plazo con otras personas. ¡Estoy tan orgullosa de nuestro trabajo! No sólo es nuestro libro bastante estéticamente agradable, pero es también verdadero y honesto. Era nuestro principal objetivo, y lo hemos logrado sin duda. Cubrimos una amplia gama de voces (una variedad de contextos socio-económicos, razas, opiniones, géneros, y edades) en Andover y Lawrence también. Es fácil quedarse con lo que es conveniente, pero ¿qué sentido tiene un libro que representa una fracción de la verdad? Sería como pintar un cuadro de La Vista de Phillips Academy sin incluir Sam Phil. Es idiota si pone en estos términos.

Sin duda era útil que la mayoría de nosotros tiene experiencia previa en el mundo de las publicaciones: en Popurrí y el Phillipian. Sabíamos por lo menos en cierta medida cómo entrar en contacto con un grupo heterogéneo de participantes, así como la importancia de hablar con personas muy distintas de nosotros. Esto resultó en una conversación que era más que una afirmación de lo que ya sabíamos. Por ejemplo, en Commons, entrevistamos a los estudiantes en Upper Right, así podíamos hablar con estudiantes menores que nosotros. También intentamos entrevistar a los estudiantes que estereotípicamente no estarían informados en cuestiones de justicia social, así como aquellos que fueron. Existían, sin duda, algunas sorpresas. Gente que asumimos no sabría nada de Lawrence, estaban muy informada. También había PACE Seniors, por ejemplo, que no sabían nada, aparte del hecho que es en un estado de pobreza en relación con Andover.

En general fue un proyecto revelador. Mi parte favorita del trimestre definitivamente fue el día en El Taller con Roshan cuando entrevistamos a gente aleatoria. La gente dio interesantes explicaciones sobre Lawrence, y creo que sus palabras realmente cambiaron mi perspectiva sobre la diversidad. Una cita en particular destacó. Yo estoy parafraseando, pero una mujer dijo que Lawrence no es realmente diversa. Es simplemente tan homogénea como Andover, pero es diferente de Andover y Phillips Academy, entonces la gente interpreta que es más diversa de lo que es. ¡Parece que tengo mucho que necesito aprender, supongo!

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Erica Shin PA '16

Mis padres tienen expectaciones grandes

Pero me miran

Con sonrisas de azúcar y expectation

Y dicen

“Just do your best”

Siempre ha sido como así

Cuando iba a partidos de voleibol

Salía del coche y oía

“Just do your best”

Pero cuando regresaba

Realizaba que “best” estaba medida en puntos y pases

Y “my best” no era bastante

Y “my best” nunca será bastante

Entonces fracaso, cada día

Con una sonrisa de azúcar y disappointment

Entonces padres, si dicen a sus hijos

“Just do your best”

Mean it.

Mark Cutler 

Profersor de Español en Phillips Academy

Cuando llegué a Phillips Academy en 2003, vine atraído por la oportunidad de sumergir a mis estudiantes y a mí mismo en las culturas hispanas de la zona, especialmente en la ciudad vecina de Lawrence--la llamada “Ciudad de Inmigrantes”.  Adapté una clase de español avanzado siguiendo un modelo típico de aprendizaje a través del servicio comunitario, imaginando que nuestra atención como tutores y mentores pudiera marcar una diferencia en las vidas de unos muchachos de Lawrence.

 

Tras varios años de interacciones que destacaban diferencias más que semejanzas entre grupos, me empecé a sentir menos seguro de este método que engendraba simpatía en lugar de empatía.  Me estaba alejando de la idea de que tuviéramos que dar un servicio a la comunidad, y mucho menos uno que nosotros los forasteros identificáramos como “necesario”.  ¡No íbamos a “salvar” a nadie!, como nos exhortó el director de una de las organizaciones con la que colaboramos.  “Este trabajo se va a realizar aun sin ustedes.”  Si vamos a aprender y efectuar cambio verdadero, tenemos que involucrarnos en asuntos que identifican como importantes los miembros mismos de la comunidad a la que nos comprometemos, compañeros unidos contra las injusticias que impactan a nuestra sociedad compartida.

 

Operando con esta visión, en los últimos 13 años, he programado incontables interacciones entre mis clases y grupos diferentes en Lawrence--estudiantes y maestros, jóvenes y ancianos, inmigrantes y nativos, historiadores y pioneros, dueños de negocios y organizadores comunitarios--evolucionando cada vez más mi filosofía humanista y pedagógica y empeñándome en fortalecer conexiones entre los pueblos de Andover y Lawrence.  He aprendido que, como propuso el autor y pensador uruguayo Eduardo Galeano en Las venas abiertas de América Latina, lo que realmente va a mejorar la sociedad global es que todos expresemos nuestra solidaridad con el prójimo, ya que esta “es horizontal y se ejerce de igual a igual”, a diferencia de la caridad, que “se practica de arriba-abajo [y] humilla a quien la recibe y jamás altera ni un poquito las relaciones de poder.”  Dado el clima político de hoy y las crisis humanas en el mundo, es imprescindible que nos aliemos en la fraternidad y con respeto mutuo el uno hacia el otro.

Además de haberles brindado una educación en lo que es real del mundo hispano, espero haber recalcado en mis alumnos la opinión de que todos los humanos somos dignos de tratamiento igual, sean las que sean nuestras circunstancias en la vida.  Las actividades que hacemos en Español 510 y 511 de Phillips Academy son más que meras excursiones o eventos tangenciales a las sesiones en el aula.  Se trata de una profunda colaboración basada en el respeto mutuo y la compasión genuina.  Ojalá que esta publicación sirva de testimonio de los esfuerzos solidarios entre comunidades e inspire a futuras generaciones de activistas a participar en el movimiento para combatir la ignorancia, la intolerancia, y el recelo que nos oprimen a todos.

 

Jared Raverby

Coordinador en Lawrence CommunityWorks

When I first interviewed for my job at Lawrence CommunityWorks, I was told about a collaboration that had recently formed between Movement City and a Spanish class at Phillips Academy. It struck me as a very meaningful project that had the potential to have a quite an impact. Without knowing much about the city of Lawrence nor Phillips Academy, I still was able to recognize the importance of what was brewing, and I wanted to be a part of it. Fast forward four years and here I am, reflecting on and feeling blessed by the opportunity to have worked alongside Mark Cutler, dozens of brilliant Phillips and Lawrence High School students, my fellow Lawrence CommunityWorks residents and an array of community members with rich stories to tell as the PA-LHS Immigrant City collaboration has continued to evolve.

This year’s project, as with years past, had its fair share of successes and challenges. At the onset, it appeared as though we had finally found the perfect LHS counterpart in the ENLACE program. The teachers were clearly invested in making the collaboration a success and not only were the students eager to make new connections, but many of them were also relatively new to the country. This aligned nicely with the project’s mission to gain an authentic understanding of the stories of immigrants, past and present. I think I speak for everyone involved when I say that the project felt most successful when both groups of students were together. From learning each other’s names via an assortment of wacky dance moves on the first day, to discovering the unifying power of something as simple as drawing a line on a piece of paper at the Addison gallery, to rocking the mic at El Taller for what was my favorite areito to date, the bonds formed through these experiences represent the essence of what the collaboration is designed to achieve. The line drawing activity at the Addison especially stood out to me as a defining moment of the exchange as it very simply, yet profoundly brought us all together as one. Our backgrounds, stories, similarities, differences, pasts, presents, and futures all melded into one cohesive symbol of unity.

The challenges of the project, unsurprisingly, were felt the most when these initial connections were unable to consistently develop. Regardless of how passionate the ENLACE teachers and students were about their participation in the project, the structure and bureaucracy of LHS limited the time, resources, and flexibility they were actually able to contribute. Thus, the amount of times the two groups of students were able to be together was far less than originally planned. This lack of consistency from LHS partners is nothing new, but it’s no less frustrating. However, if we keep pressing on and keep building on past years’ successes, we’ll be doing our part to promote educational experiences that are far more valuable and impactful than standardized test scores or proficiency levels. Also, on a personal level, an ongoing challenge for myself and other LCW residents seems to be our ability to establish deeper connections with both PA and LHS students. Though we either led or were present for most days devoted to the project, it never really felt like there was ample opportunity for us to get to know the students in a more personal sense, and vice versa. I feel strongly that by deepening these connections, our roles in the project will become more purposeful, and I look forward to exploring potential avenues to do so.

As another year of the PA-LHS Immigrant City collaboration comes to a close, I can’t help but once again feel honored to be a part of yet another chapter of this amazing story. From the successes, we will build, and from the challenges, we will learn. I’d like to give a special shout out to El Cuchillero himself, Mark Cutler, for the countless hours he’s spent not only bringing this project to life, but continuing to navigate the evolution of it so as to create the most valuable experience possible for everyone involved. On to next year!

 

Phillips Academy, Español 511, Y Más

What are you? This question means worlds to us at Phillips Academy, as a school that prides itself in its diversity. We are black, german, wealthy, immigrant, gender-nonconforming— we come from many walks of life.

And yet. Sometimes, we try to erase our identities— sometimes, “colored” gets substituted for “Phillipian,” sometimes, “poor” gets hidden. They are mutually exclusive.

As such, we turn to the city of Lawrence, a city of 80,000 right next to Andover, where the answer to the question “what are you?” is a proud “dominican!” while, at the same time, “a citizen of Lawrence.” We look at Lawrence, a city with such a rich and active population that even school with “intentional diversity” can never attempt to match, for guidance.

We need to embrace not only who we are, but what we are.

Therefore, this question has been the basis for our exploration of Lawrence during this past term. Although for the most part, we remain on the outside of Lawrence, we’ve attempted to begin to understand and document its culture and society— through interviews with lawyers, educators, politicians, among others there, we’ve worked towards, as part of our Spanish class, writing down the rhythms of the immigrant city. To do this, our class was split into three groups: a few members of our class created an exhibition, which will be showing in the Lawrence History Center from June 1st through 19th, chronicling hispanic history and the evolution of beauty definitions in Lawrence. The second group filmed several videos encapsulating the lives and stories of individual members of the Lawrence community. This publication, made by the third group, has attempted to document the experiences of both groups, along with serving as a capsule for all material that didn’t necessarily fit into the other groups. Through the collection of poetry, art, and writing that we’ve compiled, we hope that you can get a view of what Lawrence is.  

—————————————————————————————————————————-

¿Qué eres? Este pregunta significa el mundo para nosotros en Phillips Academy, como una escuela que se estima de su diversidad. Somos negros, alemanes, ricos, inmigrantes, de géneros no conformes con las normas sociales—somos de muchos ámbitos de la vida.

Sin embargo, a veces, nosotros intentamos borrar nuestros identidades—a veces, “de color” es sustituido por “Phillipian”, a veces, “pobre” es escondido.

Por tanto, nos dirigimos a Lawrence, una ciudad de 80.000 justo al lado de Andover, donde la respuesta a la pregunta “¿qué eres?” es un “dominicano!” orgulloso, mientras, al mismo tiempo, “un ciudadano de Lawrence.” Miramos hacia Lawrence, una ciudad con una población tan rica y activa que incluso una escuela con “diversidad intencional” no puede emparejar, para consejo.

Necesitamos aceptar no solo quiénes somos sino también lo que somos.

Así, la cuestión ha sido la base para nuestra exploración de Lawrence durante este trimestre. A pesar que durante la mayoría del trimestre, nos hemos quedado al exterior de la ciudad de Lawrence, hemos tratado de empezar a entender y documentar la cultura y la sociedad. Hicimos esto con entrevistas con abogados, clase, escribiendo las ritmos de la ciudad de inmigrantes. Para hacer esto nuestra clase se dividió en tres grupos: unos miembros crearon una exhibición de arte, que va estar en exhibición en el Lawrence Heritage State Park del 1 al 19 de junio, mostrando historia hispana y la evaluación de la definición de belleza en Lawrence. El grupo segundo filmó videos capturando las vidas y las historias de miembros individuales de la comunidad en Lawrence. La publicación hecha por el tercer grupo ha tratado de documentar el trabajo de los dos grupos y ser una plataforma para todo el material que no cupo en los proyectos de los otros grupos. Con la colección de poesía, arte, y material escrito nosotros hemos juntado materiales en esperanza de que el lector pueda tener una vista sobre la ciudad de Lawrence.    

Esta publicación, creada por el grupo tercero, ha intentado documentar las experiencias de ambos grupos, y servir como una cápsula para todo el material que no necesariamente queda bien en los otros grupos. A través de la colección de poesía, arte, y escritura que nosotros hemos recopilado, esperamos que puedas tener una vista de lo que es Lawrence.

El grupo de Semana Hispana creó una exhibición sobre la historia hispana y la evolución de definiciones de belleza en Lawrence.

ANA MORALES

Parker:  When you can here as a freshman, what was your greatest challenge coming from Lawrence to Andover?

Ana: I would say that that would have to be the atmosphere of being outside in Andover.  Back in Lawrence, I wasn’t even allowed outside as much.  I have so much freedom now that I can go downtown whenever I want and I don’t have to worry about who is around me.  So that was hard knowing that there was so much outside possibility and responsibility  and no one was holding me back.  It was just getting used to it.  

Parker: Why weren’t you allowed outside in Lawrence?

Ana:My mom was very protective and it’s very dangerous outside sometimes.  

Parker: So you’re a Lower now, so after spending some time here, what do you think are the perspectives of other Andover students about Lawrence and what are yours?  Are the same or are they different? And if so, how?

Ana: People don’t often know that I’m from Lawrence, so I’ve gotten some quips about Lawrence from some people when they don’t know that’s my home.

Parker: Like what?

Ana: In English class, I think that the topic of drugs came up and someone was like “Oh, that’s like Lawrence [insert here about drugs]”

Just a lot of assumptions that people make.  They always group lawrence into the bad stuff.  Which I admit there is bad stuff there, a lot of bad stuff.  But, me being from there it’s sort of like my town and it holds a warm spot in my heart and people always put it in a negative light.  

Parker: What would you say to people who might focus solely on the negative lights of Lawrence?  What parts of Lawrence do you think counteract these negative percpetions?

Ana: Boys and Girl’s club, Lawrence Community Works, and all the groups that are in Lawrence that are dedicated to improving the city internally and enriching the culture.

Parker: Were you born there?

Ana: No, I was born in the Dominican Republic.

Parker: When did you move to Lawrence then?

Ana: I moved to Lawrence when I was 4, but my mom first lived somewhere else in Mass.

Parker: How many family members do you have in Lawrence?

Ana: Just my mom and my sister.

Parker: How old is your sister?

Ana: My sister is 19.

Parker: Do you think that coming to Andover has given you a different perspective on the relationship between andover and Lawrence?

Ana: Being from Lawrence I always had a disdain for Andover.  I couldn’t stand seeing people who looked like they were from andover sometimes going shopping in North Andover, but going here and staying here and being around the community here, I’ve realized that they’re not horrible people... I guess it’s just that people from Andover seem to focus on how we are different in bad ways which I think made me really a little hateful at heart.  Of course, now I understand that they are people like everyone else… which of course I’ve always sort of known, but going to this school has really helped me more deeply understand that.

Parker: Why did you apply to Phillips?

Ana: I applied to Phillips because I was sort of the star student at my old school and everyone was expecting me to.  And I had known about it before because I’d been to the programs like Pals.

It’s different here, I can tell you that.  

El TALLER ENTREVISTAS

What is your name?

Lina Matthew

Are you a resident of Lawrence?

I’m not. I actually just work here. So I’m a community organizer with Merrimack Valley projects. So I work here just 5 or 6 days out of the week.

What does Lawrence mean to you?

I’m a community organizer, as I said, so I think I get to see Lawrence in a very specific light. So obviously lots of people know that it has a really bad reputation outside of the city. But through working here I’ve just realized that the people here are very passionate about Lawrence and are very committed to making it a better place. So to me, it just seems like the kind of town where lots of people care and are working very hard to change the things that go wrong and to make it a great place to live.

How long have you been working here?

8 months I would say. My office is up Essex Street somewhere, so sometimes I’ll come to El Taller when I need a break.

Interview 2:

What is your name?

Carolin.

Are you a resident of Lawrence?

Yes I am.

How long have yo been living here?

My whole entire life.

When people say the word “Lawrence,” what do you think?

I think of home. But I know that I have high hopes for my city, and that’s it.

Sense of community:

There’s so much talent here and if we were all to unite, we’d all do such great things. I just feel that everyone here has so much potential, we have so much character and value the right things.

>person 2: name— Francesca

I do feel a sense of community but I feel like we don’t get as much opporuntity here because we’re living in poverty and stuff like that.

I’m a resident of Lawrence, but I live in Chicago.

>> person 3:

I wasn’t born here but I moved here when I was say...ten years old maybe. So I’ve been here for a little while, and I feel like it’s made me into who I was supposed to be. To who I am today, and I’m grateful for that. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people here and you know even after all the negative things that people have to say, I have a lot of great things to say about Lawrence. And I know a lot of great people that have come out of here and are still here. I have really high hopes and I agree with Carolin— if we all worked together we’d get a lot more done a lot faster. Everyone’s trying to do their own thing but we should come together.

During our research, a lot of people we’ve 8interviewed have talked about the Melting pot that comes with the city of Lawrnece, in the sense that there are a lot of different cultures here.

Person 1:

It’s diverse int hew ay that we’re all hispanic and of color, but it’s not diverse int he way that we’re kind of not all the same but we’re all from the same background so like to somebody who is white, this might be a diverse city, but in reality it’s not, because it’s still kind of like there’s a small number of white poepl ehere. We don’t really have too many african americans here too— so it’s mostly hispanic. So we’re not really that diverse, and with that, I attended phoenix and I go back to intern and those students that are there, they don’t really know what’s going on in the outside world. A lot of people are not going to college because they don’t really know what to expect from the outside world and the other cultures. I don’t know if they would be prepared to be in a situation where there are a very diverse group.

Person 3:

I kind of wish that Lawrence was little bit more diverse. I think people would open up their minds a little bit more and not be as um… I don’t know. I feel like this is a comfort for a lot of people for that reason. And even myself, I came from Boston and it was really diverse, and I ended up in Lawrence and all of a sudden, seeing everyone, we’re all from the same backgrounds, and it was nice, it was comfortable, but I feel like I’m a bit shy because of that, or that I’m not as talkative or whatever.

Francesca:

I went to a boarding high school and it was diverse, and I feel like when I first entered, I felt not as welcomed I guess. The majority of the students were European or Asian or white and I didn’t know how to react, I didn’t know how to socialize myself with that group of people so I feel like… I don’t know, I feel li

Person 3:

I wish there was like university or something whereas in Lowell there’s uMass Lowell and you walk around and you see all races, and I love that about Lowell— i wish Lawrence had that, to bring in some different races.

Person 1:

I feel like in order to be connected to different races, we need to be connected to ourselves too and there’s a huge divide between our own people.

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Victor Martinez:

Are you a resident of Lawrence?

So i’m actually kind of in between Lawrence and Boston. And that’s by choice— I’m a student in Boston University— I”m getting a masters right now. But I cannot leave the city. I make the conscious decision to come back, stay connected to my family and my friends.

Were you born here?

I was not. I came here when I was seven, from the Dominican Republic. Since I came to the United States, I have lived in Lawrence on and off because of schools and stuff. But we’ve gone away, but I’ve definitely come back. Yeah. Home is home.

What do yo think Lawrence means to you, as a person who is between two cities and as a person that went to a boarding school?

It means a lot. I think Lawrence is this really special place. I’ve always been the kind of individual that I root for the underdog. And that’s sort of been my story too as an immigrant to the United States, and understanding what it takes to find the potential that exists within a rough diamond. And I think that’s really what Lawrence is about. I think for me, it’s this very special place that if you know how to navigate the language and the culture, if you know the people, and if you have an open mind and you’re not judgemental, it’s so easy to just live here and feel comfortable here. I think there are some things that you have. It’s this love hate relationship. Just recently, there’s someone who ended up committing a tragic death. There was real publicity around, this guy who committed suciide and shot himself in the house. It’s one of those things that happen in every single city. It’s one of those things that I have no control over it, but that does not diminish the positive experience that I have. And I think I have more of a collective experience of positive things that I see that really excite me about being a resident, and I”m proud of being a resident too. I think for me, it’s also that Lawrence means to me really sort of a nexus for talent. And I think it’s a microcosm of what’s happening on a larger, national scale. So to me, it’s fascinating to be able to see some of those social issues that are happening on a national scale on a small scale. Also, it’s a very.. I feel like it’s the pearl of massachusetts too int he sense that it’s one of the very few majority minority cities.

You don’t really see that.

Anna: Do you think that’s the direction that the United States is going?

Yeah, and I think that’s why there’s a lot of resistance and rhetoric— sort of the white hegemonic imagination and really not sort of this patriarchal structure and not wanting to let go of power and territory. You see that too. And that’s one of those things that for me as a young individual, who has had to really earn his way through. I’m the youngest Latino executive director in the city, so I’ve had my fights in order for me to get there. Fight against what? FIght against limiting belief systems and so although we’re a majority minority city, you also don’t have minrotiies in positions of power to make the step. So I think it’s fascinating to see that and for me it’s… the only biblical term… as a seminarian, I immedaitely think about stories, I think about moses going… let go… let my people go! And I htink to witness young people really rising up and using their voices and coming to el taller and seeing culture and this vibracy, for me, it’s the Lawrence rennaisance.

Do yo uthin it’s changing— getting minorities into positinos of power?

Yeah I think. So that’s one of the things I’m activitely doing, some of the organizations nad the people I’m working with. But yeah, it’s fun to see. It’s kind of like spring, we kind of all get excited. We’ve seen a lot of stuff wither away and die and now we get to see things blossom. And for me, I get to see things blossom every single day. So it means hope, it means potential, it also means fight. At some point, Rocky Balboa was like— we love that immigrant story, fighter, first generaiton. That’s what I get to see every day. People who I consider to be superheroes. People that are willing to bus tables. But they’re doing it for a noble cause, which is, I got to put food on the table. I got to pay taxes. Because I love my family. And to see that in a day to day bases, to me, is so gratifying. And in many ways I don’t envision people taking things for granted here. As you would in other settings.

—

It was a very different experience for me, going to Exeter. I had gone to Central Catholic, so I was kind of used to private school setting but it was the antithesis. Going tere, meeting people who’s parents are governors and this rich exposure to capital, social and cultural capital. I saw the inequities, the vast inequities, the social inequalities.

Did you find that people were less appreciative in Exeter?

I think yes and no. I think there were different motivating factors as to why people in Exeter did what they did— sometimes it oculd be for status— here, it’s like people do it because they need to survive, and they’re lookign to thrive. There, it’s more like, well in order for me to get to where I need to get, and there, obviously there were some poeple that took things for granted so I had to really get used to that, and learn how to navigate that. But coming back always kept me grounded. And I felt that some of my peers who were minorities and didn’t get to go home had a more difficult time, really figuring your way out, or how to stay grounded in a core of belief systems and not necessarily compromise their place in the world.

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#1

Anna "What does lawrence mean to you and how has your perspective of lawrence changed”

Female being interviewed: Lawrence has been like a saving grace for me personally when i first moved to MA i moved to the Andover area and i heard many negative things about Lawrence when i first got here and i was like well i am going to go down there and check it out because i feel like people always have a different perspective. if they tell you something is bad its like well do i trust your opinion or not so coming to lawrence has been awesome. It has kept me here. There has been a massive surge of creativity and artistic energy that really captivates you and holds you to the space. So that is the reason I am here. I believe in the city and what the people in the city are doing and I’ve found a home.

#2

Anna "What is significant about lawrence to you"

Female being interviewed: So I have been working in Lawrence for the last eight months so i came on as the director of student partnerships and i think what really stands out about this community is its real commitment to true and real partnerships so with the school we have a non profit mission where we meet once a month and we talk about the different strategies that the school district is trying to push forward and how we can collaborate with non profits in order for them to support that agenda but also how can we support the strategies and priorities of our non profit community members so that we can be strong partners for them as well so i think that is fantastic and then of course we also have our family resource center so that is where we actually provide wrap around services for our students as well as their families so we provided resume review job coaching we do job placements for our families we are really trying to think of this as a two generational approach so we are supporting out students by providing a high quality education and moving towards that goal and with our families we want to provide them with economical stability so that they can also focus on that childs education and they don’t have to worry about the day to day living environment so when i think about the city it really is about that partnership at the end of the day we want to ensure that we are providing an experience for all of our community members that is really positive that is going to allow them a better quality of life

Roshan: so why did you come to Lawrence in the first place?

Female being interviewed: So, yeah, I was really excited about the innovation in education that was happening here i worked for a non profit for several years and actually taught in a classroom and was really passionate about working in a latino community again so i grew up in a heavily latino community and really wanted to get back into that space and i was really excited about the momentum the city has had in the past five years and i really wanted to be a part of that work