Christelle Onwu, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Abstract

Interviewer: Mark Naison, Stephanie Robinson-Ramirez, Jane Kani Edward

Interviewee: Christelle Onwu

Christelle Onwu’s profound work demonstrates the importance of advocacy and research in changing policies and improving community engagement. Through her experiences with helping children through social work, she realized that the way in which she could truly make change was through policy work and reworking the cultivation of systems to ensure the success of future generations. Christelle, originally from Cameroon, arrived in the U.S. at 17 and attended John Jay College, where she excelled academically and received multiple scholarships. Through her excellence, she has been recognized as one …

Kazembe Balagun Part 2, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Abstract

Interviewer: Mark Naison, Ryan Purcell, Shellae Versey

Interviewee: Kazambe Balagun

In this second part of an interview with Kazembe Balagun, he discusses Co-Op City’s neighborly qualities in depth, specifically in regards to the community it fosters for all ages. Kazambe’s knowledge is direct evidence that defies the stigmatized viewpoints and negative stereotypes on public housing. This viewpoint is transcended through Balagun’s passionate dialogue on the importance of children and the development of the youth in Co-Op City, his engagement with community-based activities, as well as his extensive knowledge on local politics. As Balagun stresses the importance of political involvement …

Leslie Peterson, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Abstract

Interviewer: Mark Naison, Stephanie Robinson-Ramirez, Shellae Versey

Interviewee: Leslie Peterson

Peterson embodies community. Whether it be through her decades-long commitment to NYCHA and NAACP, or through her countless efforts to sustain and grow with Co-Op City, Peterson has shaped her surroundings. Being a ‘community-minded’ person reverberates throughout her academic and professional career, having even managed Edenwald houses at a point in her life. Through this and many other management opportunities, Peterson shares the impact of her understanding on the technicalities of how to progress a community. Peterson has beautifully contributed to all aspects of Co-Op City, especially in regards …

Naomi Pemberton, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Abstract

Interviewer: Mark Naison, Stephanie Robinson-Ramirez, Steven Payne

Interviewee: Naomi Pemberton

Naomi Pemberton, a healthcare executive and community leader in the Bronx, shares her experiences surrounding advocacy for her community and for its perpetual progression. For Pemberton, service work is a part of her identity, especially in regards to her incessant battle for her community. She plans to always remain in the Bronx with her family, signifying her love and determination to fight for the quality of life in her community, as well as the cultivation of its children. Pemberton stresses how we must use our voices to fight and …

Rocky Bucano, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Abstract by Serena Vasquez

Interviewer: Mark Naison, Stephanie Robinson-Ramirez, Ryan Purcell

Interviewee: Rocky Bucano

Rocky Bucano, founder of the Hip-Hop Museum, a longtime music producer, and an administrator for the Gauchos AAU basketball program, as well as having worked in television, multimedia, artist management, DJing, promotion, radio, and marketing grew up in the Valley. Born in the US, Bucano’s father, Ernesto, was a merchant seaman from Panama who worked on steamships as a stoker, and his mother, Dorothy, was a high press operator in the fashion district from Saint Kitts. Bucano describes the monumental occurrence of when his family moved …

Kujegi Camara, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Kujegi Camara is a lifelong Bronx resident and Assistant Director for Engagement and Operations at Fordham’s Center for Community Engaged Learning. She attended high school at Manhattan Center for Science and Math in East Harlem and received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University.

Camara was born in 1994 to Gambian parents who immigrated to the Bronx in the late ‘80s. Growing up on 176th and Walton Avenue, Camara lived with her large extended family and would cook meals with her mother and aunts. The neighborhood had many Senegambian immigrants, and the Mount Hope Masjid that she …

Kazembe Balagun - Part 1, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Kazembe Balagun is a Harlem-born and Bronx-based leftist intellectual leader, community organizer, and current executive director of the Maysles Documentary Center.

Balagun was born Keith Alexander Mitchell, in 1976, to parents who had moved to New York City from South Carolina during the Great Migration in 1961. They were one of the first families to move into the Polo Grounds, the Harlem public housing development, before making the move to Co-op City in 1994. Balagun describes a “mythic” quality to Co-op City as a symbol of the Black middle class. In the interview, he recalls the …

Diontay Santiago, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Lauren Payne

Diontay Santiago, a rising senior at Fordham University, discussed the impact of COVID-19 on his academic and personal life. He highlighted the loss of access to campus resources like gyms and libraries, which has affected his fitness and study routines. As President of the Black Student Alliance, he noted increased Zoom calls and social media use to connect students. Diontay emphasized the challenges of remote learning and the need for tangible resources for students. He also addressed the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the South Bronx and the importance of protests against racial injustices despite media …

Ingrid Cardona, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Disciplines

African American Studies

Abstract

Summary by Jocelyn Defex.

In this oral history interview for the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project, Grace Schmidt and Allison Lecce interview Ingrid Cardona, the Food and Nutrition Department Operations Manager at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. Ingrid discusses her background, her role in food service management at the hospital, and the adaptations her department made during the pandemic. Ingrid, raised in the Bronx, has worked at St. Barnabas for over two decades, initially joining due to a connection through her mother.

In her role, Ingrid manages food safety standards and oversees a unionized …

Alietta Bellamy Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Abstract Summarized by Lauren Payne

Alietta Bellamy, a Bronx elementary school teacher for 12 years, discussed her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. She teaches a small class of 22 students, primarily in ELA and math, with most living locally in the Morris Heights neighborhood. The transition to remote learning was challenging, with concerns about student asthma and technology access. Bellamy highlighted the difficulties in providing effective remote education, including the lack of immediate feedback and the impact on students' mental health. She noted that about half of her students received DOE iPads, which helped but were not ideal. The pandemic …

Tajay Ashmeade, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Tajay Ashmeade

Abstract

INTERVIEWER: Mark Naison, Lisa Betty, Stephanie Robinson Ramirez

INTERVIEWEE: Tajay (TJ) Ashmeade

SUMMARY BY: Christine Rong

Tajay Ashmeade, a Jamaican-born Bronx resident, shared her journey from special education to becoming a professional basketball player and entrepreneur. She discussed her family's immigration story, her educational timeline, and her impactful mentors, Bonnie Henderson and Ann Donovan, who guided her through education and sports. She detailed her struggles with ADD, her time in junior college, and her professional basketball career, including playing for the Jamaican National Team and the WNBA. Tajay emphasized the importance of mentorship and education, leading to …

Dr.Ernest Patti, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Abstract

Summarized by Lauren Payne

Dr. Ernest Patty, an ER attending physician at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, shared his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. He detailed the hospital's transition from a Level 1 to a Level 2 trauma center due to resource constraints. Patty described the increased patient volume, with over 100,000 patients annually, and the emotional toll of treating critically ill COVID-19 patients without visitors. He highlighted thecommunity's support, including food donations and personal protective equipment. Patty also mentioned the loss of colleagues and the importance of teamwork in managing the pandemic.

Dr.Chris Grantham Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Chris Grantham, M.D., is a critical care attending and director of the ICU at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx.

He grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He returned to the area after medical school to complete his residency in internal medicine at St. Barnabas and his fellowship in critical care at Montefiore. After years of working as an attending at St. Barnabas, Grantham began his position as the Critical Care Director in December 2019, mere months before the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

In the weeks and months after the …

Shabsigh, Dr.Ridwan, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Abstract

INTERVIEWER: Grace Schmidt, Allison Leche

INTERVIEWEE: Ridwan Shabsigh (Dr. Shabsigh)

SUMMARY BY: Christine Rong

Originally from Syria, Dr. Ridwan Shabsigh, Chairman of Surgery at St. Barnabas Hospital, discussed his role, hardships, and experience working during the extreme surges of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit in early 2020, he led a hospital serving one of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged communities in New York City. The hospital, known for its critical care services, had to adapt to the overwhelming patient surge rapidly. The book Dr. Shabsigh co-authored documents this adaptation process, offering a detailed account of the hospital’s response. …

Lionel Spencer Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summarized by Alan C. Ventura

In this heartfelt interview, Carlos Rico of the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project meets with Lionel Spencer to discuss the impact that COVID-19 has had on his life as a son and father. Spencer highlights his close relationship with his brothers and the challenges they have faced together, expressing admiration for their bond and hoping to have a similar connection with his own family going forward. Both Rico and Spencer take a deep dive into the challenges people face in adjusting to the lack of social interactions and their interest in understanding the impact of …

Wesley Caines Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Transcribed and summarized by Alan C. Ventura

In an engaging and informative interview as part of the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project, Mr. Wesley Caines—former DIrector of Community Engagement and standing Chief of Staff at Bronx Defenders—sits down with various other Fordham University interviewers to discuss the impact of the pandemic on the organization's holistic defense approach and the challenges faced in providing housing for individuals released from detention. Caines also shares the success story of helping a client in ICE detention and sheds some light on the prospect of positive policy change in New York, the securing of funds …

Luz Solis Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Interviewees: Ms. Luz Soliz-Ramos , Gil

Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ©

Interviewers: Dr. Mark Naison, Dr. Lisa Betty, Lucy Blanco

Date: December 10, 2023

Summarized by Amy Rini January 28, 2024

Ms. Luz Soliz-Ramos from Honduras, is a Garifuna dancer, choreographer, teacher, and activist. Soliz-Ramos is the founder of the Bronx based Garifuna Heritage Center for the Arts and Culture and Co-Choreographer & Artistic Director of the Wabafu Garifuna Dance Theatre, which was established as the Hamalali Wayunagu Garifuna Dance Company in 1992.

Immigration from Honduras wasn’t easy for those who only spoke Garifuna and not Spanish, …

Maria Aponte Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Disciplines

African American Studies

Abstract

Summary by Jocelyn Defex.

This interview for the Bronx African American History Project was with Maria Aponte, a Non-profit organization founder, educator, author, poet, performance artist, and community arts activist. A Fordham University alum, Carlos Rico, interviewed her for the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project.

Aponte discusses her childhood; she grew up in “El Barrio” (Washington Heights, NY) and moved to the Bronx in the late 70s. Before becoming an activist, she was a theater actress, and she felt that her role helped to break down Latino, women, and person-of-color stereotypes in the theater. At …

Calhoun, Will, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Will Calhoun is a Grammy award-winning drummer, producer, songwriter, and Bronx native.

He was born in Brooklyn but moved to the Northeast Bronx with his parents shortly after. He attended Lutheran schools as a kid in an Italian neighborhood, where he recalls having to run away from men with bats getting to and from school before switching to Evander Childs for high school. At Evander, he encountered Drummer’s Collective and Horacee Arnold, who introduced him to musicians like Elvin Jones and took him to jazz clubs in the city.

Calhoun’s first introduction to music came from …

Helen Diane Foster Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summarized by Alan C. Ventura

In this extensive interview, Helen Diane Foster talks about her upbringing across different areas of the Bronx, her relationship with her father, Reverend T. Wendell Foster—the first black elected official to serve the Bronx—and her time spent on the city council, in turn becoming the first black woman elected to that position within Bronx County. Listen in as she and Dr. Mark Naison relive this monumental time in Bronx history, which most notably involved Foster’s attempts to stop the seizure of Macombs Dam Park for Yankee Stadium.

Marlene Taylor-Ponterotto Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Marlene Taylor-Ponterotto is a vital member of both the Fordham and the Bronx communities who has worked diligently to promote racial justice and equity in New York City healthcare and in educational opportunities for marginalized students. Taylor graduated from Fordham College at Rose Hill in 1979 and was the only female student from her class to graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Biology. Taylor now resides in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx and is an active member of the MOSAIC alumni association and a trailblazing advocate for her patients at Heritage Clinic in Central …

Wanny Angerer Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

INTERVIEWER: Lisa Betty, Mark Naison

INTERVIEWEE: Wanny Angerer

SUMMARY BY: Grace D’Ambrosio

Born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wanny Angerer is the founder of several global social movements. Her parents both came from small Garifuna communities and moved to larger cities to further their own education as well as expand the opportunities available to their children. Wanny’s family, including her grandparents, were leading members of the Garifuna cultural movement in Honduras. In her early years, Wanny and her siblings were raised to value education, spirituality, and community service. From a young age she was taking music and dance classes and would spend …

Patricia Payne Interview, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Disciplines

African American Studies

Abstract

Summary by Jocelyn Defex.

This interview for the Bronx African American History Project was with Patricia Payne, a professor at Monroe College. She and Dr. Mark Naison discuss her family history and experiences growing up in the Patterson houses in the South Bronx.

Payne’s family moved to the Bronx from Harlem in 1949 and settled in the Patterson houses. Payne’s parents were from South Carolina; Her father worked as a taxman and auxiliary policeman, while her mother had limited formal education and worked occasionally as a domestic helper.

Patricia's memories of the Paterson houses began …

Maribel Gonzalez Interview Part 2, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summarized by Alan C. Ventura

Maribel Gonzalez is a small business owner in the Bronx and serves as sole operator of The South of France restaurant. As part of the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project, she sits with Fordham University senior Bethany Fernandez to share her experience of running a business during the pandemic.

Gonzalez reflects on how her business has progressed along with COVID-19 protocols since her first interview in June 2020. She discusses the ongoing challenges of running a business during the pandemic, with uncertainty and financial struggles continuing to persist with the passage of time. The flow …

Maribel Gonzalez Interview Part 1, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summarized by Alan C. Ventura

Maribel Gonzalez is a small business owner in the Bronx and serves as sole operator of The South of France restaurant. As part of the Bronx COVID-19 Oral History Project, she sits with Fordham University senior Bethany Fernandez to share her experience of running a business during the pandemic.

Gonzalez begins by looking back at the history of the establishment, revealing the love story which gave The South of France its name and explaining the Puerto Rican-American roots of the restaurant’s cuisine. Gonzalez then shifts to reflect on the interactive pre-pandemic life in the Bronx …

Mangum, Claude, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Summary by Eliza Anderson.

Dr. Claude Mangum is an integral member of the Fordham community, arriving first as the director of the Upward Bound program in 1969 before joining the faculty of the Institute of Afro-American Studies, which would later become the Department of African and

African-American Studies. Dr. Mangum was an assistant professor, associate professor, and chair of the department before his retirement in 2011.

Dr. Mangum began his educational career as a high school teacher, attending Queen’s College before starting to teach at John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens. He completed a Masters and PHD at Columbia …

Daley, Joy Elaine, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

No abstract provided.

Monica Whiting-Hogans, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Whiting-Hogans is proud of community service like a Bronx health fair where they provided free mammograms for those without insurance, fixing up playgrounds, providing hospitalized sexual assault victims with new clothes and undergarments, and visiting seniors at St. Luke’s Hospital. She speaks to moments when members of the sorority have even come together to help her personally. Today, she wishes younger members would remember the ideals of manners and respect more, following in the decorum of a “sisterhood.” Whiting-Hogans acknowledges the setbacks of the pandemic but encourages young people to get engaged.

LINK TO VIDEO INTERVIEW: http://cdm17265.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/baahp/id/77

Yvonne Marie Smith, Mark Naison

Oral Histories

Smith attended James Monroe High School, which is now several academies. Leo Weiss was the principal. His determination encouraged most of her peers to finish high school. Prior to the fires and Bronx burning and the drug epidemic, it was a close knit community. You couldn't do anything that another adult stepping in to remind children that they were children. They reminded Smith to be careful. That was the kind of community it was. People looked out for each other. Her family attended Trinity Episcopal. The 1970s Bronx fires destroyed her building, and the city took a long time to …

Avila, Jose Francisco Interview Part 2, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Summary of José Francisco Ávila (Feb. 17th, 2022) Pt.2 Interview

Summarized by : Katherine Caperan

This is the second part of the José Francisco Ávila interview. In this one, he discusses the experiences that have shaped his efforts as a prominent Garifuna and Afro-Latino social justice activist for Garifuna communities in New York City, nationally, and internationally. As a Garifuna originally from Cristales, Honduras, Ávila notices that the Garifuna communities face the same issues in his country as in the United States. Ávila spent over thirty years researching and writing about the Garifuna Community. Collecting information from the news, television, …