Brooklyn, New York. Community + Possibility.
OK. So this post could have been more broadly labeled “The future of NYC”. Because I feel lots of love for the communities and friends I’ve made all over this city. I just got back from Montreal which to this day is my favorite city living experience, but even while there I still felt the pull of New Yorkers and my beloved Brooklyn.
My friend Omar Johnson and I have a running (fake) rivalry between New York City and LA (he’s going to say it’s totally real, and that he’s right and I’m wrong, but that’s why I adore Omar. He’s got conviction!) To be honest, I love hanging out with my sunny CA friends and enjoying the good life/lifestyle. And experiencing LA with Omar is sublime! I totally get how exciting and vibrant it is there. But I still am rooted in and rooting for my city. My gritty, scrappy, frustrating, exciting city of plural communities.
It all started before I was born. My mom’s family lived in NYC. And my mom grew up in the Bronx. She was more than happy to move away (her apartment had no air conditioning, it was a long commute) and yet I remember every detail of my grandmother’s apartment. I remember driving there on the way to our annual vacation in Maine from Maryland. We would cross the the GW Bridge in bumper to bumper traffic, and make our way to Castle Hill Avenue on the Cross Bronx. This was the 70s. Buildings along the expressway were in a bad way, and instead of investing in the neighborhoods, they spent millions painting fake window shades and flower pots on the windows of the buildings. I used to think this was totally weird. Then we would get off, drive towards Metropolitan Avenue in Parchester, and watch my Nanny and Poppa waving to us like it was their job to greet us from their 6th floor apartment as we drove towards the garage. This is pre-cell phone, so I am guessing they planted themselves at their window for an hour at least to make sure they delivered on that welcome to the Bronx moment. Maybe my parents called from a Jersey rest stop to give them an ETA? Anyway. My Nanny had dear friends and shops she loved in her community, and the community was ever changing. The food was delicious and unforgettable. I wanted to live that life.
I had a particularly magical memory of my Nanny making me and my college girlfriends a delicious dinner from her tiny kitchen when we came for a visit. Roast chicken. Apple pie. We laughed so much and had the best time together. I loved that apartment and the time I spent in New York, even if I was sometimes overwhelmed by it.
I moved around a lot in my 20s, and thanks to good friends, in particular Toby Neiman, I not only landed a great apartment, but I moved close to friends in an amazing neighborhood in Brooklyn. I have lived in the same 5 block radius since I moved here in 1999, and I love my neighborhood. New York City is intense. And it’s expensive and full of strong personalities. I try to describe to non-New Yorkers the trade off we make to live and thrive here. Picture a triangle with 3 sides of different lengths where we play a balancing act as we prioritize our favorite of all spectator sports, real estate. The 3 sides are space, commute and cost. You can get 1, maybe some of 2 of the sides, but 3 is like a magical unicorn. Want a big place at a reasonable price? No problem: you will commute a long way. Want to live in the Village and be able to afford to eat food and wash your clothes? Well you are going to live in a closet. You get the point.
New Yorkers are busy, intense, direct, and believe me it’s true, also kind. In my work this translates into people who get to the point, expect you to be ready to deliver, and want the thing we work on to have some impact. I’ve worked in a lot of places, and I can say all places have talented workers. And I currently work with people from across the country and world. It’s great! But I try to bring my New Yorkiness to my leadership style. I am curious and want to enjoy myself, but I also want to get things done. If something is a bad idea I’ll tell you what I think. To your face. And then I’ll help you make your idea better. This bluntness is a favorite thing about New Yorkers. We assume you want to know if you have spinach in your teeth. And also, we are an international city—literally a melting pot. We want to know about you and what you have to say. We care about your culture. Speaking of culture. We want the most yummy ramen and delicious pizza and dim sum and roti—well you get the point. I’ve talked before about my kids being a part of the Prospect Park Youth Running Club and let me tell you the annual potluck is the most delicious multicultural potluck my hungry tummy could ever want!
I am seriously digressing on food. Here’s where I land. According to Investopedia: “New York City is the leading job hub for banking, finance and communication in the U.S. New York is also a major manufacturing center and shipping port, and it has a thriving technological sector. There are more books, magazines and newspapers published in New York than in any other state in the country.” That’s all well and good today, but I’m worried about the next 15-30 years. What if financial services is diminished by disruption? We see it happening with media, with fashion. It’s expensive to live here, and challenging. Not everyone gets equal treatment, especially people of color. I worry for those who truly struggle and won’t get ahead.
I want to find a way to amplify all the creative, ground-breaking workers and entrepreneurs who are living here and making a difference. Chinedu Echeruo and Pamela Abalu are literally putting their hearts into creating magic and innovation in their ventures. There are so many others doing big work. I even got to meet some amazing Brooklynites while in Montreal, and let me tell you I was blown away. In fairness, everyone I met at the C2 Montréal conference was impressive. But I personally left ready to feed every one of the New Yorkers I met, and find ways to move mountains to help them keep climbing towards their goals and get noticed.
Brooklyn. It’s not for everyone. It’s tough. The mosquitos make my backyard a living hell most of the summer. But if you’re here, you’re family. And I like to think that like my immigrant grandparents and great grandparents, we are better as a city (and I would argue a country) because of the wonderful people whether you are life long New Yorkers for generations or you come here from other countries and cultures with dreams and lots of elbow grease. I want New York to be the city of plurality, promise and innovation. And I want to spoil you rotten if you are here and when you visit.
