The Sense of Succes

The morning of December 1st, my alarm went off at 7am and I rolled out of bed and proceeded to get ready for the day ahead of me. By 8 am my car was packed with centrepieces, tablecloths, wrapped silverware, spare napkins, a glass jar and a platter. By 8:15 I was awaiting Elaine at the RAC loop, by 8:30 we were on our way to the Polish Home Hall chatting with an eager excitement about what was to come. Elaine and I were third to arrive that morning, beat only by Richard Anderson and Steve Bradley. We pulled up the table layout and began setting up tables with the newly arrived Jennie and Lacey. Collin, Tom and Laura showed up and in no time at all the tables were set up and in place. After about 3 changes of the angle of the dining table we were satisfied with how everything looked. Collin and Tom got to helping rake the leaves outside and the rest of us started unpacking our cars with all the supplies we had bought, crafted and cooked. After all of the sweeping and technological set up it was time to head to our stations and await the general public. The first paying guest walked in around 12:20pm and within moments the Polish Home Hall filled with people and a vibrant chatter. Within the first hour over forty people had walked through the doors, and those who were on the VIP list offering generous donations to our cause. While the guests were mingling and observing the street directories, the pulled pork barbeque began to aromatically fill the air, and stomachs began to grumble. Dr King and Steve Bradley made their welcoming speeches and the event was officially underway. Jennie took to the stage and now elegant dulcet tones of her voice and guitar blended perfectly with the smells of the food, and the candles flickering on the tables. Elaine and I got to dancing at the entrance table for a little while but were halted by the many enthusiastic questions of what we were trying to achieve with this event, and what it meant personally to us. We both grabbed our lunch, after the public had claimed their plates and were nicely satiated, and for a moment relaxed and soaked in the bubbling excitement of the hall. With a slight lull in the entering guests, I counted the tickets we had collected so far to gain an estimate in the money we had made, a generalization was made that we had already made over $800, so I took to organizing the money box and counted and for sure we had made $937. The rest of the afternoon, continued as it had earlier with the coming and going of the local guests, until an elderly lady walks through the front doors bleeding from her shin. As a state certified EMT, I had no choice but to take care of her. After three fire fighters and many paper towels later the lady was treated and back on her feet, and I took to disinfecting the bathrooms. Another half hour passed and we had sold all of our printed tickets and had run out of programs. The clean up began and after forty five minutes the once cacophonous hall was reduced to a mere mumbling of twenty voices. We got in our cars and went our own ways knowing that we had achieved something special, and while we were tired a smile was on the faces of us all as we bid adieu.

Up to date, Curtis Bay visit!

Well I went to Curtis Bay on Saturday afternoon and went to the stores I felt comfortable doing alone which was most of them. Quite a few had be back in 30 mins signs as I did go at lunch time but 30 mins later they were not back so I left.
Any way, the reception to our project was similar to that of Brooklyn, but I got to speak to zero owners. So I am hoping this weekend will be different as they have promised me otherwise. Everyone listened to me I gave them flyers and contact info.

** I WILL be going to BOTH Curtis Bay and Brooklyn this Saturday, hopefully people plan on coming with me, I would like to meet down in Brooklyn at 1030 or if car pooling at school 1015.**

I think it is a good idea to start leaving flyers to put up in the business windows and on telephone poles etc so the local community can start gaining interest.

Now that I have my blog done it's time for me to get my bake on. See you all tomorrow!

Ok so I posted this in the wrong blog its from Oct 16th, just wanted to update... oops

Ok everybody, I know its getting late and I apologize. I sent the paper to Dr King and then forgot this. So here is my very brief update for the week: I went back down through the three main streets we have picked and attempted a compilation of all the businesses. Trying to be thorough but driving and writing isn't always the smarted of life decisions. Hopefully we have a basic script or template of a script ready for tomorrow so we can start promoting in a way. Ps we need those Tshirts ASAP I have people wanting them like NOW. Anyway so I spent like four hours a day on my own project trying to make sense of all the articles and time line everything so I've been a little frazzled, plus I have a huge midterm exam tomorrow in 200 and a presentation in 100 that I am trying to memorize right now and complete it without my belief making me cry.... So I am sorry there's truly not much to report this week but once we have a solid idea, I will have so much to say because I will be talking to businesses, and I am sure they will provide LOTS of info! :)

Ok everyone, Stay warm, don't get sick and I'll see you in a very sleepy state tomorrow!

Wish me Luck!

Updates from Last Week: Brooklyn

Ok so the businesses listed below are the ones we went to and how we were received by the people working or owners.

People's Care Pharmacy

Did not like Alex a whole lot, asked to get in touch with owner, refused at first then gave us business card and contact info. 

Antonio's Barber Shop

Were very receptive to us, met the owner, seemed of highest interest, even customers were asking questions.

Female counter Part to Antonio's

Not as great reception, met owner, seemed minimally intrigued.

Pigeon Feed Supply Store

Met the owner, she was not ecstatic to see us and more wanted us out of her store, but listened and took the information, the other 4 men in the store were nice and polite and courteous. Lots of Birds inside!

Conroy Flower Shop

Owners were out on first try, when we returned a second time they were open, two very friendly ladies, seemed interested and happy to see us there.

Real Estate Office for community

Spoke to Lady behind glass panel, said she would pass the information to the owner but she wasn't around right at that moment. Upon entering to ladies from the community wished us luck if we wanted any improvement in our housing situation....

Dreams Inn (bar)

Spoke to the Bartender, owner was in Ocean City checking on house after Hurricane Sandy. Said she would pass along the information for us, generally very friendly.

Patapsco Mart

Convenience store, spoke to owner, listened to us, but not much feedback.

Convenience Market

They were not the owners, said they would pass along information, very quick visit, wanted to let their customers pay. 

*** I will be visiting Brooklyn again this Saturday!***

Let the panic attacks commence

So, I am currently awaiting a little clarification on a few of the gazillion questions and worries I have buzzing around my head right now, so I decided to take this opportunity to focus on my individual research project a little more. Right now I have 10+ newspaper clippings on the subject of the lynching plus 2 databases from MSA.MD.GOV. I feel as though I have a pretty clear picture to how the events unfolded. The paper will be no trouble at all to write about, I suppose I could find someone in the community that knows a little about this? Yet chances of first hand solid knowledge are to be few ad far between. As for the digital part to the project I figured I would go to the locations of each problem; from the bar of the initial fight to the prison to the field to the court house. Almost as to recreate a walking tour of a history trail. Though I am unsure how to create this to be of the length necessary.

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In terms of committee work, for the booze, I need a budget, or an idea of the money that I can spend to the allocate to things like Kegs and Boxed Wine. As for contacting businesses I am excited this week to come up with a set script and a list of who I am to call so that I feel like I have accomplished something.

I also went up there this Sunday after my game to take a drive around the area and get a little more acquainted with it. I also cannot believe how incredibly fast this looming deadline is getting and the fact that I am still confused every week.

I hope you all are having better weeks than myself, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Press and booze and a christmas lynching

Ok we are finally here. We are almost decided on how this event is going to go and by Wed it will be solidified.

For my publicity committee section, I plan on talking to local new companies such as the Sun and even WBAL/Fox45. I am trying to also get in contact with PATCH and have them send someone out to cover the event. This committee also ties in with the Beverage side of my committee. I am going to be in contact with local breweries such as clipper city and dogfish head and see if they are interested in either buying an add in our event or discounting beer etc. I will also most certainly be in communications with the Natty Boh company seeing if we can have them send some merchandise or beer or money our way.
I am obviously open to suggestions from anyone to make this a better success as everybody has different and important ideas.

As for my individual project I have changed my focus and am much happier and better on track with the information I have found. I was originally focusing on public housing, but now after stumbling upon it, I am going to follow the Lynching in 1911. I have found handfuls of newspaper articles from the Sun, Afro American and from various reports around the country. While most articles are from the days after it happened I also have information on the how the cases played out. Most of my newspaper clippings have been found through the archives of Maryland. I can easily see with the template that I have, how each of the sections will be filled out perfectly with all the information that can be gathered. If anyone knows anything else from the subject or places to look up more facts let me know!!! I need all the help I can get.

And So It Begins: Project Overview, Feasibility and Proposal

Mapping Baybrook: Getting Back to the Roots

Logo:

Something iconic of nature: Flowers, Trees, Green. Also somehow tying it in to the “roots” of the past. So a family tree but without one family but each branch is a different part of its history.

Mission Statement:

The mission for Mapping Baybrook: Getting back to the Roots, is to help both the community and the outside population understand the importance in Green Spaces. Yet while incorporating the green space I still want to not lose focus on the rich heritage of this community, and take it back to the settling days before the Industrial Revolution hit.

Event Description:

At the Polish Hall I would like an exhibit section. There will be two different types of Showcases. The individual projects from the AMST 422 class with the graphics work intermingled from the art students. I would like to take a section outside if weather permitting to allow kids to come and plant a couple of seeds. Nothing fancy but taking a solo cup some soil and some seeds, and showing them how to grow their own mini green spaces. Food and beverages will be readily available, and I would really like an on going showcase of different bands, singers and dancers, with stories from the residents from their past if they allow, on a show stage set up. I would also like a place that brings the people of Baybrook back to their roots, from newspaper clippings to artifacts to photos, so that the community can reminisce. If at all possible I would also like a silent auction to help us gain revenue, we could ask the community to bring in items for auction from old Baybrook, also the work of the art students with their permission could also be auctioned off.

A major entertainment part I would like to put forth is The UMBC Fever Retrievers Dance Team (I am a Captain for) and The UMBC Down and Dirty Dawg Band and Drumline (My boyfriend leads). We perform at all basketball games and have many routines and arrangements to show and I think this would be a great way for the people of Baybrook to see a different side to the UMBC population while entertaining at the same time.

Committee Structure:

o   Budget

o   Field Leader

o   Background Leader (someone to ensure the groups in the background are co operating solidly and smoothly)

o   Note taker

o   Tshirts

o   Advertisements and Promotions

o   Entertainment

o   Food and beverage

o   Liason with Art class to collaborate the final set up for projects and art work.

o   Cultural Roots Leader

o   Activities

o   Silent Auction

Revenue Producing Products:

o   Tshirts

o   Entertainment

o   Endorsed products

o   Media Involvement

o   Celebrities?

o   Pins

o   Coozies/Pins

o   Bake Sale

o   Silent Auction

Budget:

The budget we have received thus far is more than generous right now. There are going to be unexpected expenditures, but those cannot be foreseen thus far in advance especially without a solidified topic. Most people are usually willing to donate things to help also, if asked the correct way. A second look is going to be needed after we solidify a better idea for the project to determine full budget feasibility.

Schedule:

As far a scheduling for the class periods go, after the next two weeks and our project is decided, committees need to be created. After that has happened we need to work in committees and get things completed in a timely manner, to then come back as a whole group and troubleshoot and assist and appreciate each group.

Feasibility Statement:

With the project that I have proposed, I feel as though it is fully feasible with regards to time, space, season, budget and success. With cooperation as a while this project has the potential to make the residents happy, and create an event to be remembered. I think that this will help tie the UMBC community to the Baybrook community even further and create some lasting ties and support that are valuable always.

Individual Research Proposal; Overview of Topic/Place:

I would like to research the public housing in the community. While I have not yet picked a specific house, I think I will focus mainly on the history of one. Through documentation in newspapers and books and even from interviews I would like to dig a little further in to the past of one of the houses. I want to know why they are not a major part to the community and if they were in the past and also if there’s an interesting story to be learnt through its history and if the building used to be something else.

How have the public houses been useful to the community or are they mainly in the way and not enabling newer production? I feel as though the community will have some interesting viewpoints on this part of their town and I doubt all will agree to a consensus.

Week 2 and Oral histories

I missed class sadly during week 2 and thus missed the informative session we had on oral histories. However after catching up with the presentation and reading the handouts as best I could I still learnt a valuable amount.

People who know me describe me as a loud and extroverted individual, yet to those who I don't know I am as shy as they come. I am quite afraid of this oral interview part and usually fumble around new people. I have been considering the transcription part, yet I still would like to venture out of the box and try to interview someone.

Many of the small points of interviewing I definitely would not have known as a faux pas without the guidelines we received. I am guilty consistently of the "mhm's" and "oks" every three seconds to just let the speaker know that I am interested. I had not even figured the fact that it could harm my recording and lose some valuable information. The pause factor, again, I would have missed, I assume if you stop speaking that the conversation is done and time to move on to another point, not that they may consider a continuation on the subject.

I was aware of the need for at least two ways to record the narrator, I would opt for notes and an audio recording, with permission of course. Yet to come up with a series of questions that are not considered guiding is seemingly impossible. When someone has an opinion they voice I am usually ready to jump in and push for me but apparently in the wrong way with things with guiding questions such as "and then what did you do to resolve this" : what are you imagining for this".

Overall I am still trying to discern the area as to which I will focus my project. But I plan on a decision to be made by the end of this week and will post it so that everyone can see where I am headed.

Discovering the Hidden Baltimore

So, as I mentioned in class, I am not from here, not even a little bit. I probably could not have pointed out Maryland on a map until I was 16 years old. Yet, here I am, at The University of Maryland Baltimore County, thousands of miles from home and in a class that is studying an area I have never heard of.

To be completely honest I have no clue where anything is in the city minus, the inner harbour and I probably couldn't get there myself without the GPS. So for me and my opinions on this Curtis Bay area, I honestly have no clue. I have even asked natives to Baltimore County about the neighbourhoods I am about to study and they seem almost as clueless as me. So my first learning point for week 1 is that someone, maybe us, really needs to put this place on a map. No, not literally I know it is there, but there has to be something that draws people in to this community. With that comes money and with that comes a growing society.

I am still struggling with what to do for my project but I know an idea will come to me soon enough (probably at 4:30 am one night and then I won't be able to get back to sleep). I am glad I get to go in to the community and use interviewing techniques and skills to learn about the people as well as the community. I am excited for all of this class honestly, it will help me feel educated about my area in which I reside. I also think this is a great class experience and any major should have to go out in to the area and do something relevant with the community regarding their major. While the readings really have not clarified any of my " Well, what is it actually like?" questions, I know as soon as I get down there an impact will hit me and hopefully some inspiration will too!

See you tomorrow!!