WNYC's Community Partnerships Desk regularly partners with the nonprofit Street Lab to highlight stories from neighborhoods across New York City. We recently stationed ourselves on 109th Avenue in South Jamaica, Queens. Here's some of what we heard.
The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Nicholas Haskins: "I'm 70 years old and I'm a senior here in Jamaica, Queens, New York. It's so nice that someone is doing things for the children, that they can come out and play, learn things instead of being boxed in. But there's something that needs to be made more different for the seniors.
The seniors don't come out like they should. I come out practically every day, and I have a few friends they come out. But I know there's plenty of other seniors that don't have the advantage or the luxury to do so. And I wonder about them, and I worry about them because I see some of them get in the cars to go to the doctor, come back, go right up. Is that all they have left?
So, you know, for the future. I hope to see more of seniors and people and children out enjoying their lives 'cause when you come out and anticipate with your neighbors and your friends, everything gets better."
Aisha Ford: "I am from East New York, Brooklyn. I am at a unity event in South Side Jamaica, Queens to support the children here in the neighborhood. They have different activities over here for them to do every summer I come and I help or do as much as I can. Sometime I donate to them as well, you know, I love to give back.
I'm looking into doing something similar myself, but more towards teens because I find that a lot of teens cry out for help in the wrong areas. I have two teen boys as well, and I do things with them, but other parents, they, for whatever reason, they can't. There's not enough centers open and everything is costly. Not everyone can afford it, and I just wanted to give them opportunities to know that there's more out there than what they're doing right now."
Kamla Sandiford: "I am a 60-year-old educator. And I'm out here in South Side Jamaica. I've been an educator for 29 years. I live in the community now. I live in Jamaica, Queens. So this is dear to my heart. I grew up in Brooklyn in a, in a poor community, but the parents and the educators made a difference for me, and so that's why I always feel like it's not where you're at, it's what you do with what you get."
Kenny Macklemore: "I'm currently the president of Family Union in our Community, which operates out of South Jamaica, Queens. We started back in 2014 as a mentoring program, which I ran out of here in South Jamaica. In 2021 I decided to get my own organization where I felt that I was able to do more.
Family Unity in our Community is about connectivity to the community. We have after school program day camps and activities that we provide fun and games, educational games. We take them on field trip as well. I am 67 years old and I would like to get the organization to a point where I can sit back and admire it.
I hope to get each individual educated on how to grow in your community and, and take it to another level and bring up another youngster and teach them the same way they were being taught."