1
00:00:13,283 --> 00:00:16,330
Marc Levin:<i>How do you think</i>
<i>this neighborhood</i>
<i>has changed?</i>

2
00:00:16,660 --> 00:00:18,100
It's like the buildings
are changing.

3
00:00:18,133 --> 00:00:20,283
<i>Is it getting better?</i>
<i>Is it getting worse?</i>
<i>What would you say?</i>

4
00:00:20,316 --> 00:00:22,830
- Worse.
- Getting better.

5
00:00:22,116 --> 00:00:24,166
Worse, 'cause
the buildings

6
00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,216
are turning, like,
old and dirty.

7
00:00:27,250 --> 00:00:29,183
<i>And you said</i>
<i>it's getting better.</i>

8
00:00:29,216 --> 00:00:34,216
'Cause the builders
are building the new houses.

9
00:00:36,366 --> 00:00:39,116
<i>( music playing )</i>

10
00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:58,383
<i>( jackhammer rattling )</i>

11
00:01:05,830 --> 00:01:06,300
Omega Linton:
<i>I feel like they're</i>
<i>trying to push</i>

12
00:01:06,333 --> 00:01:08,216
<i>everybody</i>
<i>out of New York City.</i>

13
00:01:08,250 --> 00:01:10,330
<i>I don't care</i>
<i>what color you are.</i>

14
00:01:10,660 --> 00:01:11,166
<i>If you don't have</i>
<i>the big dollars,</i>

15
00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:12,366
they want you out.

16
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,000
They want that apartment
and that spot for someone else

17
00:01:15,330 --> 00:01:16,150
who's bringing in
those dollars.

18
00:01:21,116 --> 00:01:23,160
Cher Elyse Carden:
<i>I walk down the street now,</i>

19
00:01:23,500 --> 00:01:25,000
<i>I don't see anything</i>
<i>that I recognize anymore.</i>

20
00:01:25,330 --> 00:01:27,333
All of my favorite stores
and shops are now gone.

21
00:01:33,166 --> 00:01:35,116
Nick:
<i>When you walk</i>
<i>down the High Line,</i>

22
00:01:35,150 --> 00:01:38,333
there are literally, like,
new construction buildings
every day.

23
00:01:38,366 --> 00:01:41,266
<i>It's changing so rapidly.</i>

24
00:01:46,216 --> 00:01:48,233
Claudia Saez-Fromm:
<i>We're the capital</i>
<i>of the world.</i>

25
00:01:48,266 --> 00:01:50,266
<i>People want to live</i>
<i>in Manhattan.</i>

26
00:01:50,300 --> 00:01:52,183
<i>Are the people</i>
<i>going to be moving out?</i>

27
00:01:52,216 --> 00:01:53,350
That's what happens.

28
00:01:57,830 --> 00:01:59,366
William Wilson:
<i>I grew up on 25th Street</i>
<i>and 9th Avenue.</i>

29
00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,250
There's an apartment complex
on the corner now.

30
00:02:02,283 --> 00:02:05,316
I don't know where--
I came home from jail
and it was there.

31
00:02:12,116 --> 00:02:15,366
Corey Johnson:<i>You have</i>
<i>this school where you could</i>
<i>send your child there</i>

32
00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,150
<i>from kindergarten</i>
<i>through 12th grade,</i>

33
00:02:18,183 --> 00:02:21,133
pay between $40,000
and $50,000 a year

34
00:02:21,166 --> 00:02:23,330
for private education,

35
00:02:23,660 --> 00:02:25,500
<i>and literally</i>
<i>across the street,</i>

36
00:02:25,830 --> 00:02:27,660
<i>you have</i>
<i>the Elliott-Chelsea houses</i>

37
00:02:27,100 --> 00:02:31,000
<i>where a tremendous</i>
<i>number of people are</i>
<i>living in poverty.</i>

38
00:02:33,300 --> 00:02:35,350
Luc:
<i>I've noticed, like,</i>
<i>a greater disparity</i>

39
00:02:35,383 --> 00:02:38,250
<i>just between looking</i>
<i>at kids across the street</i>
<i>and Avenues</i>

40
00:02:38,283 --> 00:02:41,200
<i>and then looking</i>
<i>at the housing projects.</i>

41
00:02:41,233 --> 00:02:44,266
This gap is just becoming
larger between the two.

42
00:02:44,300 --> 00:02:48,330
<i>Even though you may</i>
<i>just see an avenue</i>
<i>between each block,</i>

43
00:02:48,660 --> 00:02:50,250
<i>it's actually</i>
<i>much larger than that.</i>

44
00:03:18,250 --> 00:03:20,300
Rosa:
<i>So, if you look out here,</i>

45
00:03:20,333 --> 00:03:23,266
you can actually see
the Statue of Liberty.

46
00:03:23,300 --> 00:03:25,166
So, like,
right over there.

47
00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,660
And these are, like,
the other rich buildings

48
00:03:28,100 --> 00:03:29,300
where other people live.

49
00:03:29,333 --> 00:03:32,266
My family is poor
because we live
in the projects.

50
00:03:32,300 --> 00:03:34,316
We don't live, like,
nowhere perfect.

51
00:03:34,350 --> 00:03:37,100
<i>And my mom, she doesn't</i>
<i>give me a lot of money--</i>

52
00:03:37,133 --> 00:03:38,266
<i>like, probably $2, $3</i>

53
00:03:38,300 --> 00:03:41,330
<i>to go to the store</i>
<i>and stuff like that.</i>

54
00:03:41,660 --> 00:03:44,330
<i>I mean, my family</i>
<i>is not a perfect family,</i>
<i>you know what I'm saying?</i>

55
00:03:44,660 --> 00:03:47,200
I can't, I can't.
I try being honest with you.

56
00:03:47,233 --> 00:03:49,333
And you say, "Oh, Daddy,
buy me this, buy me this."

57
00:03:49,366 --> 00:03:52,366
I cannot, because I don't
have no money, Rosa.

58
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,383
- You understand
what's going on in--
- I understand!

59
00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,000
If I got the money,
you think that I'd say no?

60
00:03:58,330 --> 00:04:01,166
You don't-- no,
if I got the money,
I'd say I'll go with you.

61
00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,250
I mean, I don't have
what I want necessarily,

62
00:04:04,283 --> 00:04:07,166
but I do have, like,
people that I love.

63
00:04:09,133 --> 00:04:10,266
<i>Tócala.</i>

64
00:04:12,216 --> 00:04:13,333
See?

65
00:04:13,366 --> 00:04:16,660
<i>She love you.</i>

66
00:04:16,100 --> 00:04:18,150
♪ My name is Rosa,
it rhymes with bosa ♪

67
00:04:18,183 --> 00:04:21,133
♪ I stick to the lyrics
every day and knows-a... ♪

68
00:04:21,166 --> 00:04:24,233
<i>Who do I admire?</i>
<i>I admire Beyoncé.</i>

69
00:04:24,266 --> 00:04:27,216
I mean,
if I ever meet her,
I'm gonna cry.

70
00:04:27,250 --> 00:04:29,216
It's gonna be, like,
so emotional for me.

71
00:04:29,250 --> 00:04:34,160
I mean, Mark--
I mean, if who--
like your favorite singer.

72
00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:36,500
Who's your favorite singer?

73
00:04:36,830 --> 00:04:37,830
<i>Billie Holiday.</i>

74
00:04:37,116 --> 00:04:38,300
You-- if you
meet him, right?

75
00:04:38,333 --> 00:04:41,830
You would, like,
faint or something,
like, something...

76
00:04:41,116 --> 00:04:42,166
oh, my God.

77
00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:44,300
<i>( thunder rumbling )</i>

78
00:05:02,383 --> 00:05:06,100
Rosa:
<i>Avenues is a school</i>
<i>that I wanted to go to,</i>

79
00:05:06,133 --> 00:05:10,300
but I couldn't because
it was too much money.

80
00:05:10,333 --> 00:05:12,350
<i>Parents are more poor</i>
<i>at my school,</i>

81
00:05:12,383 --> 00:05:14,383
<i>and Avenues,</i>
<i>it's, like,</i>

82
00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,116
people that have,
like, a lot of money,
you know what I'm saying?

83
00:05:32,283 --> 00:05:34,266
<i>♪ Welcome to Avenues,</i>
<i>the best high school ♪</i>

84
00:05:34,300 --> 00:05:36,166
<i>♪ I've got</i>
<i>a strange feeling ♪</i>

85
00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:37,366
<i>♪ That you're in</i>
<i>for something new ♪</i>

86
00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,233
♪ I wanna tell you
about my favorite crew ♪

87
00:05:40,266 --> 00:05:43,330
♪ We've got a name for it,
student council ♪

88
00:05:43,660 --> 00:05:45,350
<i>♪ Our job</i>
<i>is to make the school</i>
<i>the best that it can be ♪</i>

89
00:05:45,383 --> 00:05:48,233
<i>♪ Your job is to report</i>
<i>any problem that you see ♪</i>

90
00:05:48,266 --> 00:05:51,150
♪ We've got the president
and the secretary ♪

91
00:05:51,183 --> 00:05:54,150
♪ But what about me?
I'm the V.P. ♪

92
00:05:54,183 --> 00:05:56,000
( cheering )

93
00:05:56,330 --> 00:05:57,183
Yasemin:
<i>I've seen people</i>
<i>come to the school</i>

94
00:05:57,216 --> 00:05:59,500
and they're like,
this is a spaceship.

95
00:05:59,830 --> 00:06:00,216
Like, they go in the elevators,
they're talking to you.

96
00:06:00,250 --> 00:06:01,283
There's a cafe
with coffee.

97
00:06:01,316 --> 00:06:03,150
<i>Like, it's to the extent</i>

98
00:06:03,183 --> 00:06:06,160
<i>where it almost makes you</i>
<i>white out everything else.</i>

99
00:06:07,383 --> 00:06:09,216
Geoffrey:
<i>The first day,</i>
<i>I came to Avenues</i>

100
00:06:09,250 --> 00:06:12,366
<i>and I saw an entire line</i>
<i>of Mercedes SUVs</i>

101
00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,133
<i>outside the school</i>
<i>just dropping kids off.</i>

102
00:06:15,166 --> 00:06:17,266
<i>It was a little intimidating</i>
<i>because I thought,</i>

103
00:06:17,300 --> 00:06:21,383
wow, I'm going to a school
where people are, like,
crazy rich.

104
00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,160
Luc:
<i>In Vermont, I was</i>
<i>always looked at</i>

105
00:06:24,500 --> 00:06:26,200
<i>as the wealthiest kid</i>
<i>in my class,</i>

106
00:06:26,233 --> 00:06:28,160
whereas here,
going to Avenues,

107
00:06:28,500 --> 00:06:30,330
I definitely was not.

108
00:06:30,660 --> 00:06:32,330
Isabella:
<i>Just being</i>
<i>upper middle class</i>

109
00:06:32,660 --> 00:06:34,233
<i>is something</i>
<i>that a lot of kids</i>
<i>have in common.</i>

110
00:06:34,266 --> 00:06:37,250
Like, they don't
have enough money
to have a private jet

111
00:06:37,283 --> 00:06:40,830
and go to Turks and Caicos
over the weekend,

112
00:06:40,116 --> 00:06:42,660
which a few kids do.

113
00:06:42,100 --> 00:06:45,100
-<i>( ball dribbling )</i>
- Go, Avenues!

114
00:06:45,133 --> 00:06:47,116
Sophie:
<i>When I come to Avenues,</i>
<i>I definitely feel like</i>

115
00:06:47,150 --> 00:06:49,366
I am the lower part
of the pack.

116
00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,660
<i>And that's kind of odd, right,</i>
<i>'cause compared to the rest</i>
<i>of the world,</i>

117
00:06:53,100 --> 00:06:55,366
<i>I go on vacation,</i>
<i>I go to a private school,</i>
<i>in general.</i>

118
00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,166
So it's a very odd shift
once I walk in the doors.

119
00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,166
<i>And when you live</i>
<i>in the city</i>

120
00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,233
<i>and when you're exposed</i>
<i>to all these different</i>
<i>walks of life,</i>

121
00:07:03,266 --> 00:07:06,660
<i>you are able to say,</i>
<i>okay, this is what I have.</i>

122
00:07:06,100 --> 00:07:08,133
But that's not the same case
for everybody else.

123
00:07:24,660 --> 00:07:26,660
Joel:
<i>When we were learning</i>
<i>about the Titanic--</i>

124
00:07:26,100 --> 00:07:29,283
<i>like, first class,</i>
<i>second class, third class,</i>
<i>and the crew--</i>

125
00:07:29,316 --> 00:07:32,316
<i>like, the first class</i>
<i>was the wealthy ones,</i>

126
00:07:32,350 --> 00:07:34,350
<i>second class</i>
<i>was sort of wealthy,</i>

127
00:07:34,383 --> 00:07:36,316
<i>third class,</i>
<i>not so good,</i>

128
00:07:36,350 --> 00:07:39,116
<i>and crew,</i>
<i>you just work for money.</i>

129
00:07:39,150 --> 00:07:41,183
( speaking Spanish )

130
00:07:44,316 --> 00:07:46,166
Levin:
<i>Where would you</i>
<i>put yourselves?</i>

131
00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,333
I figure I'll say
at least second class

132
00:07:49,366 --> 00:07:52,150
or third class.

133
00:07:52,183 --> 00:07:54,300
- Joel, Miley.
- Joel:<i>Yeah?</i>

134
00:07:54,333 --> 00:07:57,160
Come,<i>vengan.</i>
I have pizza for you.

135
00:07:57,500 --> 00:07:59,830
Coming.

136
00:07:59,116 --> 00:08:01,250
Seven people
in a little house.

137
00:08:01,283 --> 00:08:03,350
-<i>Two rooms.</i>
- Ta-da!

138
00:08:03,383 --> 00:08:05,350
Joel:
<i>Me, my baby sister,</i>

139
00:08:05,383 --> 00:08:08,166
<i>my mom and dad</i>
<i>sleep in one room.</i>

140
00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,333
<i>And my sister sleeps</i>
<i>in the other room,</i>

141
00:08:11,366 --> 00:08:14,200
<i>and my grandma</i>
<i>has to sleep outside</i>

142
00:08:14,233 --> 00:08:16,330
<i>in the living room.</i>

143
00:08:17,300 --> 00:08:20,166
Three-sixths
is one half, so--

144
00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:21,366
oh, I didn't look-- oh.

145
00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:23,100
- Mmm.
- I got it, I got it.

146
00:08:23,133 --> 00:08:24,366
So you-- good.

147
00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,183
Candida Montero:
<i>He asked me why we had to live</i>

148
00:08:27,216 --> 00:08:28,383
<i>in that small apartment.</i>

149
00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:30,300
<i>He asked me</i>
<i>so many questions--</i>

150
00:08:30,333 --> 00:08:33,100
<i>that he would like</i>
<i>to live in better place.</i>

151
00:08:33,133 --> 00:08:35,830
That's a heartbreak.

152
00:08:35,116 --> 00:08:36,366
<i>And the thing</i>
<i>that he tell me,</i>

153
00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,116
<i>"Mommy, when I go to college,</i>
<i>when I finish college,</i>

154
00:08:39,150 --> 00:08:43,150
<i>I will buy you a big house,</i>
<i>Mommy, with four bedrooms,</i>
<i>two bathrooms."</i>

155
00:08:43,183 --> 00:08:46,283
<i>And his dream is, like,</i>
<i>better life.</i>

156
00:08:58,250 --> 00:09:00,316
Ricardo Scofidio:
<i>We used to, at one point,</i>

157
00:09:00,350 --> 00:09:03,383
<i>build parks</i>
<i>to escape the city.</i>

158
00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:08,250
<i>The High Line, and one</i>
<i>of the great strengths</i>
<i>of High Line</i>

159
00:09:08,283 --> 00:09:12,830
is that it really opens
the city up to you.

160
00:09:12,116 --> 00:09:13,300
<i>And when you go up</i>
<i>in the High Line,</i>

161
00:09:13,333 --> 00:09:15,316
<i>you see the city in ways</i>

162
00:09:15,350 --> 00:09:18,116
<i>that you've never</i>
<i>experienced before.</i>

163
00:09:29,660 --> 00:09:31,316
<i>Real estate prices</i>
<i>have skyrocketed.</i>

164
00:09:31,350 --> 00:09:33,250
Everybody wants to live
near the High Line

165
00:09:33,283 --> 00:09:35,330
and on top
of the High line.

166
00:09:39,660 --> 00:09:41,366
Saez-Fromm:
<i>Come on, Tyler, get dressed.</i>
<i>Go get your coat.</i>

167
00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,133
- What's in that dress?
- Hurry up.

168
00:09:46,500 --> 00:09:47,300
Are you gonna
take anything
to camp?

169
00:09:47,333 --> 00:09:49,133
Camp.

170
00:09:49,166 --> 00:09:51,500
Saez-Fromm:
<i>My morning routine</i>
<i>is the best</i>

171
00:09:51,830 --> 00:09:53,660
-<i>with our family.</i>
- All good?

172
00:09:53,100 --> 00:09:55,160
<i>That 30 minutes</i>
<i>that we're bonding,</i>

173
00:09:55,500 --> 00:09:57,133
we walk together
as a family to school.

174
00:09:57,166 --> 00:10:00,133
( chattering )

175
00:10:00,166 --> 00:10:03,250
- Look it, a beautiful day.
- ( kids chattering )

176
00:10:06,383 --> 00:10:08,116
<i>( Saez-Fromm laughs )</i>

177
00:10:08,150 --> 00:10:10,116
Be careful.
Don't trip, don't trip.

178
00:10:10,150 --> 00:10:11,383
<i>I grew up very humble.</i>

179
00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:13,316
My mom assembles lamps

180
00:10:13,350 --> 00:10:16,000
<i>and my father would manage</i>
<i>pizzeria restaurants.</i>

181
00:10:16,330 --> 00:10:18,000
<i>I went to a public school</i>
<i>at the time.</i>

182
00:10:18,330 --> 00:10:19,183
I didn't speak
a stitch of English.

183
00:10:19,216 --> 00:10:21,316
What are you doing
at school today, Sophia?

184
00:10:21,350 --> 00:10:23,116
<i>What I like</i>
<i>about Avenues</i>

185
00:10:23,150 --> 00:10:26,660
<i>is that they really</i>
<i>are more creative</i>

186
00:10:26,100 --> 00:10:28,300
<i>than the traditional</i>
<i>public school method.</i>

187
00:10:28,333 --> 00:10:30,316
Mark David Fromm:
Come on, Sophia.
Come on, Tyler.

188
00:10:30,350 --> 00:10:32,233
Saez-Fromm:
<i>When we went there,</i>
<i>I told Chris Whittle,</i>

189
00:10:32,266 --> 00:10:34,183
<i>I've seen your school</i>
<i>being built.</i>

190
00:10:34,216 --> 00:10:37,233
<i>This is my number one choice</i>
<i>for our daughter.</i>

191
00:10:37,266 --> 00:10:39,166
<i>We believe in this school.</i>

192
00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:41,283
-<i>Hola. ¿Cómo estás?</i>
-<i>Bien...</i>

193
00:10:48,266 --> 00:10:50,300
Chris Whittle:
<i>For those of us</i>
<i>in the world of schooling,</i>

194
00:10:50,333 --> 00:10:54,000
-<i>there's</i>
<i>an inside joke that...</i>
- Have a good one.

195
00:10:54,330 --> 00:10:56,200
<i>...if you came back</i>
<i>from the 15th century,</i>

196
00:10:56,233 --> 00:10:58,383
there are only two things
you would recognize--

197
00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,330
your church
and your school.

198
00:11:01,660 --> 00:11:05,183
And recognizing your church
is probably a good thing.

199
00:11:05,216 --> 00:11:08,116
Recognizing your school
is probably not.

200
00:11:08,150 --> 00:11:11,250
<i>Schools take a long time</i>
<i>to change.</i>

201
00:11:11,283 --> 00:11:15,160
( speaking Chinese )

202
00:11:19,133 --> 00:11:21,366
<i>( students</i>
<i>speaking Chinese )</i>

203
00:11:25,100 --> 00:11:27,100
We think of it
as the first global school.

204
00:11:27,133 --> 00:11:31,160
<i>We envision</i>
<i>major campuses</i>

205
00:11:31,500 --> 00:11:32,383
<i>in the great cities</i>
<i>of the world,</i>

206
00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:34,383
<i>20 over the next decade.</i>

207
00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,233
<i>What's really special</i>
<i>and different about the school</i>

208
00:11:37,266 --> 00:11:41,133
<i>is that we focus on</i>
<i>preparing children</i>

209
00:11:41,166 --> 00:11:44,166
for international life.

210
00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,366
- ( rapping in Chinese )
-<i>( people laugh, cheer )</i>

211
00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,283
China becoming
the world's superpower,

212
00:11:50,316 --> 00:11:53,316
it may be helpful someday
to know Chinese.

213
00:11:53,350 --> 00:11:55,133
<i>Instead of pressuring you</i>

214
00:11:55,166 --> 00:11:57,200
<i>to read textbooks</i>
<i>and study for exams,</i>

215
00:11:57,233 --> 00:11:59,116
they push you
to make sure

216
00:11:59,150 --> 00:12:01,166
that you're not just
memorizing everything,

217
00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,183
<i>that you really understand</i>
<i>what you're learning.</i>

218
00:12:03,216 --> 00:12:05,300
<i>They kind of encourage you</i>
<i>to be the teachers.</i>

219
00:12:08,350 --> 00:12:11,216
We learn
by the Harkness method.

220
00:12:11,250 --> 00:12:13,166
<i>It's roundtable discussions.</i>

221
00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:15,233
<i>We don't have a bunch</i>
<i>of individual desks</i>

222
00:12:15,266 --> 00:12:17,200
<i>facing one board</i>
<i>or the Smart Board.</i>

223
00:12:17,233 --> 00:12:19,183
<i>We do the Smart Board,</i>

224
00:12:19,216 --> 00:12:22,500
<i>but, you know,</i>
<i>everyone's facing in</i>
<i>towards the center.</i>

225
00:12:22,830 --> 00:12:26,216
It's a roundtable discussion,
and that goes for every class.

226
00:12:34,830 --> 00:12:37,366
It's called Avenues,
the World School.

227
00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,366
That's an amazing
friggin' title, you understand?

228
00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,366
<i>And this is right across</i>
<i>the street from the projects.</i>

229
00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,830
( chattering )

230
00:12:51,500 --> 00:12:52,333
Hyisheem:
<i>Hearing all of these</i>
<i>good things,</i>

231
00:12:52,366 --> 00:12:54,500
<i>the school</i>
<i>is so great--</i>

232
00:12:54,830 --> 00:12:55,316
the one thing that
kind of got me, though,

233
00:12:55,350 --> 00:12:59,100
was the fact that it cost
over $40,000

234
00:12:59,133 --> 00:13:01,116
<i>to admit your child.</i>

235
00:13:01,150 --> 00:13:02,316
<i>In this neighborhood,</i>

236
00:13:02,350 --> 00:13:05,330
<i>I don't think I can name</i>
<i>five people</i>

237
00:13:05,660 --> 00:13:08,500
<i>who make over $40,000.</i>

238
00:13:08,830 --> 00:13:10,000
So, when it comes
down to that,

239
00:13:10,330 --> 00:13:13,100
it's like a tease almost.

240
00:13:13,133 --> 00:13:17,500
And it's a smack
in the face.

241
00:13:27,330 --> 00:13:30,160
Ken Jockers:<i>People who</i>
<i>live in public housing</i>
<i>here in Chelsea</i>

242
00:13:30,500 --> 00:13:33,166
<i>are poor</i>
<i>or working poor people.</i>

243
00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,183
<i>For a family of four,</i>

244
00:13:35,216 --> 00:13:37,150
approximately,
you're looking at

245
00:13:37,183 --> 00:13:40,133
a household income
of about $21,000 a year.

246
00:13:40,166 --> 00:13:43,183
<i>The unemployment rate</i>
<i>in these complexes</i>

247
00:13:43,216 --> 00:13:45,500
<i>is about 50%.</i>

248
00:13:50,216 --> 00:13:51,333
Juwan:
<i>Nobody will understand</i>

249
00:13:51,366 --> 00:13:53,200
<i>what it's like to live</i>
<i>in the projects</i>

250
00:13:53,233 --> 00:13:55,283
<i>unless you've lived</i>
<i>in the projects,</i>

251
00:13:55,316 --> 00:13:58,366
<i>because you can be</i>
<i>my best friend for 25 years</i>

252
00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,160
<i>and we're going to school,</i>
<i>hanging out every day,</i>

253
00:14:01,500 --> 00:14:02,183
but you don't know
what goes on

254
00:14:02,216 --> 00:14:05,830
when I close my door
and lock my door at night.

255
00:14:05,116 --> 00:14:07,216
It's no-- it could be
no hot water.

256
00:14:07,250 --> 00:14:10,350
It could be--
it could be no cold water.

257
00:14:10,383 --> 00:14:12,166
It could be no food.

258
00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,830
- ( chattering )
-<i>( ice cream truck chiming )</i>

259
00:14:17,216 --> 00:14:19,333
Hyisheem:
<i>When you're younger</i>
<i>and you're playing in the park,</i>

260
00:14:19,366 --> 00:14:23,116
<i>you know, there are things</i>
<i>that you just don't pay</i>
<i>attention to.</i>

261
00:14:23,150 --> 00:14:25,200
<i>And, you know,</i>
<i>you're focused on having fun.</i>

262
00:14:27,183 --> 00:14:29,350
<i>But, you know, growing up,</i>
<i>you start understanding</i>

263
00:14:29,383 --> 00:14:34,316
this is not a place
where you want to live
the rest of your life.

264
00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:39,100
I mean I've been shot twice.
You already know that.

265
00:14:39,133 --> 00:14:40,383
You know, it's-- and living
in this neighborhood.

266
00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,300
I got shot on 26th Street
between 9th and 10th.

267
00:14:43,333 --> 00:14:45,133
Levin:
<i>What was the...?</i>

268
00:14:45,166 --> 00:14:46,316
A guy walked up to me.

269
00:14:46,350 --> 00:14:49,200
He said, "What's up?"
and started firing.

270
00:14:49,233 --> 00:14:51,500
Grazed me on my head
right here,

271
00:14:51,830 --> 00:14:53,330
hit me in my hip
right here.

272
00:14:53,660 --> 00:14:55,200
I'm blessed to be alive.

273
00:14:55,233 --> 00:14:59,166
In 2012,
our friend Dante got shot.

274
00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,216
It was really, like,
in all honesty,

275
00:15:11,250 --> 00:15:13,216
that could've been me.

276
00:15:13,250 --> 00:15:15,233
<i>( music playing )</i>

277
00:15:15,266 --> 00:15:17,100
♪ In the hood
it's the same old thing ♪

278
00:15:17,133 --> 00:15:19,250
♪ We need to think
about some ways to change ♪

279
00:15:19,283 --> 00:15:22,333
♪ To my brothers that bang,
it's all love, homie,
open your brain ♪

280
00:15:22,366 --> 00:15:24,233
<i>♪ We need to think</i>
<i>about some ways to change ♪</i>

281
00:15:24,266 --> 00:15:26,116
<i>♪ Some ways to change ♪</i>

282
00:15:26,150 --> 00:15:28,500
<i>♪ In the hood</i>
<i>it's the same old thing ♪</i>

283
00:15:28,830 --> 00:15:29,266
<i>♪ We need to think</i>
<i>about some ways to change ♪</i>

284
00:15:29,300 --> 00:15:31,233
<i>♪ To my brothers</i>
<i>that sling ♪</i>

285
00:15:31,266 --> 00:15:33,200
<i>♪ With or without you</i>
<i>in the game, it's the same ♪</i>

286
00:15:33,233 --> 00:15:35,830
<i>♪ We need to think about</i>
<i>some ways to change... ♪</i>

287
00:15:35,116 --> 00:15:37,500
<i>( siren wailing )</i>

288
00:15:48,266 --> 00:15:51,100
Isabella:<i>Honestly,</i>
<i>when I first started</i>
<i>walking to school,</i>

289
00:15:51,133 --> 00:15:54,166
<i>everyone was, like,</i>
<i>afraid to walk up that street,</i>

290
00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:58,266
because there are
so many stereotypes
that come with that.

291
00:15:58,300 --> 00:16:00,200
Geoffrey:
<i>There are students</i>
<i>at this school--</i>

292
00:16:00,233 --> 00:16:02,216
<i>and I remember the first year</i>
<i>that everyone was here.</i>

293
00:16:02,250 --> 00:16:04,500
<i>They'd be, like,</i>
<i>"Oh, let's walk home."</i>

294
00:16:04,830 --> 00:16:06,830
They're like, "We need
to take 23rd Street

295
00:16:06,116 --> 00:16:09,660
to get back
to the subway."

296
00:16:09,100 --> 00:16:11,330
Luc:
<i>Walking past the Chelsea</i>
<i>housing projects,</i>

297
00:16:11,660 --> 00:16:13,200
<i>I see people</i>
<i>who look at me differently,</i>

298
00:16:13,233 --> 00:16:17,160
<i>look at me</i>
<i>as if I'm, like, white,</i>
<i>rich preppie kid.</i>

299
00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:19,160
<i>And they probably think</i>
<i>that I'm looking at them</i>

300
00:16:19,500 --> 00:16:22,333
as poor, you know, people
who are inferior to me

301
00:16:22,366 --> 00:16:25,233
just because I may have
more resources at the time.

302
00:16:28,233 --> 00:16:31,200
Geoffrey:
<i>I've really had to think</i>
<i>about how I'm perceived</i>

303
00:16:31,233 --> 00:16:36,150
<i>just walking</i>
<i>through the community</i>
<i>with an Avenues polo on.</i>

304
00:16:36,183 --> 00:16:40,660
Nick:<i>I mean there's</i>
<i>public housing right here</i>
<i>at 25th and 10th,</i>

305
00:16:40,100 --> 00:16:44,300
<i>there's Avenues,</i>
<i>then there's restaurants</i>
<i>right over here.</i>

306
00:16:44,333 --> 00:16:46,183
<i>And over here,</i>
<i>there's art galleries.</i>

307
00:16:46,216 --> 00:16:48,316
<i>I mean, it's almost</i>
<i>a weird place to be,</i>

308
00:16:48,350 --> 00:16:50,216
<i>'cause you're</i>
<i>walking around,</i>

309
00:16:50,250 --> 00:16:52,830
<i>and you look</i>
<i>across the street</i>

310
00:16:52,116 --> 00:16:53,366
<i>and there's something</i>
<i>that almost looks like</i>

311
00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:55,250
<i>it shouldn't be there--</i>
<i>you know, public housing.</i>

312
00:16:55,283 --> 00:16:58,160
But it was there.
It was there first.

313
00:16:58,500 --> 00:17:01,150
And that's what--
I mean, that's kind of what
gentrification is, isn't it?

314
00:17:08,300 --> 00:17:10,366
Saez-Fromm:
<i>Yeah, you're gonna be</i>
<i>right by Chelsea Market.</i>

315
00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,100
So it's, like--
that's where your
food shopping is gonna be.

316
00:17:13,133 --> 00:17:14,216
It's great.

317
00:17:14,250 --> 00:17:18,000
<i>We moved to West Chelsea</i>
<i>in 2006.</i>

318
00:17:18,330 --> 00:17:20,116
We took a big leap of faith
because we're in real estate.

319
00:17:20,150 --> 00:17:23,160
<i>We're like,</i>
<i>this is gonna be</i>
<i>the new hot neighborhood.</i>

320
00:17:23,500 --> 00:17:24,333
<i>And it was.</i>

321
00:17:25,383 --> 00:17:27,660
<i>Three bedrooms,</i>

322
00:17:27,100 --> 00:17:30,166
they can be anywhere
from $5.6 million

323
00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,383
to about $15 million.

324
00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,250
So, that's
the Frank Gehry
building. Right?

325
00:17:35,283 --> 00:17:38,500
That's on 19th Street
where Thomas Juul-Hansen--

326
00:17:38,830 --> 00:17:41,330
that's also the Thomas
Juul-Hansen building.

327
00:17:49,183 --> 00:17:51,100
Joe Restuccia:
<i>In the prior ways</i>
<i>of gentrification</i>

328
00:17:51,133 --> 00:17:53,830
<i>and change that happened</i>
<i>on the West Side,</i>

329
00:17:53,116 --> 00:17:54,266
<i>always the new residents</i>

330
00:17:54,300 --> 00:17:57,116
<i>have integrated</i>
<i>into the new neighborhood.</i>

331
00:17:57,150 --> 00:17:58,300
<i>This is different.</i>

332
00:17:58,333 --> 00:18:02,216
This is trying to create
a new identity

333
00:18:02,250 --> 00:18:05,100
for what
our neighborhood is.

334
00:18:05,133 --> 00:18:08,383
<i>The development you see there</i>
<i>has all happened since 2005.</i>

335
00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:11,166
<i>There's been a land rush</i>
<i>west of 10th Avenue</i>

336
00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,200
<i>and there's also been, like,</i>
<i>the museum of architectural</i>
<i>innovation, you know?</i>

337
00:18:15,233 --> 00:18:17,383
<i>Every building is trying</i>
<i>to outdo each other.</i>

338
00:18:22,500 --> 00:18:23,216
Are you familiar
with the neighborhood?

339
00:18:23,250 --> 00:18:24,266
My kids go to school
at Avenues.

340
00:18:24,300 --> 00:18:26,200
Oh, so you know.
That's perfect.

341
00:18:26,233 --> 00:18:29,350
You enter the building
underneath the High Line.

342
00:18:32,183 --> 00:18:34,350
-<i>This is a view</i>
<i>of a penthouse.</i>
- That's beautiful.

343
00:18:34,383 --> 00:18:38,216
This townhouse
pricewise is 11,750.

344
00:18:38,250 --> 00:18:39,366
- Okay, okay.
- Okay.

345
00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:41,183
- That would work?
- Yeah.

346
00:18:41,216 --> 00:18:44,366
<i>Now, apart from that,</i>
<i>when you go to the top,</i>

347
00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:46,316
- we have a duplex
penthouse.
-<i>Okay.</i>

348
00:18:46,350 --> 00:18:50,166
And that's-- you know,
that's more like close to 19.

349
00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,660
You have
two walk-in closets,
you have a sauna.

350
00:18:53,100 --> 00:18:56,216
I think my husband's
gonna have to make more money.

351
00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,300
Jeffrey Gural:
<i>We probably own 45 buildings</i>

352
00:19:03,333 --> 00:19:06,150
<i>and, I think, about</i>
<i>eight million square feet,</i>

353
00:19:06,183 --> 00:19:08,200
<i>almost all of it</i>
<i>in Manhattan.</i>

354
00:19:08,233 --> 00:19:11,366
<i>Real estate</i>
<i>plays a big role</i>
<i>in gentrification</i>

355
00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,116
because everybody
wants to make a buck.

356
00:19:14,150 --> 00:19:18,266
You know, we live
in a free-market society.

357
00:19:18,300 --> 00:19:21,116
<i>Most of what we bought</i>
<i>were old factories.</i>

358
00:19:25,366 --> 00:19:28,500
Restuccia:
<i>Well, west Chelsea</i>
<i>and the West Side, in general,</i>

359
00:19:28,830 --> 00:19:30,216
<i>was industry.</i>

360
00:19:30,250 --> 00:19:34,150
I mean, Nabisco
invented the Oreo
and the Lorna Doone here.

361
00:19:40,500 --> 00:19:42,166
<i>Paper warehouses,</i>
<i>printing presses--</i>

362
00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:44,266
<i>it was a very heavily</i>
<i>industrial neighborhood</i>

363
00:19:44,300 --> 00:19:47,000
<i>that was comprised of that</i>
<i>and tenements.</i>

364
00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:51,283
<i>And the docks, there was</i>
<i>a huge longshoreman industry</i>

365
00:19:51,316 --> 00:19:54,283
<i>that, of course, went away</i>
<i>in the late '60s, early '70s.</i>

366
00:19:54,316 --> 00:19:57,266
<i>And so these are true</i>
<i>working-class people.</i>

367
00:20:03,133 --> 00:20:05,200
Whittle:
<i>This was built in the '20s.</i>

368
00:20:05,233 --> 00:20:08,333
<i>In its very early days,</i>
<i>it was a turkey slaughterhouse,</i>

369
00:20:08,366 --> 00:20:13,333
and trains
pulled up right here
and unloaded turkeys.

370
00:20:13,366 --> 00:20:18,133
<i>And then it, I think, evolved</i>
<i>into mainly a warehouse.</i>

371
00:20:23,366 --> 00:20:25,300
Silas Seandel:
<i>Put the helmet down.</i>

372
00:20:29,216 --> 00:20:31,200
<i>Artists working in Chelsea,</i>

373
00:20:31,233 --> 00:20:33,250
<i>there wasn't dozens and dozens</i>
<i>of artists</i>

374
00:20:33,283 --> 00:20:35,150
when I started to work
down here.

375
00:20:35,183 --> 00:20:38,350
<i>It was very dirty,</i>
<i>it was very gritty,</i>

376
00:20:38,383 --> 00:20:41,150
<i>it was very industrial,</i>
<i>for sure,</i>

377
00:20:41,183 --> 00:20:43,233
<i>and also very foreboding</i>
<i>for the most part,</i>

378
00:20:43,266 --> 00:20:45,333
<i>certainly after</i>
<i>the sun went down.</i>

379
00:20:47,366 --> 00:20:52,330
Anything over west
of 10th Avenue was suspect.

380
00:20:58,116 --> 00:21:00,383
I've been in this neighborhood
since 1983.

381
00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:02,383
<i>This is the Wild, Wild West.</i>

382
00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:07,660
That was the straight place,
this was the transvestite place,

383
00:21:07,100 --> 00:21:10,266
the next place
was the she-hes.

384
00:21:10,300 --> 00:21:12,383
<i>There was a club there</i>
<i>that you used to stay in</i>

385
00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:16,500
<i>until 12:00</i>
<i>in the afternoon.</i>

386
00:21:16,830 --> 00:21:17,333
<i>After that,</i>
<i>you would leave</i>

387
00:21:17,366 --> 00:21:20,183
and go to that red building
over there to the top floor

388
00:21:20,216 --> 00:21:23,660
<i>and stay there</i>
<i>from 12:00 in the afternoon</i>

389
00:21:23,100 --> 00:21:25,160
<i>till 9:00 at night.</i>

390
00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,133
Gural:<i>Initially,</i>
<i>we were buying these buildings</i>
<i>because they were so cheap,</i>

391
00:21:31,166 --> 00:21:34,500
<i>and then we converted them</i>
<i>to office space.</i>

392
00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,166
<i>So now one day we woke up</i>
<i>10 years ago</i>

393
00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,660
and that's where
everybody wants to be.

394
00:22:02,660 --> 00:22:04,160
Rosa:<i>I was--</i>
<i>grew up in Chelsea.</i>

395
00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:05,200
I seen the stuff
that happened in Chelsea.

396
00:22:05,233 --> 00:22:07,160
I have friends that died,
like Dante.

397
00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:09,660
<i>And he was friends</i>
<i>with my brother, Danny,</i>

398
00:22:09,100 --> 00:22:10,316
<i>and we actually lost him.</i>

399
00:22:10,350 --> 00:22:13,216
<i>( siren wailing )</i>

400
00:22:13,250 --> 00:22:15,100
<i>I seen a lot of bad stuff</i>
<i>in my area,</i>

401
00:22:15,133 --> 00:22:16,233
and I understand it.

402
00:22:16,266 --> 00:22:18,216
For a kid my age,
I really understand

403
00:22:18,250 --> 00:22:20,116
what has happened
in this world,

404
00:22:20,150 --> 00:22:22,000
what has happened
in where I live at.

405
00:22:22,330 --> 00:22:23,150
I live in the projects,

406
00:22:23,183 --> 00:22:25,150
I live in the middle
of a very poor place.

407
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,830
This is my big brother,
Charlie.

408
00:22:29,116 --> 00:22:31,830
This is my middle
brother, Danny.

409
00:22:31,116 --> 00:22:34,300
Okay, let's go
before there's cars.
Come on, honey.

410
00:22:34,333 --> 00:22:36,283
( chattering )

411
00:22:36,316 --> 00:22:39,160
Danny:
<i>My mentor always told me,</i>
<i>I know, it's okay.</i>

412
00:22:39,500 --> 00:22:41,100
It's not your fault
if you're born poor.

413
00:22:41,133 --> 00:22:43,216
But it is your fault
if you die poor.

414
00:22:43,250 --> 00:22:45,350
<i>Me coming from here,</i>
<i>I didn't know that.</i>

415
00:22:45,383 --> 00:22:47,160
<i>I didn't really</i>
<i>understand that.</i>

416
00:22:47,500 --> 00:22:48,150
I was actually a Democrat.

417
00:22:48,183 --> 00:22:50,160
And then
when I was presented
the opportunity

418
00:22:50,500 --> 00:22:52,166
to become an entrepreneur,
everything is self-performance.

419
00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:54,160
That's what America is.

420
00:22:54,500 --> 00:22:56,350
If you want it bad enough,
you'll get it, and I love that.

421
00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,100
I love that now,
but I didn't-- I changed.

422
00:22:59,133 --> 00:23:02,660
My whole mentality changed now
than what it was before.

423
00:23:02,100 --> 00:23:04,000
I'm a Republican now.
It's crazy.

424
00:23:04,330 --> 00:23:06,116
This is my first time
hearing that, honestly.

425
00:23:06,150 --> 00:23:09,660
- Are you serious?
- Danny:<i>It's crazy, man.</i>

426
00:23:09,100 --> 00:23:12,000
For real?
I didn't know that.
That's really new to me.

427
00:23:12,330 --> 00:23:13,133
Danny:
<i>It was, like, if I can</i>
<i>give you a dollar</i>

428
00:23:13,166 --> 00:23:14,183
or I can give you
an opportunity.

429
00:23:14,216 --> 00:23:15,200
Which one
are you gonna take?

430
00:23:15,233 --> 00:23:17,000
And most people,
as a Democrat,

431
00:23:17,330 --> 00:23:18,316
they'd rather
take the dollar
than the opportunity.

432
00:23:18,350 --> 00:23:20,350
So you're saying Democrats
are more for lazy,
poor people?

433
00:23:20,383 --> 00:23:23,333
There are certain situations
where it is not your fault
that you're on welfare.

434
00:23:23,366 --> 00:23:26,330
You know,
things happen in life,
but at the same time,

435
00:23:26,660 --> 00:23:28,116
there's people in life
that just like to

436
00:23:28,150 --> 00:23:30,133
pretty much use the government,
you know, use the government.

437
00:23:30,166 --> 00:23:31,250
And they're lazy.

438
00:23:31,283 --> 00:23:33,500
They're lazy
and they're dependent.

439
00:23:33,830 --> 00:23:34,300
We've never really had
this conversation like this,

440
00:23:34,333 --> 00:23:36,200
but you're right, though,
you're right.

441
00:23:36,233 --> 00:23:37,250
- Ah!
- Man:<i>Let's go!</i>

442
00:23:37,283 --> 00:23:39,116
Danny:
<i>Times are changing.</i>

443
00:23:39,150 --> 00:23:41,830
<i>The way money</i>
<i>is being made</i>
<i>is changing.</i>

444
00:23:41,116 --> 00:23:43,160
<i>I want to make</i>
<i>millions and millions</i>
<i>of dollars.</i>

445
00:23:43,500 --> 00:23:44,350
And I don't make it yet,
but I'm 22 years old.

446
00:23:44,383 --> 00:23:47,183
My goal is by 27, I'm wanna
be a self-made millionaire.

447
00:24:05,316 --> 00:24:07,266
Nick:
<i>Any article</i>
<i>I've read recently</i>

448
00:24:07,300 --> 00:24:11,116
<i>says that in my generation,</i>
<i>we'll be the first generation</i>

449
00:24:11,150 --> 00:24:15,160
to not make as much money
as my parents did.

450
00:24:18,660 --> 00:24:22,330
<i>You know, my parents worked</i>
<i>to get where they are now.</i>

451
00:24:22,660 --> 00:24:24,160
You know, they weren't
handed any money

452
00:24:24,500 --> 00:24:26,830
<i>and that makes me</i>
<i>look at them</i>

453
00:24:26,116 --> 00:24:28,300
<i>and I want to do</i>
<i>the same thing.</i>

454
00:24:28,333 --> 00:24:31,830
<i>I want to be able</i>
<i>to at one point</i>

455
00:24:31,116 --> 00:24:34,160
<i>go out and buy myself</i>
<i>a nice apartment</i>

456
00:24:34,500 --> 00:24:35,333
or a nice house
or a nice car

457
00:24:35,366 --> 00:24:37,266
and be proud of myself

458
00:24:37,300 --> 00:24:39,350
and maybe send my kids
to private school.

459
00:24:39,383 --> 00:24:42,333
<i>What you'll be able to see</i>
<i>is 432 Park Avenue,</i>

460
00:24:42,366 --> 00:24:44,350
which is gonna be
the tallest residential
building,

461
00:24:44,383 --> 00:24:46,216
I think,
in the Northern
Hemisphere.

462
00:24:46,250 --> 00:24:49,100
The thing is,
the higher you go,
the nicer the view you have

463
00:24:49,133 --> 00:24:51,830
and the more money
you can get for it.

464
00:24:51,116 --> 00:24:53,266
<i>Architecture</i>
<i>as of now interests me</i>

465
00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:58,660
not only as a hobby
or something that I like,
but also as a career.

466
00:24:58,100 --> 00:25:01,660
Ever since I was little,
I'd say I wanted to be a doctor,

467
00:25:01,100 --> 00:25:03,133
so hopefully I'll be able
to follow that path.

468
00:25:03,166 --> 00:25:05,316
<i>But how much money</i>
<i>am I gonna make as a doctor?</i>

469
00:25:05,350 --> 00:25:07,166
<i>You ask people,</i>
<i>kids my age,</i>

470
00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:08,383
"What do you want to do
when you get older?"

471
00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:10,366
You want to make money.
I just want to help people.

472
00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,366
Where is that gonna
set me off socioeconomically
and financially?

473
00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,316
<i>I don't know.</i>

474
00:25:16,350 --> 00:25:18,366
Luc:
<i>My dad is a currency trader.</i>

475
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,830
<i>He works very, very hard,</i>

476
00:25:21,116 --> 00:25:22,383
so that's why
he's really successful.

477
00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:24,316
<i>I really hope</i>
<i>to be like him someday.</i>

478
00:25:24,350 --> 00:25:27,216
I want to be involved
sports marketing.

479
00:25:27,250 --> 00:25:29,100
<i>I really love</i>
<i>my New York sports.</i>

480
00:25:29,133 --> 00:25:31,216
<i>Work in Madison Square Garden</i>
<i>scheduling events,</i>

481
00:25:31,250 --> 00:25:33,333
things like that--
that's really what I want to do.

482
00:25:33,366 --> 00:25:35,333
( music playing )

483
00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:40,300
Edgar:
<i>I've been playing piano</i>

484
00:25:40,333 --> 00:25:43,350
<i>because my parents are both</i>
<i>professional musicians.</i>

485
00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,250
<i>It's a very great way</i>
<i>to relieve stress.</i>

486
00:25:46,283 --> 00:25:48,183
<i>My parents always stress</i>
<i>that, you know,</i>

487
00:25:48,216 --> 00:25:50,500
<i>they're paying</i>
<i>for this high school.</i>

488
00:25:50,830 --> 00:25:52,660
You have to get As, you have
to get to a good college,

489
00:25:52,100 --> 00:25:54,116
you have to get
into a good, you know--

490
00:25:54,150 --> 00:25:56,116
you have to get a good job.

491
00:25:56,150 --> 00:25:58,383
<i>I've been wanting</i>
<i>to go to Harvard</i>
<i>since I was five.</i>

492
00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,133
<i>I think anybody who goes</i>
<i>to a school like this</i>

493
00:26:01,166 --> 00:26:03,250
<i>feels the pressure</i>
<i>to succeed in life.</i>

494
00:26:15,500 --> 00:26:17,100
Rosa:
<i>I want to be a singer,</i>
<i>but if that doesn't work out,</i>

495
00:26:17,133 --> 00:26:19,160
<i>I wanna be</i>
<i>a professor of geology</i>

496
00:26:19,500 --> 00:26:22,000
<i>at Columbia University.</i>

497
00:26:22,330 --> 00:26:25,316
Everyone asks me
the same exact question.

498
00:26:25,350 --> 00:26:27,216
Why is it geology?

499
00:26:30,330 --> 00:26:32,660
Teacher:
<i>Good morning, Rosa.</i>
<i>How are you?</i>

500
00:26:32,100 --> 00:26:34,330
Bye,<i>mami.</i>
Have a nice day.

501
00:26:34,660 --> 00:26:36,350
Rosa:
<i>It's geology because</i>
<i>there's some questions</i>

502
00:26:36,383 --> 00:26:39,000
<i>that I asked</i>
<i>my mom and dad.</i>

503
00:26:39,330 --> 00:26:41,830
<i>And they don't, like,</i>
<i>know the answer,</i>

504
00:26:41,116 --> 00:26:43,330
<i>so I want to find out</i>
<i>for myself.</i>

505
00:26:43,660 --> 00:26:47,150
How did pieces of rocks
get on Earth?

506
00:27:03,300 --> 00:27:06,216
When I want to grow up,
I mostly want to be a dancer

507
00:27:06,250 --> 00:27:08,100
or artist or astronaut.

508
00:27:10,233 --> 00:27:12,000
<i>I mostly love dancing.</i>

509
00:27:12,330 --> 00:27:14,216
<i>It's active, it's fun.</i>

510
00:27:14,250 --> 00:27:15,266
I love challenges.

511
00:27:21,250 --> 00:27:22,350
Are you guys okay
with touching worms?

512
00:27:22,383 --> 00:27:24,150
- No!
- Yes!

513
00:27:24,183 --> 00:27:26,100
Jockers:
<i>Hudson Guild</i>
<i>is a settlement house,</i>

514
00:27:26,133 --> 00:27:29,660
and we're part of a movement
that started in the late 1800s

515
00:27:29,100 --> 00:27:32,150
<i>to help immigrant families</i>
<i>get established</i>

516
00:27:32,183 --> 00:27:35,150
<i>in new neighborhoods</i>
<i>in New York City.</i>

517
00:27:35,183 --> 00:27:38,200
<i>We have morphed</i>
<i>over the last 120 years</i>

518
00:27:38,233 --> 00:27:40,350
<i>into a broad-based program</i>

519
00:27:40,383 --> 00:27:42,266
<i>that's designed</i>
<i>to serve everybody</i>

520
00:27:42,300 --> 00:27:45,000
<i>who lives or works</i>
<i>or goes to school</i>

521
00:27:45,330 --> 00:27:46,283
<i>here in the Chelsea</i>
<i>neighborhood.</i>

522
00:27:48,183 --> 00:27:49,366
- Teacher:
<i>How many boys?</i>
- Four.

523
00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:51,300
Teacher:
<i>We have four boys today.</i>

524
00:27:51,333 --> 00:27:55,316
I work here with Hudson Guild
in the children's center.

525
00:27:55,350 --> 00:27:57,250
No, no.
Where do you
want to sit?

526
00:27:57,283 --> 00:27:59,366
<i>I come from</i>
<i>the Dominican Republic,</i>

527
00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:03,133
<i>and my family</i>
<i>is a family of four kids.</i>

528
00:28:03,166 --> 00:28:05,366
And it's, what can I say,
very hard.

529
00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:08,283
<i>The life right now</i>
<i>is very expensive,</i>

530
00:28:08,316 --> 00:28:10,283
<i>especially in this area.</i>

531
00:28:10,316 --> 00:28:13,000
( whistling tune )

532
00:28:13,330 --> 00:28:15,233
Joel:
<i>My dad, he has to</i>
<i>wake up at 5:00,</i>

533
00:28:15,266 --> 00:28:17,133
<i>and he comes back</i>
<i>at 5:00.</i>

534
00:28:17,166 --> 00:28:19,500
So his job is 12 hours.

535
00:28:19,830 --> 00:28:22,660
Fernando Barbecho:
<i>It was busy, busy,</i>
<i>busy today.</i>

536
00:28:22,100 --> 00:28:24,250
I didn't take
a break, even, too.

537
00:28:24,283 --> 00:28:26,300
- But you wake
all early, like 4:00.
- Yeah, I wake up early.

538
00:28:26,333 --> 00:28:29,216
<i>I wake at like 4:00,</i>
<i>4:00 in the morning.</i>

539
00:28:29,250 --> 00:28:33,133
Montero:
<i>He working in a restaurant,</i>
<i>he making sandwiches.</i>

540
00:28:33,166 --> 00:28:35,150
<i>He's from Ecuador.</i>

541
00:28:35,183 --> 00:28:37,183
He's illegal.

542
00:28:37,216 --> 00:28:38,366
He don't have
no document yet.

543
00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,166
That's why make for us,
uh, more hard.

544
00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:47,250
<i>I worry about</i>
<i>my children,</i>

545
00:28:47,283 --> 00:28:49,366
<i>that if something</i>
<i>happen to him,</i>

546
00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,200
<i>if he's being, like,</i>
<i>sending back to his country.</i>

547
00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:56,183
Yeah, I'm worried
about that

548
00:28:56,216 --> 00:28:58,366
'cause I want my dad
to stay with me

549
00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:02,216
instead of going
all the way over there.

550
00:29:02,250 --> 00:29:04,200
<i>Papi,</i>

551
00:29:04,233 --> 00:29:05,283
What is that?

552
00:29:05,316 --> 00:29:07,166
It's for the bathtub.

553
00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:08,266
<i>Oh.</i>

554
00:29:08,300 --> 00:29:10,133
If you buy me that,
you will be handsome.

555
00:29:10,166 --> 00:29:11,266
- Barbecho:<i>Yes.</i>
-<i>( Montero laughs )</i>

556
00:29:11,300 --> 00:29:14,500
If I no buy this,
so not handsome?

557
00:29:14,830 --> 00:29:15,333
-<i>Mm-mm.</i>
- Mm-mm.

558
00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:29,500
<i>( cello music playing )</i>

559
00:29:45,300 --> 00:29:48,333
( speaking Spanish )

560
00:29:52,316 --> 00:29:55,366
- ( man vocalizing )
- ( music playing )

561
00:29:59,383 --> 00:30:02,000
<i>( woman speaking Japanese )</i>

562
00:30:04,316 --> 00:30:06,200
<i>( clarinet music playing )</i>

563
00:30:08,216 --> 00:30:11,133
<i>( woman speaking Polish )</i>

564
00:30:16,150 --> 00:30:19,216
Scofidio:
<i>The week before it opened,</i>
<i>we kind of said, "Well,</i>

565
00:30:19,250 --> 00:30:22,283
if we can get
300,000 people up

566
00:30:22,316 --> 00:30:25,200
- in one year,
it would be a great success.
- ( chuckles )

567
00:30:25,233 --> 00:30:28,383
<i>Of course,</i>
<i>now it's five million a year.</i>

568
00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,660
Restuccia:<i>It's in</i>
<i>the top 10 tourist attractions</i>
<i>of New York City?</i>

569
00:30:32,100 --> 00:30:33,333
I think
that's hysterical

570
00:30:33,366 --> 00:30:35,316
because I sat in meetings
where people said,

571
00:30:35,350 --> 00:30:38,660
"Tear that piece
of junk down."

572
00:30:47,116 --> 00:30:49,133
Joshua David:
<i>We're building</i>
<i>the third section</i>

573
00:30:49,166 --> 00:30:50,366
<i>of the High Line</i>
<i>right now.</i>

574
00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:53,383
This was probably
our biggest fight of all--

575
00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:55,116
to save
this part of it.

576
00:30:55,150 --> 00:30:56,300
<i>This is the original</i>
<i>condition</i>

577
00:30:56,333 --> 00:30:58,116
<i>that we found</i>
<i>up on the High Line.</i>

578
00:30:58,150 --> 00:31:00,366
<i>So these were the tracks</i>
<i>that trains ran on</i>

579
00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:03,233
<i>exactly as they were</i>
<i>originally laid.</i>

580
00:31:06,233 --> 00:31:10,830
<i>The High Line was built</i>
<i>from 1929 to 1934.</i>

581
00:31:10,116 --> 00:31:12,216
<i>It was built to get</i>
<i>dangerous rail traffic</i>

582
00:31:12,250 --> 00:31:14,250
<i>off the streets</i>
<i>of New York City.</i>

583
00:31:16,133 --> 00:31:19,000
<i>What was at one time</i>
<i>the Hudson River Railroad</i>

584
00:31:19,330 --> 00:31:22,333
<i>had run rail down</i>
<i>the west side of Manhattan.</i>

585
00:31:22,366 --> 00:31:25,100
<i>And almost as soon</i>
<i>as the trains started running,</i>

586
00:31:25,133 --> 00:31:27,133
<i>they started</i>
<i>running people over.</i>

587
00:31:32,283 --> 00:31:35,183
David:
<i>The avenues were known</i>
<i>as death avenues.</i>

588
00:31:35,216 --> 00:31:37,216
<i>New York City</i>
<i>enacted a law</i>

589
00:31:37,250 --> 00:31:40,283
<i>where a man on horseback</i>
<i>had to ride in front</i>
<i>of each train</i>

590
00:31:40,316 --> 00:31:42,350
<i>to try and clear people</i>
<i>out of the way,</i>

591
00:31:42,383 --> 00:31:45,350
<i>and those men on horseback</i>
<i>were called the West Side</i>
<i>Cowboys.</i>

592
00:31:51,133 --> 00:31:53,333
<i>The High Line created</i>
<i>this very unusual condition</i>

593
00:31:53,366 --> 00:31:56,660
<i>which was an elevated</i>
<i>railroad line</i>

594
00:31:56,100 --> 00:31:57,300
<i>running through the center</i>
<i>of city blocks</i>

595
00:31:57,333 --> 00:32:00,160
<i>and sometimes</i>
<i>through buildings.</i>

596
00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:10,183
<i>In 1999,</i>

597
00:32:10,216 --> 00:32:12,150
somebody invited me
to a community board meeting,

598
00:32:12,183 --> 00:32:15,330
<i>and then I ended up</i>
<i>sitting next to a guy</i>

599
00:32:15,660 --> 00:32:16,200
<i>who I had never met</i>
<i>before.</i>

600
00:32:16,233 --> 00:32:18,100
<i>It became clear</i>
<i>that Robert and I</i>

601
00:32:18,133 --> 00:32:20,660
<i>were the only two people</i>
<i>in the room</i>

602
00:32:20,100 --> 00:32:22,183
<i>who thought</i>
<i>that this represented</i>

603
00:32:22,216 --> 00:32:25,150
<i>an incredible</i>
<i>opportunity.</i>

604
00:32:25,183 --> 00:32:28,000
But there wasn't anybody
trying to save the High Line.

605
00:32:28,330 --> 00:32:30,233
<i>Everything seemed</i>
<i>sort of aligned against us.</i>

606
00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:35,160
( girl chanting )

607
00:32:35,500 --> 00:32:36,316
( kids chanting )

608
00:32:36,350 --> 00:32:38,183
Restuccia:
<i>It's the major irony.</i>

609
00:32:38,216 --> 00:32:41,160
<i>The real estate industry</i>
<i>funded the lawsuits</i>

610
00:32:41,500 --> 00:32:43,266
<i>to ensure the High Line</i>
<i>was turned down.</i>

611
00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:46,166
It has provided
a catalyst

612
00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:49,116
beyond anyone's
wildest dreams.

613
00:33:01,383 --> 00:33:04,166
<i>There's a building being</i>
<i>developed on West 30th Street</i>

614
00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:08,100
<i>that will have</i>
<i>individual swimming pools</i>
<i>in each unit.</i>

615
00:33:10,500 --> 00:33:13,266
<i>There's another building</i>
<i>on 11th Avenue and 24th Street</i>

616
00:33:13,300 --> 00:33:16,160
<i>that has a car elevator</i>
<i>that brings your car</i>

617
00:33:16,500 --> 00:33:19,330
<i>up to your floor</i>
<i>for your apartment.</i>

618
00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:24,283
This is not
about a neighborhood
or about New York.

619
00:33:24,316 --> 00:33:27,233
<i>It's about</i>
<i>"I wanna take my money</i>
<i>out of Singapore,</i>

620
00:33:27,266 --> 00:33:29,250
<i>out of Abu Dhabi</i>

621
00:33:29,283 --> 00:33:32,660
<i>and invest</i>
<i>and park it here."</i>

622
00:33:35,183 --> 00:33:36,366
Whoa.

623
00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:38,133
Okay.

624
00:33:43,183 --> 00:33:45,100
Restuccia:
<i>Now, I don't think anyone</i>
<i>in our neighborhood</i>

625
00:33:45,133 --> 00:33:47,133
really understands
what's coming.

626
00:33:58,133 --> 00:34:00,160
<i>This is our Hong Kong</i>
<i>on the Hudson.</i>

627
00:34:00,500 --> 00:34:02,133
<i>There are gonna be</i>
<i>13 residential buildings,</i>

628
00:34:02,166 --> 00:34:05,116
<i>some of which</i>
<i>are 60 to 90 stories.</i>

629
00:34:05,150 --> 00:34:07,116
<i>I haven't been to Hong Kong,</i>
<i>but I've certainly</i>
<i>seen pictures.</i>

630
00:34:07,150 --> 00:34:09,150
That's what
it will look like.

631
00:34:09,183 --> 00:34:13,150
<i>Maybe those individual</i>
<i>swimming pools won't</i>
<i>look so fancy.</i>

632
00:34:14,383 --> 00:34:17,500
<i>( distant siren wailing )</i>

633
00:34:18,266 --> 00:34:19,333
Rosa:
<i>Hiya!</i>

634
00:34:23,216 --> 00:34:26,233
I hate money.

635
00:34:26,266 --> 00:34:29,300
I hate, hate, hate,
hate money.

636
00:34:29,333 --> 00:34:31,333
You know why I hate money?
I'm gonna tell you right now.

637
00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:36,330
<i>People fight over money</i>

638
00:34:36,660 --> 00:34:38,250
<i>and I hate that they fight</i>
<i>over money.</i>

639
00:34:38,283 --> 00:34:41,233
<i>Money was made</i>
<i>by the devil,</i>

640
00:34:41,266 --> 00:34:44,216
I think,
because God didn't say--

641
00:34:44,250 --> 00:34:46,116
He was like,
"No, you have to
pay for this."

642
00:34:46,150 --> 00:34:49,830
God-- I never heard
a parable--

643
00:34:49,116 --> 00:34:51,000
a parable
or the Bible saying

644
00:34:51,330 --> 00:34:53,100
that God said,
"Oh, you have to
pay for this."

645
00:34:54,250 --> 00:34:57,133
<i>Jesus, if he was</i>
<i>on this world,</i>

646
00:34:57,166 --> 00:35:01,166
<i>he would--</i>
<i>money would be</i>
<i>non-existent.</i>

647
00:35:03,283 --> 00:35:05,830
Daddy,
I'm closing you here.

648
00:35:05,116 --> 00:35:07,330
Can you pick up
the bike?

649
00:35:08,500 --> 00:35:09,250
Rosa:<i>Mom!</i>

650
00:35:12,660 --> 00:35:14,150
<i>This is something I--</i>
<i>I'm embarrassed to say this,</i>

651
00:35:14,183 --> 00:35:16,383
<i>but my mom had to pawn</i>
<i>all her jewelry</i>

652
00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:18,300
'cause-- to pay
the rent and stuff.

653
00:35:18,333 --> 00:35:21,166
You think--
you see how that--
you see how that is?

654
00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:24,160
I mean, you don't see
my mom with-- she put
fake on stuff.

655
00:35:24,500 --> 00:35:26,133
Now she don't--
$3 stuff.

656
00:35:26,166 --> 00:35:28,500
She used to have
a whole bunch of jewelry--

657
00:35:28,830 --> 00:35:29,366
pretty jewelry on.

658
00:35:34,150 --> 00:35:37,000
<i>( kids chanting )</i>
<i>Let's go, Avenues, let's go!</i>

659
00:35:37,330 --> 00:35:40,216
<i>( clapping )</i>
<i>Let's go, Avenues,</i>
<i>let's go!</i>

660
00:35:40,250 --> 00:35:44,330
( clapping )
Let's go, Avenues, let's go!

661
00:35:44,660 --> 00:35:48,216
( clapping )
Let's go, Avenues,
let's go!

662
00:35:48,250 --> 00:35:51,250
Let's go, Avenues,
let's go!

663
00:35:53,150 --> 00:35:55,283
- Man:<i>And one!</i>
-<i>( crowd cheering )</i>

664
00:35:55,316 --> 00:35:58,160
Whittle:
<i>One of the things</i>
<i>that we try to convey here</i>

665
00:35:58,500 --> 00:36:00,660
<i>is how lucky</i>
<i>students are</i>

666
00:36:00,100 --> 00:36:03,000
so that they understand that
and they don't have

667
00:36:03,330 --> 00:36:05,266
any kind of arrogance
related to their privilege.

668
00:36:05,300 --> 00:36:08,200
( chatter )

669
00:36:08,233 --> 00:36:11,366
Fulano:
<i>I mean, since the people</i>
<i>at Avenues--</i>

670
00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:14,166
<i>their parents</i>
<i>have lots of cash,</i>

671
00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:17,216
so all the richer kids
can be a bit of brats.

672
00:36:17,250 --> 00:36:20,100
<i>But in some situations,</i>

673
00:36:20,133 --> 00:36:22,250
<i>the richer kids</i>
<i>and the poor kids</i>

674
00:36:22,283 --> 00:36:25,160
<i>could have</i>
<i>the same personality,</i>
<i>could still be nice.</i>

675
00:36:25,500 --> 00:36:28,366
<i>They could still be the same</i>
<i>because poor and rich</i>

676
00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:33,500
don't always define
your personality.

677
00:36:38,330 --> 00:36:40,250
I always looked at my house
as just a thing

678
00:36:40,283 --> 00:36:42,660
that I have
that I take for granted.

679
00:36:42,100 --> 00:36:45,330
But then one day, you know,
I had my birthday party.

680
00:36:45,660 --> 00:36:47,200
<i>A lot of kids came over</i>
<i>who hadn't been to</i>
<i>my house before</i>

681
00:36:47,233 --> 00:36:49,266
<i>and said it's, like,</i>
<i>huge and whatnot.</i>

682
00:36:49,300 --> 00:36:51,150
Like, it really put it
in perspective

683
00:36:51,183 --> 00:36:53,266
that, wow, you know,
I have a lot.

684
00:36:53,300 --> 00:36:56,166
Like, I'm very fortunate
to be where I am.

685
00:36:59,150 --> 00:37:01,200
Yasemin:
<i>I've grown up</i>
<i>in a very liberal community</i>

686
00:37:01,233 --> 00:37:03,233
<i>around a lot</i>
<i>of progressive people.</i>

687
00:37:03,266 --> 00:37:05,100
In a weird way
I like to call them

688
00:37:05,133 --> 00:37:07,100
kind of, like, self-hating
wealthy people.

689
00:37:11,116 --> 00:37:12,383
<i>I didn't earn my money,</i>
<i>you know?</i>

690
00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:15,166
<i>I didn't earn a nice house</i>
<i>on the Upper West Side.</i>

691
00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,160
<i>I didn't earn, you know,</i>
<i>a tuition at Avenues.</i>

692
00:37:18,500 --> 00:37:20,183
<i>I didn't earn any of it.</i>
<i>I was given it.</i>

693
00:37:20,216 --> 00:37:22,160
<i>My mom's family</i>
<i>came from Turkey</i>

694
00:37:22,500 --> 00:37:24,000
<i>with a large amount</i>
<i>of money.</i>

695
00:37:24,330 --> 00:37:26,366
<i>Because of that,</i>
<i>I have a large amount</i>
<i>of money.</i>

696
00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:28,216
I'm not saying
they didn't work hard.

697
00:37:28,250 --> 00:37:32,116
They definitely worked hard,
but so do people who go--

698
00:37:32,150 --> 00:37:34,166
who live in the projects
across from Avenues.

699
00:37:35,350 --> 00:37:37,133
<i>Most people work hard.</i>

700
00:37:37,166 --> 00:37:39,316
<i>It's just did the dice</i>
<i>roll correctly for you?</i>

701
00:37:39,350 --> 00:37:41,283
Do you have that luck?
Do you have that privilege

702
00:37:41,316 --> 00:37:43,116
assigned at birth
or do you not?

703
00:38:08,660 --> 00:38:10,500
Barbecho:
<i>The people sent me home.</i>

704
00:38:10,830 --> 00:38:15,150
Those job-- I was working
a long time for this guy and...

705
00:38:15,183 --> 00:38:17,283
I make a mistake-- one salad,
something like that.

706
00:38:17,316 --> 00:38:21,133
<i>He screaming to me</i>
<i>because I know he knows</i>

707
00:38:21,166 --> 00:38:23,160
<i>I no-- I don't</i>
<i>have papers.</i>

708
00:38:23,500 --> 00:38:25,116
Act like, "You,
you wanna work here?

709
00:38:25,150 --> 00:38:27,200
You listen to me!
Look at my face!"

710
00:38:27,233 --> 00:38:30,233
And I was--
my face like that
because, you know,

711
00:38:30,266 --> 00:38:32,333
behind me is my family,

712
00:38:32,366 --> 00:38:34,166
so I gonna work hard
for my family.

713
00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:35,283
<i>And I said, "Sorry."</i>

714
00:38:35,316 --> 00:38:37,333
And then he said,
"Okay, you know what?

715
00:38:37,366 --> 00:38:39,660
Punch your card
and go home."

716
00:38:39,100 --> 00:38:40,133
That's it,
just do like this.

717
00:38:40,166 --> 00:38:42,660
Montero:
And you had,
like, 10 years

718
00:38:42,100 --> 00:38:43,333
-<i>working for his--</i>
<i>you know?</i>
- Yeah, 10 years.

719
00:38:43,366 --> 00:38:46,116
And for the little mistake,
for sesame seeds.

720
00:38:46,150 --> 00:38:48,116
Do you believe this?

721
00:38:48,150 --> 00:38:51,200
-<i>That was tough.</i>
- It's like a tough month
for me.

722
00:38:51,233 --> 00:38:52,300
For us.

723
00:39:00,250 --> 00:39:03,166
Juwan:
<i>When I was eight years old,</i>
<i>I lost my mom.</i>

724
00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:05,200
Um, very close to her.

725
00:39:05,233 --> 00:39:08,166
I was just-- lived with her
and it hurt me.

726
00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:10,266
<i>It was like,</i>
<i>"Okay, my mom's gone."</i>

727
00:39:10,300 --> 00:39:12,116
<i>I done did</i>
<i>enough crying.</i>

728
00:39:12,150 --> 00:39:13,316
<i>I still have to live</i>
<i>my life.</i>

729
00:39:13,350 --> 00:39:17,133
<i>And it was hard, like,</i>
<i>at eight years old.</i>

730
00:39:17,166 --> 00:39:18,366
<i>The end of 2013,</i>

731
00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:21,350
<i>I lost my little brother,</i>
<i>my baby brother.</i>

732
00:39:21,383 --> 00:39:24,116
So that's what I'm dealing with.
I'm fine, though.

733
00:39:24,150 --> 00:39:26,350
Strong.

734
00:39:26,383 --> 00:39:30,166
<i>I am pursuing my career</i>
<i>in acting and comedy.</i>

735
00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:32,200
I do want to be an actor
or entertainer.

736
00:39:48,283 --> 00:39:50,830
( meows )

737
00:39:52,116 --> 00:39:54,000
Isabella:
<i>Well, my mom grew up</i>

738
00:39:54,330 --> 00:39:56,660
<i>in a very poor household</i>
<i>in Illinois</i>

739
00:39:56,100 --> 00:40:00,133
<i>and she had to, like,</i>
<i>work for her own money</i>
<i>to go to college.</i>

740
00:40:01,383 --> 00:40:03,116
<i>When I was three,</i>

741
00:40:03,150 --> 00:40:06,166
<i>she was diagnosed</i>
<i>with breast cancer.</i>

742
00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:09,330
<i>When I was nine,</i>
<i>that was when she really</i>
<i>got sick.</i>

743
00:40:09,660 --> 00:40:10,383
<i>And it was really hard</i>
<i>to see her every day</i>

744
00:40:11,160 --> 00:40:12,266
<i>near, like,</i>
<i>the end of her life.</i>

745
00:40:14,383 --> 00:40:17,183
Afterwards,
I felt, like, guilty.

746
00:40:17,216 --> 00:40:20,200
Um, it's just... hard.

747
00:40:24,330 --> 00:40:27,183
<i>I know that the economy</i>
<i>isn't good.</i>

748
00:40:27,216 --> 00:40:29,300
<i>I'm not sure that there are</i>
<i>many jobs available</i>

749
00:40:29,333 --> 00:40:32,316
and that college
is difficult to get into

750
00:40:32,350 --> 00:40:35,266
even if you have
great credentials.

751
00:40:35,300 --> 00:40:38,333
<i>But I want all the hard work</i>
<i>that I'm doing now</i>

752
00:40:38,366 --> 00:40:40,266
<i>to pay off in some way</i>

753
00:40:40,300 --> 00:40:45,660
<i>and I want to ultimately</i>
<i>do something creative.</i>

754
00:40:46,150 --> 00:40:48,300
( chatter )

755
00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:52,160
Nick:
<i>You look around</i>
<i>and, you know,</i>

756
00:40:52,500 --> 00:40:54,283
<i>Stanford right now has</i>
<i>the lowest acceptance rate.</i>

757
00:40:54,316 --> 00:40:55,383
<i>It's a record low.</i>

758
00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:57,183
And that's what
all these colleges want.

759
00:40:57,216 --> 00:40:59,500
They want their record low
acceptance rates.

760
00:40:59,830 --> 00:41:02,250
<i>They want the best of the best</i>
<i>to go to their schools,</i>

761
00:41:02,283 --> 00:41:04,216
<i>you know, which is</i>
<i>understandable.</i>

762
00:41:04,250 --> 00:41:07,316
But at times, you know,
it becomes hard for everyone

763
00:41:07,350 --> 00:41:12,500
to work as hard as they can
and do the greatest things,

764
00:41:12,830 --> 00:41:14,266
go to these summer
programs wherever,

765
00:41:14,300 --> 00:41:16,266
and speak
three different languages,

766
00:41:16,300 --> 00:41:21,660
<i>to be the greatest of the great</i>
<i>to go to these great schools.</i>

767
00:41:21,100 --> 00:41:23,183
I want to go up.

768
00:41:23,216 --> 00:41:26,216
I want to be great.

769
00:41:26,250 --> 00:41:28,266
Teacher:<i>You have</i>
<i>to get the entire country</i>
<i>in your viewfinder,</i>

770
00:41:28,300 --> 00:41:30,300
<i>so you have to step back</i>
<i>to the point where you have--</i>

771
00:41:30,333 --> 00:41:32,383
-<i>there you go, there you go.</i>
- I got it. I'm getting it.

772
00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:34,333
- Wow, like a pro.
-<i>There you go.</i>

773
00:41:34,366 --> 00:41:36,333
Luc:
<i>My mom, she's always</i>
<i>telling me about how,</i>

774
00:41:36,366 --> 00:41:39,333
"Oh, when I had an assignment,
I had to walk miles
to the library

775
00:41:39,366 --> 00:41:42,150
to just even look up a word
in a dictionary."

776
00:41:42,183 --> 00:41:44,166
And nowadays,
I just go on my phone.

777
00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:46,300
In two seconds
I have what I need.

778
00:41:46,333 --> 00:41:50,300
<i>It's just hard to think about</i>
<i>where I might end up</i>

779
00:41:50,333 --> 00:41:53,266
<i>because my parents,</i>
<i>they had it worse than I did,</i>

780
00:41:53,300 --> 00:41:57,200
yet their environment
made them push themselves harder

781
00:41:57,233 --> 00:41:59,250
than my environment
does today.

782
00:42:09,383 --> 00:42:12,300
<i>I was getting in the elevator</i>
<i>in my building one day,</i>

783
00:42:12,333 --> 00:42:14,383
<i>and I live</i>
<i>on the 49th floor</i>

784
00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:17,330
<i>and the lower half</i>
<i>of the building</i>

785
00:42:17,660 --> 00:42:19,233
<i>is lower income</i>
<i>housing floors.</i>

786
00:42:19,266 --> 00:42:22,200
<i>A woman and her little boy,</i>
<i>who's about maybe</i>
<i>two years old,</i>

787
00:42:22,233 --> 00:42:25,233
<i>each African-American,</i>
<i>they pressed 14.</i>

788
00:42:25,266 --> 00:42:27,233
And he said, "Wow, you live
all the way up there?"

789
00:42:27,266 --> 00:42:28,333
And I was like,
"Yeah, I do."

790
00:42:28,366 --> 00:42:30,183
And he said,
"Well, I live down here."

791
00:42:30,216 --> 00:42:32,330
And then at that point,
I didn't know what to say.

792
00:42:32,660 --> 00:42:34,350
Like, I could've said,
"Oh, cool."

793
00:42:34,383 --> 00:42:36,300
But then
I was thinking about,

794
00:42:36,333 --> 00:42:39,100
"Oh, well, the mother knows
that I don't think it's cool."

795
00:42:39,133 --> 00:42:41,133
Like, is she thinking
that I'm thinking

796
00:42:41,166 --> 00:42:43,830
I'm above them
and they're lower than me

797
00:42:43,116 --> 00:42:47,150
and that, like,
socially I'm superior
and things like that?

798
00:42:47,183 --> 00:42:49,383
And I never--

799
00:42:50,160 --> 00:42:52,000
I never thought
about that before.

800
00:42:55,116 --> 00:42:56,300
<i>( chatter )</i>

801
00:43:00,116 --> 00:43:03,133
Job:
<i>In the TV,</i>
<i>there's no TV shows</i>

802
00:43:03,166 --> 00:43:06,233
that's really the rich
and the poor together,
you know?

803
00:43:06,266 --> 00:43:09,383
It's either it's a rich show
or it's a poor show.

804
00:43:13,250 --> 00:43:15,830
Brandon:
<i>I live in a low-income</i>
<i>apartment.</i>

805
00:43:15,116 --> 00:43:17,000
<i>I applied in a lottery.</i>

806
00:43:17,330 --> 00:43:19,000
I felt like crying.
It was like, "Wow,

807
00:43:19,330 --> 00:43:20,166
I'm really gonna move
out the projects."

808
00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:21,350
Like, I lived here
all my life.

809
00:43:21,383 --> 00:43:23,000
All I seen was this.

810
00:43:34,330 --> 00:43:36,100
<i>I live on the second floor,</i>
<i>but I live all the way</i>
<i>in the back.</i>

811
00:43:36,133 --> 00:43:38,133
<i>So one day,</i>
<i>I'm coming out</i>
<i>with my friend,</i>

812
00:43:38,166 --> 00:43:40,283
<i>and these two girls,</i>
<i>they're all the way</i>
<i>in the front</i>

813
00:43:40,316 --> 00:43:42,266
and they seen us
walking.

814
00:43:42,300 --> 00:43:44,133
They slammed the door,

815
00:43:44,166 --> 00:43:46,366
locked it,
and put a chain on it.

816
00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:48,200
<i>And I heard it.</i>

817
00:43:48,233 --> 00:43:50,830
<i>I'm like, "Wow,</i>
<i>are you serious right now?</i>

818
00:43:50,116 --> 00:43:51,366
<i>Like,</i>
<i>you're really scared."</i>

819
00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:53,216
<i>Still to this day,</i>
<i>I walk in the building,</i>

820
00:43:53,250 --> 00:43:57,216
people look at me
like I'm not supposed
to be there.

821
00:43:57,250 --> 00:44:01,100
Reporter:
<i>An apartment building</i>
<i>with two separate entrances.</i>

822
00:44:01,133 --> 00:44:03,333
<i>One for sky-high</i>
<i>market rates</i>

823
00:44:03,366 --> 00:44:06,330
<i>and one for</i>
<i>low-income residents</i>

824
00:44:06,660 --> 00:44:07,366
<i>that opens</i>
<i>to a side street.</i>

825
00:44:08,000 --> 00:44:10,116
<i>It's been dubbed</i>
<i>"the poor door."</i>

826
00:44:10,150 --> 00:44:12,133
Brandon:
<i>There is no reason</i>
<i>I should be walking</i>

827
00:44:12,166 --> 00:44:14,000
<i>through a separate door</i>
<i>because I make less than you.</i>

828
00:44:14,330 --> 00:44:15,366
So our kids are gonna
be raised like that?

829
00:44:16,000 --> 00:44:18,316
"Oh, this kid makes less
than me or I'm gonna
make more than him,

830
00:44:18,350 --> 00:44:21,330
so he has to go through
the separate door
all his life."

831
00:44:21,660 --> 00:44:22,266
Where are we
gonna go next?

832
00:44:22,300 --> 00:44:24,316
What's next?
Are we gonna have
separate bathrooms?

833
00:44:24,350 --> 00:44:27,660
You know what I mean?
And we're gonna have
separate gyms

834
00:44:27,100 --> 00:44:28,166
and the amenities
in the building

835
00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:29,316
so you have to go
in the poor gym.

836
00:44:31,266 --> 00:44:34,330
Scofidio:
<i>I remember once</i>
<i>doing a competition.</i>

837
00:44:34,660 --> 00:44:36,500
<i>It was</i>
<i>for affordable housing.</i>

838
00:44:36,830 --> 00:44:38,830
<i>It was for low-income</i>
<i>housing.</i>

839
00:44:38,116 --> 00:44:40,100
I was given
second place.

840
00:44:40,133 --> 00:44:42,366
And when I asked
the jury, you know,

841
00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:44,183
"We thought we had
a great project.

842
00:44:44,216 --> 00:44:46,100
<i>Why did we get</i>
<i>second place?"</i>

843
00:44:46,133 --> 00:44:48,366
<i>And they said,</i>
<i>"Even though you could</i>
<i>meet the budget</i>

844
00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:51,383
and it could be built,
it was too good."

845
00:44:55,133 --> 00:44:56,350
Brandon:
<i>I'm a doorman.</i>

846
00:44:56,383 --> 00:44:58,216
<i>Right now,</i>
<i>it's $12 an hour.</i>

847
00:45:00,316 --> 00:45:03,830
<i>I work just like you.</i>
<i>I work just as many hours.</i>

848
00:45:03,116 --> 00:45:05,830
I might just
work harder than you,
you know what I mean?

849
00:45:05,116 --> 00:45:08,330
I wasn't born
with a gold spoon
in my mouth, you know?

850
00:45:08,660 --> 00:45:11,330
<i>So I-- I'm working,</i>
<i>though.</i>

851
00:45:11,660 --> 00:45:13,183
<i>I don't plan to be a doorman</i>
<i>for the rest of my life.</i>

852
00:45:13,216 --> 00:45:15,250
<i>I don't wanna be low-income</i>
<i>for the rest of my life.</i>

853
00:45:15,283 --> 00:45:17,383
<i>I plan to make</i>
<i>some good money.</i>

854
00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:20,300
<i>( man shouting on bullhorn )</i>
<i>...workers under attack.</i>

855
00:45:20,333 --> 00:45:23,116
- What do we do?
- All: Stand up, fight back!

856
00:45:23,150 --> 00:45:24,383
-<i>If we don't get it?</i>
- All: Shut it down!

857
00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:27,830
Miguel Acevedo:
<i>These buildings go up,</i>

858
00:45:27,116 --> 00:45:31,660
<i>these developers reap</i>
<i>millions and millions</i>
<i>and millions of dollars.</i>

859
00:45:31,100 --> 00:45:33,116
In return,
the community gets

860
00:45:33,150 --> 00:45:35,330
some type
of affordable housing.

861
00:45:35,660 --> 00:45:38,330
But when it comes
to employment,
we get zero.

862
00:45:38,660 --> 00:45:40,100
Restuccia:
<i>The condominiums are selling</i>

863
00:45:40,133 --> 00:45:41,350
outside of the ones
on 57th Street,

864
00:45:41,383 --> 00:45:43,316
you know, the super tall
crazy numbers?

865
00:45:43,350 --> 00:45:46,160
They're selling
for the highest price
per square foot

866
00:45:46,500 --> 00:45:47,250
of anywhere
in the city of New York.

867
00:45:47,283 --> 00:45:50,100
And if you can afford
to buy a condominium

868
00:45:50,133 --> 00:45:52,183
for, you know,
$15 million,

869
00:45:52,216 --> 00:45:55,133
you probably can afford
to pay basic wages

870
00:45:55,166 --> 00:45:57,000
to people who are opening
and closing your door

871
00:45:57,330 --> 00:45:59,660
and taking your packages
and cleaning your hallways.

872
00:45:59,100 --> 00:46:01,266
- Isn't that the sort
of underlying thing here?
- Woman:<i>Yes.</i>

873
00:46:06,500 --> 00:46:09,350
<i>( music playing )</i>

874
00:46:15,160 --> 00:46:16,300
Joel:
<i>"Romeo and Juliet."</i>

875
00:46:16,333 --> 00:46:19,660
<i>Yeah, we're just</i>
<i>practicing the whole show.</i>

876
00:46:19,100 --> 00:46:23,500
I'm a Capulet
on Juliet's side.

877
00:46:24,150 --> 00:46:26,150
<i>( music playing )</i>

878
00:46:33,300 --> 00:46:35,333
Woman:
<i>All right,</i>
<i>this is the scholarship.</i>

879
00:46:35,366 --> 00:46:38,266
Your essay should
describe your professional
and personal goals

880
00:46:38,300 --> 00:46:42,660
- and why this scholarship
is important to you.
- Okay.

881
00:46:42,100 --> 00:46:44,383
<i>I had started</i>
<i>attending Hudson Guild</i>
<i>when I was eight years old.</i>

882
00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:46,150
<i>From basketball</i>
<i>to homework help</i>

883
00:46:46,183 --> 00:46:49,160
<i>to cooking class</i>
<i>to SAT prep,</i>

884
00:46:49,500 --> 00:46:51,383
it's been the number one
resource for me in my life.

885
00:46:52,160 --> 00:46:53,316
A baby?

886
00:46:53,350 --> 00:46:55,300
Jockers:
<i>What we're doing</i>
<i>is providing</i>

887
00:46:55,333 --> 00:47:00,000
<i>that same level of academic</i>
<i>and social support</i>

888
00:47:00,330 --> 00:47:03,660
to make sure
that as many poor children

889
00:47:03,100 --> 00:47:05,133
have that leg up

890
00:47:05,166 --> 00:47:08,116
<i>that other children's parents</i>
<i>are paying for.</i>

891
00:47:12,283 --> 00:47:14,333
Gural:
<i>We adopted</i>
<i>all of the children</i>

892
00:47:14,366 --> 00:47:17,100
<i>that were in the third</i>
<i>and fourth grade</i>

893
00:47:17,133 --> 00:47:19,830
<i>that lived</i>
<i>in the housing authority</i>

894
00:47:19,116 --> 00:47:21,383
and agreed that we would
provide them counseling

895
00:47:22,160 --> 00:47:24,233
and mentoring
and tutoring.

896
00:47:24,266 --> 00:47:26,366
<i>It helps to level</i>
<i>the playing field.</i>

897
00:47:27,000 --> 00:47:28,366
<i>Anybody,</i>
<i>middle-class families,</i>
<i>you know,</i>

898
00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:30,150
<i>they send their kids</i>
<i>off to college.</i>

899
00:47:30,183 --> 00:47:32,500
The kid has a problem,
he calls their parents,

900
00:47:32,830 --> 00:47:35,160
the parents send a check,
run up there, who knows what?

901
00:47:35,500 --> 00:47:37,266
<i>For these kids,</i>
<i>it's not that easy.</i>

902
00:47:40,266 --> 00:47:43,316
Hyisheem:<i>Seeing that</i>
<i>young child growing up</i>
<i>in those dirtier circumstances</i>

903
00:47:43,350 --> 00:47:48,216
<i>many of us would say that,</i>
<i>"Hey, that child doesn't have</i>
<i>a promising future."</i>

904
00:47:48,250 --> 00:47:51,330
<i>Well, I wanna let you guys</i>
<i>know something.</i>

905
00:47:51,660 --> 00:47:54,216
I was that child.

906
00:47:54,250 --> 00:47:57,300
<i>The difference with me</i>
<i>was that when people saw me,</i>

907
00:47:57,333 --> 00:48:00,350
they didn't just see me
for my circumstance,
my situation.

908
00:48:00,383 --> 00:48:04,100
They saw me
and they recognized
my potential.

909
00:48:04,133 --> 00:48:05,366
<i>( applause )</i>

910
00:48:09,100 --> 00:48:12,250
Jockers:
<i>This part of Chelsea</i>
<i>has gone through a major change</i>

911
00:48:12,283 --> 00:48:15,183
in which the number
of people with money

912
00:48:15,216 --> 00:48:17,166
has increased
significantly.

913
00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:20,000
<i>I have described it</i>
<i>at some times</i>

914
00:48:20,330 --> 00:48:22,300
<i>as going from Appalachia</i>
<i>to Park Avenue</i>

915
00:48:22,333 --> 00:48:24,350
<i>in the span</i>
<i>of five minutes.</i>

916
00:48:26,100 --> 00:48:28,200
<i>( kids chattering )</i>

917
00:48:30,350 --> 00:48:33,330
Noah Klarish:
<i>We moved here</i>
<i>about 15 years ago</i>

918
00:48:33,660 --> 00:48:35,266
and it was kind of like
the Wooly West at the time.

919
00:48:35,300 --> 00:48:37,166
<i>Come on, let's play.</i>

920
00:48:39,100 --> 00:48:40,233
<i>My kids go to Avenues.</i>

921
00:48:40,266 --> 00:48:42,366
<i>I'm not looking</i>
<i>to insulate them</i>

922
00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:45,133
<i>and to have them,</i>
<i>you know, grow up</i>
<i>in an ivory tower.</i>

923
00:48:45,166 --> 00:48:46,350
<i>I think it's great</i>
<i>for them to have</i>

924
00:48:46,383 --> 00:48:49,133
all the various mix
that the city offers.

925
00:48:49,166 --> 00:48:51,200
<i>I don't think of it,</i>

926
00:48:51,233 --> 00:48:53,133
<i>"Oh, now I'm on</i>
<i>the bad part of the block.</i>

927
00:48:53,166 --> 00:48:55,660
<i>Now I'm on the good part</i>
<i>of the block."</i>

928
00:48:55,100 --> 00:48:56,383
<i>I'm on the block.</i>

929
00:49:08,316 --> 00:49:10,330
Michele:
<i>Oh, wow!</i>

930
00:49:10,660 --> 00:49:11,500
This is great.

931
00:49:11,830 --> 00:49:14,266
Oh, my gosh,
I love this fireplace!

932
00:49:15,350 --> 00:49:17,330
It's beautiful.

933
00:49:26,250 --> 00:49:29,266
- Michele: There's a--
there's a playground.
- There's the playground.

934
00:49:29,300 --> 00:49:32,216
Michele:
<i>So you think it'll be safe</i>
<i>for the kids, too?</i>

935
00:49:32,250 --> 00:49:35,266
Saez-Fromm:
<i>You know, I mean,</i>
<i>I can't guarantee safety.</i>

936
00:49:35,300 --> 00:49:37,133
This is a choice
for you and your family

937
00:49:37,166 --> 00:49:39,366
to make sure that if you're
gonna be here or 19th Street

938
00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:41,150
- in a new development.
- Right.

939
00:49:41,183 --> 00:49:44,150
So it's really
a personal decision,
up to you.

940
00:49:44,183 --> 00:49:46,166
Would you live here?

941
00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:49,316
You know, there's
something to be said
about vertical living

942
00:49:49,350 --> 00:49:52,116
and, like,
the price point
has considered

943
00:49:52,150 --> 00:49:54,500
that it's right in front
of the mixed-income housing.

944
00:49:54,830 --> 00:49:56,000
That's why you're getting
6,600 square feet

945
00:49:56,330 --> 00:49:59,000
- for not, you know--
for 10.35.
- Right.

946
00:49:59,330 --> 00:50:00,266
You know, like,
our feeling

947
00:50:00,300 --> 00:50:03,133
as residents
in west Chelsea
is to embrace it,

948
00:50:03,166 --> 00:50:04,283
you know,
and not to be like--

949
00:50:04,316 --> 00:50:06,660
is this--
it's different? Yes.

950
00:50:06,100 --> 00:50:08,283
Do they have
different living?
Of course they do.

951
00:50:08,316 --> 00:50:10,166
But either
you embrace it

952
00:50:10,200 --> 00:50:14,330
or it's not for you
and you move on
another street.

953
00:50:14,660 --> 00:50:15,233
It's a little scary

954
00:50:15,266 --> 00:50:17,200
to take a chance
on something like this

955
00:50:17,233 --> 00:50:19,350
and to find it doesn't--

956
00:50:19,383 --> 00:50:23,200
- It doesn't work out.
- it doesn't meld as much
as you'd like it to.

957
00:50:35,216 --> 00:50:37,283
Levin:
<i>Would you like to go</i>
<i>to a school like Avenues?</i>

958
00:50:37,316 --> 00:50:39,160
Of course.

959
00:50:39,500 --> 00:50:40,183
<i>Do you know</i>
<i>anyone there?</i>

960
00:50:40,216 --> 00:50:43,660
No, of course not.

961
00:50:45,266 --> 00:50:49,150
I laugh at the fact
that they use all our parks,

962
00:50:49,183 --> 00:50:51,383
but don't--
but don't even like us.

963
00:50:57,383 --> 00:51:00,330
Linton:
<i>They did ask us</i>
<i>to use the parks.</i>

964
00:51:00,660 --> 00:51:02,116
Of course we said yes.

965
00:51:02,150 --> 00:51:05,200
I mean, who are we
not to allow anyone
to use the parks?

966
00:51:05,233 --> 00:51:08,330
But they did speak
about scholarships,

967
00:51:08,660 --> 00:51:11,183
<i>but when a few</i>
<i>of the families did go,</i>

968
00:51:11,216 --> 00:51:13,166
you know,

969
00:51:13,200 --> 00:51:15,266
there's none of our children
there right now currently

970
00:51:15,300 --> 00:51:18,000
in the two years
that it's been open.

971
00:51:32,133 --> 00:51:36,830
It was not an issue,
in our thinking.

972
00:51:36,116 --> 00:51:38,250
We actually
liked the fact

973
00:51:38,283 --> 00:51:41,000
that we were
right across the street

974
00:51:41,330 --> 00:51:43,133
from public housing.

975
00:51:43,166 --> 00:51:46,266
<i>We have a robust</i>
<i>scholarship program here,</i>

976
00:51:46,300 --> 00:51:51,233
and part of our arrangement
with the community board

977
00:51:51,266 --> 00:51:54,150
was that a portion
of our scholarships

978
00:51:54,183 --> 00:51:56,233
<i>would go to students</i>
<i>in Chelsea.</i>

979
00:52:05,183 --> 00:52:08,500
Juwan:
<i>They say they giving us a break</i>
<i>by giving us a little bit.</i>

980
00:52:08,830 --> 00:52:09,300
<i>And we still have to pay</i>

981
00:52:09,333 --> 00:52:12,266
<i>20-something, 30-something</i>
<i>thousand dollars.</i>

982
00:52:12,300 --> 00:52:16,216
We live in the projects.
How are you helping us?

983
00:52:16,250 --> 00:52:20,830
We don't even have $20,000
in our savings account

984
00:52:20,116 --> 00:52:23,160
<i>or we wouldn't be here.</i>

985
00:52:23,500 --> 00:52:24,300
<i>I want</i>
<i>to just get a loan.</i>

986
00:52:24,333 --> 00:52:27,160
<i>It's a community, right?</i>

987
00:52:27,500 --> 00:52:29,500
But once you go
to 26th Street

988
00:52:29,830 --> 00:52:32,660
and 10th Avenue,
it automatically splits.

989
00:52:34,183 --> 00:52:36,660
Yasemin:
<i>I noticed</i>
<i>this kind of irony</i>

990
00:52:36,100 --> 00:52:39,233
<i>that these two communities</i>
<i>were right next to each other.</i>

991
00:52:39,266 --> 00:52:44,100
<i>It just kind of made me wonder</i>
<i>how do they coexist?</i>

992
00:52:44,133 --> 00:52:46,166
<i>I wanted to start</i>
<i>the conversation,</i>

993
00:52:46,200 --> 00:52:48,183
<i>so I talked</i>
<i>to the Hudson Guild</i>

994
00:52:48,216 --> 00:52:51,350
<i>and they suggested</i>
<i>meeting Juwan.</i>

995
00:52:51,383 --> 00:52:54,333
So, like, have you
ever met anyone from
the neighborhood?

996
00:52:54,366 --> 00:52:57,330
<i>No, I haven't.</i>
<i>It's a shame.</i>

997
00:52:57,660 --> 00:52:59,366
I don't know, like,
where I would even--
how I would even meet people.

998
00:53:00,000 --> 00:53:04,200
-<i>Uh-huh. Oh, okay.</i>
- What are you-- have you
talked with Avenues students?

999
00:53:04,233 --> 00:53:06,300
I haven't talked
to Avenues students at all.

1000
00:53:06,333 --> 00:53:08,166
To us,
Avenues is, like--

1001
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:11,383
like just
made out of money
instead of bricks.

1002
00:53:12,160 --> 00:53:13,283
It's like money,
money, money, money.

1003
00:53:13,316 --> 00:53:17,350
So it's just,
like, all white kids
and snobby people

1004
00:53:17,383 --> 00:53:20,133
and stuck-up people,
all that types of stuff.

1005
00:53:20,166 --> 00:53:23,660
It's everything
but positive sometimes.
Most of the time.

1006
00:53:23,100 --> 00:53:25,183
What did you think
when you first, like,

1007
00:53:25,216 --> 00:53:27,330
seen the school
and then you seen, like,

1008
00:53:27,660 --> 00:53:29,160
a project across
the street from it?

1009
00:53:29,500 --> 00:53:31,000
Some of the students at Avenues,
even in my grade,

1010
00:53:31,330 --> 00:53:32,383
they've grown up
so much, like,

1011
00:53:33,160 --> 00:53:34,266
they've been told
their entire lives, like,

1012
00:53:34,300 --> 00:53:36,216
"You don't go
to neighborhoods like that.

1013
00:53:36,250 --> 00:53:38,500
- You don't go
to areas like that."
-<i>Mm-hmm.</i>

1014
00:53:38,830 --> 00:53:40,133
So, then, even though
they wanna rebel,

1015
00:53:40,166 --> 00:53:41,350
there's still
that fear in them

1016
00:53:41,383 --> 00:53:44,000
- that's, like,
almost just...
-<i>Right.</i>

1017
00:53:44,330 --> 00:53:45,300
instinctual to them
to go away.

1018
00:53:45,333 --> 00:53:48,233
I don't even know, like--
if I saw you on the street,

1019
00:53:48,266 --> 00:53:50,250
like-- and if you saw me
on the street,

1020
00:53:50,283 --> 00:53:52,116
would you strike up
a conversation?

1021
00:53:52,150 --> 00:53:54,200
Like, I don't--
I don't know.

1022
00:53:54,233 --> 00:53:56,300
If you come here
with a group of friends

1023
00:53:56,333 --> 00:53:58,100
to, like,
play basketball

1024
00:53:58,133 --> 00:54:00,160
<i>or to just hang out</i>
<i>in the park,</i>

1025
00:54:00,500 --> 00:54:02,300
<i>we don't interact</i>
<i>'cause it's like--</i>

1026
00:54:02,333 --> 00:54:04,660
nobody knows you,
so it's like,

1027
00:54:04,100 --> 00:54:05,300
"Who are you?
Why are you talking to me?"

1028
00:54:05,333 --> 00:54:06,366
That's how
they're gonna come off.

1029
00:54:07,000 --> 00:54:08,266
People from here
are so sensitive.

1030
00:54:08,300 --> 00:54:10,300
I don't know
how you can have
this tough exterior

1031
00:54:10,333 --> 00:54:12,100
<i>and be so sensitive.</i>

1032
00:54:18,100 --> 00:54:21,100
Hyisheem:
<i>You know, I can go up</i>
<i>to an African-American male</i>

1033
00:54:21,133 --> 00:54:23,500
<i>who is a doctor,</i>
<i>whose family comes</i>

1034
00:54:23,830 --> 00:54:26,333
<i>from long lines</i>
<i>of Cornell University,</i>
<i>Yale, Harvard,</i>

1035
00:54:26,366 --> 00:54:28,350
and he would
look at me

1036
00:54:28,383 --> 00:54:31,200
just like anyone else
would look at me--

1037
00:54:31,233 --> 00:54:33,166
as a kid
from the projects.

1038
00:54:36,150 --> 00:54:38,183
- Hey.
- Woman:<i>Hey.</i>
<i>How's everything going?</i>

1039
00:54:38,216 --> 00:54:41,183
- Everything's going great.
- What you got, another
year to go?

1040
00:54:41,216 --> 00:54:43,830
Yeah, I graduate
next May.

1041
00:54:43,116 --> 00:54:45,000
- Hey, boy. I'm proud of you.
- It's good to see you.

1042
00:54:45,330 --> 00:54:47,266
- So what's your major?
Business?
- Social work.

1043
00:54:47,300 --> 00:54:49,116
- All right, okay.
- Yeah, social work.

1044
00:54:49,150 --> 00:54:50,366
Yeah, that's good.
I'm happy for you.

1045
00:54:51,000 --> 00:54:52,383
- Thank you. Thank you.
- Proud of you.

1046
00:54:53,160 --> 00:54:55,383
You need to inspire some
of these other young-ass
knuckleheads out here.

1047
00:54:56,160 --> 00:54:58,216
- I'm serious.
You're laughing...
- Definitely, definitely.

1048
00:54:58,250 --> 00:55:00,300
Hyisheem:
<i>I thought that being here,</i>

1049
00:55:00,333 --> 00:55:03,160
<i>"Oh, the cops</i>
<i>are picking on us</i>
<i>'cause we're black.</i>

1050
00:55:03,500 --> 00:55:04,266
<i>This is happening</i>
<i>because we're black."</i>

1051
00:55:04,300 --> 00:55:07,150
But understand
that it's not racism here.

1052
00:55:07,183 --> 00:55:08,366
It's classism.

1053
00:55:09,000 --> 00:55:10,300
They don't care
about what color you are.

1054
00:55:10,333 --> 00:55:13,283
It's the fact
that you don't have
what they have.

1055
00:55:33,266 --> 00:55:36,333
Isabella:
<i>This year, like, we need</i>
<i>a school newspaper,</i>

1056
00:55:36,366 --> 00:55:39,330
magazine
"The High Liner."

1057
00:55:39,660 --> 00:55:40,150
I'm writing
an opinions piece

1058
00:55:40,183 --> 00:55:42,330
about-- I call it, like,
"The Hidden Truth."

1059
00:55:42,660 --> 00:55:44,330
<i>I mean,</i>
<i>everyone knows</i>
<i>that the 1%</i>

1060
00:55:44,660 --> 00:55:45,250
has more wealth
than the bottom 90%.

1061
00:55:45,283 --> 00:55:47,366
Nicholas:
<i>I think that this country</i>

1062
00:55:48,000 --> 00:55:49,300
in the past
has set people up

1063
00:55:49,333 --> 00:55:51,300
to become rich
and to make a lot of money

1064
00:55:51,333 --> 00:55:54,383
and that comes
with the freedom
that people have here,

1065
00:55:55,160 --> 00:55:56,133
free enterprise and...

1066
00:55:56,166 --> 00:55:58,350
Yeah, and it ends up
with 1% owning most of our--

1067
00:55:58,383 --> 00:56:01,150
Nicholas:
<i>It has to end up</i>
<i>like that in some sense.</i>

1068
00:56:01,183 --> 00:56:03,333
Why does it have to?
Is that just-- are you
talking about human nature

1069
00:56:03,366 --> 00:56:05,350
- or are you talking about--
-<i>Yeah, I'm talking about</i>
<i>human nature.</i>

1070
00:56:05,383 --> 00:56:09,330
Like, if you give people
the ability to say like,

1071
00:56:09,660 --> 00:56:10,366
"It's okay for you
to get this wealthy,"

1072
00:56:11,000 --> 00:56:12,283
then they're going
to want more money.

1073
00:56:12,316 --> 00:56:15,150
It's inequality, right?
It's not fair, right?

1074
00:56:15,183 --> 00:56:18,183
Like, I could've been born
on that side of the street.

1075
00:56:18,216 --> 00:56:21,250
Nicholas:
I mean, a lot of times
I just feel guilty

1076
00:56:21,283 --> 00:56:23,116
for going
to school here.

1077
00:56:23,150 --> 00:56:25,100
For not being
on the same--

1078
00:56:25,133 --> 00:56:27,183
or in the same
playing field
as other people.

1079
00:56:27,216 --> 00:56:29,200
I mean, we have
all these discussions

1080
00:56:29,233 --> 00:56:31,216
about privilege
in our school

1081
00:56:31,250 --> 00:56:33,300
and, like,
I think a lot of times

1082
00:56:33,333 --> 00:56:36,233
they end up blaming us
or that's what it sounds like.

1083
00:56:36,266 --> 00:56:38,183
<i>But it's not</i>
<i>really our fault</i>

1084
00:56:38,216 --> 00:56:42,200
that, like, we were
given the opportunity
to go to this school.

1085
00:56:42,233 --> 00:56:43,383
I'm sure if people
across the street

1086
00:56:44,160 --> 00:56:45,133
had the opportunity
to go to this school,

1087
00:56:45,166 --> 00:56:46,316
they would take
advantage of it.

1088
00:56:58,383 --> 00:57:00,316
-<i>( beeps )</i>
- Woman:<i>No, no touch.</i>
<i>No touch.</i>

1089
00:57:00,350 --> 00:57:02,166
<i>En garde, ready?</i>

1090
00:57:04,233 --> 00:57:06,216
Luc:
<i>Avenues and other</i>
<i>private schools in the city</i>

1091
00:57:06,250 --> 00:57:09,200
<i>produce results,</i>
<i>but at a cost, right?</i>

1092
00:57:09,233 --> 00:57:11,133
Like, they may have
more resources,

1093
00:57:11,166 --> 00:57:13,350
so therefore, it's, like,
a better school to go to,

1094
00:57:13,383 --> 00:57:16,350
but it can't-- it's like
it can't be available
to everyone

1095
00:57:16,383 --> 00:57:20,160
<i>'cause barely anyone</i>
<i>has 45K to fork out.</i>

1096
00:57:22,250 --> 00:57:23,383
<i>I'm very nervous.</i>

1097
00:57:24,160 --> 00:57:25,333
<i>Even though I've been</i>
<i>to Avenues,</i>

1098
00:57:25,366 --> 00:57:28,116
most people would think,
"Oh, well, he shouldn't
be nervous."

1099
00:57:28,150 --> 00:57:31,283
But I am
just because you don't know
what's out there yet

1100
00:57:31,316 --> 00:57:33,660
and because
it's always changing.

1101
00:57:33,100 --> 00:57:34,300
You can't really
prepare for it.

1102
00:57:42,200 --> 00:57:44,160
Brandon:
<i>'Cause your mom's</i>
<i>in the projects.</i>

1103
00:57:44,500 --> 00:57:45,830
My mom's in the projects.

1104
00:57:45,116 --> 00:57:47,160
Do you have a fear
about that,

1105
00:57:47,500 --> 00:57:48,266
like as far
as where she gonna be
in the next 10 years?

1106
00:57:48,300 --> 00:57:50,166
- Do you know?
- I actually do, you know?

1107
00:57:50,200 --> 00:57:52,500
She told me all the time
they're gonna move her out

1108
00:57:52,830 --> 00:57:53,350
or she's gonna
have to end up--

1109
00:57:53,383 --> 00:57:55,333
they're gonna give her
money to move out
or whatever.

1110
00:57:55,366 --> 00:57:57,266
These buildings,
they're not gonna pay
for that shit.

1111
00:57:57,300 --> 00:57:59,183
<i>That's what</i>
<i>everybody's saying.</i>

1112
00:57:59,216 --> 00:58:01,100
- Everybody says that now.
-<i>They're gonna buy us out.</i>

1113
00:58:01,133 --> 00:58:02,216
We're just seeing
buildings being built.

1114
00:58:02,250 --> 00:58:04,200
Like, what's that
over there, you know?

1115
00:58:04,233 --> 00:58:07,250
It's just like
a big question mark
on what's gonna happen next.

1116
00:58:15,183 --> 00:58:18,100
Wilson:<i>I feel like</i>
<i>they're already starting</i>
<i>to push us out.</i>

1117
00:58:18,133 --> 00:58:21,183
I feel like I live
under a cloud of darkness,

1118
00:58:21,216 --> 00:58:23,300
but surrounded
by happiness.

1119
00:58:34,300 --> 00:58:37,233
Yasmin Rodriguez:
<i>I just don't understand why</i>
<i>the old can't be with the new.</i>

1120
00:58:37,266 --> 00:58:39,166
<i>I have</i>
<i>so much history here</i>

1121
00:58:39,200 --> 00:58:42,116
and it's just like
this is what I told
my landlord.

1122
00:58:42,150 --> 00:58:44,316
I said, "This is your property,
but this is my home.

1123
00:58:44,350 --> 00:58:47,830
And I was like, "And you can't
take that from me."

1124
00:58:47,116 --> 00:58:49,830
Carden:
<i>Let's stick together.</i>

1125
00:58:49,116 --> 00:58:51,350
Let's keep the faith
and save our homes!

1126
00:58:51,383 --> 00:58:53,200
( cheering )

1127
00:58:53,233 --> 00:58:55,116
Carden:
<i>Like so many buildings</i>
<i>here in the city,</i>

1128
00:58:55,150 --> 00:58:57,350
<i>we're now experiencing</i>
<i>new landlords coming in</i>

1129
00:58:57,383 --> 00:59:00,250
<i>gutting the building,</i>
<i>renovating all the apartments</i>

1130
00:59:00,283 --> 00:59:02,250
<i>and then renting them</i>
<i>at very high prices.</i>

1131
00:59:02,283 --> 00:59:03,350
But in the process,

1132
00:59:03,383 --> 00:59:05,333
they're also displacing
the tenants

1133
00:59:05,366 --> 00:59:08,160
that were originally
living there.

1134
00:59:11,150 --> 00:59:13,160
Johnson:
<i>Illegal construction,</i>

1135
00:59:13,500 --> 00:59:16,250
<i>the shutting off of gas,</i>
<i>holes in the wall,</i>

1136
00:59:16,283 --> 00:59:19,333
unsafe conditions
without proper fire exits.

1137
00:59:19,366 --> 00:59:23,160
This may be ground zero
given the value of real estate

1138
00:59:23,500 --> 00:59:26,383
and the rapid change that
we've seen on the West Side.

1139
00:59:27,160 --> 00:59:28,300
Andrew Rai:
<i>Firefighters,</i>
<i>schoolteachers,</i>

1140
00:59:28,333 --> 00:59:30,216
social workers,
sanitary workers--

1141
00:59:30,250 --> 00:59:32,166
all these people
are driven out
of the city.

1142
00:59:32,200 --> 00:59:34,660
If you're gonna
drive us all out,

1143
00:59:34,100 --> 00:59:35,250
who's gonna clean
your streets?

1144
00:59:35,283 --> 00:59:37,330
Who's gonna teach
your children?

1145
00:59:37,660 --> 00:59:38,183
Who's gonna protect
these streets?

1146
00:59:38,216 --> 00:59:40,133
Who's gonna
put out the fires?

1147
00:59:40,166 --> 00:59:42,233
<i>I'm shocked</i>
<i>that this can happen</i>
<i>in our country.</i>

1148
00:59:42,266 --> 00:59:44,366
And if we continue with this
the way we are,

1149
00:59:45,000 --> 00:59:46,133
where is it gonna lead?

1150
00:59:46,166 --> 00:59:49,200
Where-- is it gonna be
an apartheid? Really?

1151
00:59:51,166 --> 00:59:53,660
Rodriguez:
<i>I have a daughter,</i>
<i>a 14-year-old.</i>

1152
00:59:53,100 --> 00:59:54,316
<i>I'm gonna cry.</i>

1153
00:59:58,300 --> 01:00:01,160
She said--
( sobs )

1154
01:00:01,500 --> 01:00:06,500
She said it's because
she knows how much my home
means to me.

1155
01:00:09,500 --> 01:00:11,366
That she's gonna--
she's gonna make sure

1156
01:00:12,000 --> 01:00:15,000
that she'll have--
she'll have enough money

1157
01:00:15,330 --> 01:00:16,283
to buy me my apartment.

1158
01:00:16,316 --> 01:00:18,160
That's her goal.

1159
01:00:18,500 --> 01:00:20,316
She says, "Ma, I know
that you sacrificed

1160
01:00:20,350 --> 01:00:22,150
to put me
in Catholic school

1161
01:00:22,183 --> 01:00:23,366
so I can have
a better education."

1162
01:00:24,000 --> 01:00:26,250
She knows that I've done
all that I can for her.

1163
01:00:26,283 --> 01:00:29,283
And the only thing that I want
is to be able to live

1164
01:00:29,316 --> 01:00:31,350
in my home
that I was born in.

1165
01:00:31,383 --> 01:00:33,283
That--
this is all I know

1166
01:00:33,316 --> 01:00:37,316
and she says
that's the first thing
she's gonna do.

1167
01:00:37,350 --> 01:00:39,283
She says,
"Ma, I'm gonna make it."

1168
01:01:10,166 --> 01:01:12,366
We would like to start
with a moment of silence
for Luc,

1169
01:01:13,000 --> 01:01:15,283
who was a really
incredible member
of our Avenues community.

1170
01:01:35,133 --> 01:01:37,160
Edgar:
<i>The first thing</i>
<i>I tell anybody about Luc</i>

1171
01:01:37,500 --> 01:01:38,250
is that he was one
of the f--

1172
01:01:38,283 --> 01:01:40,266
maybe-- I don't know
what happened there,

1173
01:01:40,300 --> 01:01:43,216
but at least to everyone,
he was one of the funniest,
kindest,

1174
01:01:43,250 --> 01:01:47,830
and just one of the most
pleasant people to be around.

1175
01:01:47,116 --> 01:01:49,160
<i>I think wherever he went</i>
<i>he made friends,</i>

1176
01:01:49,500 --> 01:01:51,350
<i>so that's why it shocked</i>
<i>so many of us.</i>

1177
01:01:51,383 --> 01:01:53,383
Yasemin:
<i>He was somebody</i>
<i>who was in my life.</i>

1178
01:01:54,160 --> 01:01:56,330
And then to think
that he's here one day

1179
01:01:56,660 --> 01:01:58,333
and he's gone the next
by his choi-- that was
just like a very--

1180
01:01:58,366 --> 01:02:02,150
it was very hard
to accept that.

1181
01:02:02,183 --> 01:02:04,330
Edgar:
<i>The actual funeral</i>
<i>was so packed,</i>

1182
01:02:04,660 --> 01:02:06,283
<i>they had to put</i>
<i>hundreds of chairs outside</i>

1183
01:02:06,316 --> 01:02:08,316
and it was
pretty touching.

1184
01:02:11,160 --> 01:02:13,200
<i>I just couldn't comprehend it</i>
<i>for quite a long time</i>

1185
01:02:13,233 --> 01:02:16,160
<i>that somebody</i>
<i>so happy, so cool</i>

1186
01:02:16,500 --> 01:02:19,366
<i>just would be</i>
<i>in a situation</i>
<i>that caused that.</i>

1187
01:02:30,383 --> 01:02:32,183
Reporter:
<i>In just a few minutes,</i>

1188
01:02:32,216 --> 01:02:34,500
<i>President Obama's gonna</i>
<i>address the nation,</i>

1189
01:02:34,830 --> 01:02:36,233
<i>telling Americans</i>
<i>what steps he is taking</i>

1190
01:02:36,266 --> 01:02:37,383
<i>that will affect</i>
<i>millions of immigrants</i>

1191
01:02:38,160 --> 01:02:39,333
<i>who are in this country</i>
<i>illegally.</i>

1192
01:02:39,366 --> 01:02:42,166
Barbecho:
<i>If I got the chance</i>
<i>to get my papers,</i>

1193
01:02:42,200 --> 01:02:45,266
I think I can knock the door
and get a better job

1194
01:02:45,300 --> 01:02:47,150
and then buy
something for you,

1195
01:02:47,183 --> 01:02:48,316
something for her
or for her, too.

1196
01:02:48,350 --> 01:02:51,100
So, let's hope he's here.

1197
01:02:51,133 --> 01:02:53,350
- Woman:<i>Let's go!</i>
- Obama:<i>If you have children</i>
<i>who are American citizens</i>

1198
01:02:53,383 --> 01:02:55,350
-<i>or legal residents...</i>
- Ah!

1199
01:02:55,383 --> 01:02:58,330
<i>...and you're willing to pay</i>
<i>your fair share of taxes...</i>

1200
01:02:58,660 --> 01:03:00,183
- Montero:<i>That's you.</i>
- That's you.

1201
01:03:00,216 --> 01:03:02,183
<i>...you'll be</i>
<i>able to apply to stay</i>
<i>in this country temporarily</i>

1202
01:03:02,216 --> 01:03:04,350
-<i>without fear</i>
<i>of deportation.</i>
- Montero:<i>Yes.</i>

1203
01:03:04,383 --> 01:03:06,200
<i>You can come out</i>
<i>of the shadows</i>

1204
01:03:06,233 --> 01:03:08,233
-<i>and get right</i>
<i>with the law.</i>
- Oh, my God.

1205
01:03:08,266 --> 01:03:10,250
- ( cheering )
- Man:<i>There he is.</i>

1206
01:03:10,283 --> 01:03:13,116
So we can make it.

1207
01:03:13,150 --> 01:03:15,133
Yay! Joel, come here
and hug your papi.

1208
01:03:15,166 --> 01:03:19,660
- Miley come.
Group hug!
- Group hug!

1209
01:03:19,100 --> 01:03:22,000
Tackle, tackle, tackle.

1210
01:03:22,330 --> 01:03:24,830
Joel:
<i>I didn't want</i>
<i>him to leave</i>

1211
01:03:24,116 --> 01:03:26,150
'cause, you know,
he's my dad.

1212
01:03:26,183 --> 01:03:28,183
I really--
I love him.

1213
01:03:28,216 --> 01:03:30,183
He's, like, the best.

1214
01:03:30,216 --> 01:03:32,300
The protector
of my family.

1215
01:03:44,166 --> 01:03:47,183
Yasemin:
<i>I've started a project</i>
<i>called "115 Steps."</i>

1216
01:03:47,216 --> 01:03:52,330
<i>It's composed of both photos</i>
<i>and audio interviews.</i>

1217
01:03:52,660 --> 01:03:53,366
The title comes from--
because there's 115 steps

1218
01:03:54,000 --> 01:03:55,333
between Avenues
and the Chelsea-Elliott
housing project.

1219
01:03:55,366 --> 01:03:57,333
( shutter clicking )

1220
01:03:57,366 --> 01:04:00,333
<i>Including both kids</i>
<i>from Avenues and kids</i>
<i>from Chelsea-Elliott</i>

1221
01:04:00,366 --> 01:04:02,383
<i>and I kind of just asked</i>
<i>about each person's life</i>

1222
01:04:03,160 --> 01:04:05,350
<i>and what their thoughts are</i>
<i>on gentrification</i>
<i>and Avenues.</i>

1223
01:04:05,383 --> 01:04:09,350
There are rumors, like,
Avenues has a chocolate
fountain in it.

1224
01:04:09,383 --> 01:04:12,300
I want a chocolate fountain.
We don't have one,
but I'd like that.

1225
01:04:12,333 --> 01:04:15,300
Lucas:
<i>I think there's a big</i>
<i>socioeconomic divide</i>

1226
01:04:15,333 --> 01:04:17,166
<i>that keeps us separate.</i>

1227
01:04:17,200 --> 01:04:20,233
<i>As much as we try to say</i>
<i>that it doesn't matter,</i>

1228
01:04:20,266 --> 01:04:24,233
<i>really, that's a big part</i>
<i>of who we are.</i>

1229
01:04:24,266 --> 01:04:26,183
Josh:
<i>I believe a lot of people</i>
<i>from Chelsea get jealous</i>

1230
01:04:26,216 --> 01:04:28,150
<i>'cause they want</i>
<i>the same opportunity,</i>

1231
01:04:28,183 --> 01:04:31,116
<i>but the opportunity's never</i>
<i>been passed down to them.</i>

1232
01:04:38,500 --> 01:04:39,316
Juwan:
<i>He's from</i>
<i>across the street.</i>

1233
01:04:39,350 --> 01:04:41,316
- And this is my friend Brandon.
- Brandon, nice to meet you.

1234
01:04:41,350 --> 01:04:43,350
- This is Yasemin.
- Yasemin:<i>This is Isabella.</i>

1235
01:04:43,383 --> 01:04:45,250
- Hi, how are you?
-<i>Hi, nice to meet you.</i>

1236
01:04:45,283 --> 01:04:48,150
- How are you?
-<i>Brandon, nice to meet you.</i>

1237
01:04:48,183 --> 01:04:52,116
Yasemin:
So up here
is the cafeteria.

1238
01:04:52,150 --> 01:04:55,116
- Brandon:<i>It feels like</i>
<i>a museum in here, like...</i>
-<i>( Yasemin chuckles )</i>

1239
01:04:55,150 --> 01:04:58,300
- It's everything looks nice.
You just don't touch it.
- Juwan: Oohs and ahhs.

1240
01:05:02,660 --> 01:05:05,660
Downstairs, you had, like,
that huge touch board

1241
01:05:05,100 --> 01:05:06,366
- screen thing.
-<i>( girls chuckle )</i>

1242
01:05:07,000 --> 01:05:09,233
Josh:
<i>Honestly, like,</i>
<i>I'm just astonished.</i>

1243
01:05:14,233 --> 01:05:15,316
Crazy!

1244
01:05:17,233 --> 01:05:19,333
- Look at that!
- Cool, bro.

1245
01:05:23,300 --> 01:05:26,660
Yo, I wish they had
a basketball court
like this.

1246
01:05:26,100 --> 01:05:28,000
What? What?

1247
01:05:31,100 --> 01:05:33,660
Yasemin:
<i>I think one amazing thing</i>
<i>about Avenues</i>

1248
01:05:33,100 --> 01:05:35,660
<i>is the trust that they have</i>
<i>in their students.</i>

1249
01:05:35,100 --> 01:05:36,316
<i>They will get behind</i>
<i>your project,</i>

1250
01:05:36,350 --> 01:05:38,266
<i>letting you discover</i>
<i>and explore,</i>

1251
01:05:38,300 --> 01:05:40,133
<i>like, interests</i>
<i>that you have.</i>

1252
01:05:40,166 --> 01:05:42,133
( camera clicking )

1253
01:05:42,166 --> 01:05:45,000
Josh:
<i>Being in the gym is kind of,</i>
<i>like, an emotional feeling.</i>

1254
01:05:45,330 --> 01:05:46,283
It just-- it hurts
a little bit

1255
01:05:46,316 --> 01:05:49,150
to go back and to have to
face reality

1256
01:05:49,183 --> 01:05:51,250
and see where I have to go
after this.

1257
01:05:59,233 --> 01:06:01,183
This is the blog
for "115 Steps."

1258
01:06:01,216 --> 01:06:04,160
<i>If you go on Google Maps,</i>
<i>there's 115 steps</i>

1259
01:06:04,500 --> 01:06:06,830
<i>between Avenues</i>
<i>and the Chelsea-Elliott</i>
<i>housing projects.</i>

1260
01:06:06,116 --> 01:06:07,266
I could've also
totally made up that number

1261
01:06:07,300 --> 01:06:09,166
- and nobody would know.
- ( all laughing )

1262
01:06:09,200 --> 01:06:11,316
I know.
I thought you did.

1263
01:06:11,350 --> 01:06:13,316
No, but it's confirmed
by Google Maps.

1264
01:06:17,160 --> 01:06:20,830
How does it feel
when you look right
across the street

1265
01:06:20,116 --> 01:06:21,366
and you see
the projects

1266
01:06:22,000 --> 01:06:24,830
where there's, like,
less fortunate people?

1267
01:06:24,116 --> 01:06:27,000
Yasemin:
<i>A lot of identity</i>
<i>searching for people</i>

1268
01:06:27,330 --> 01:06:29,300
of, like, our age and of our
socioeconomic class

1269
01:06:29,333 --> 01:06:31,266
and who have
opportunities like us

1270
01:06:31,300 --> 01:06:34,333
is, "What is my role
in this and what is
my responsibility?"

1271
01:06:34,366 --> 01:06:36,830
'Cause I think
there is one.

1272
01:06:36,116 --> 01:06:38,350
It just starts with us
communicating like this.

1273
01:06:38,383 --> 01:06:42,000
As they see us
growing up and mingling

1274
01:06:42,330 --> 01:06:44,133
with each other,
they're gonna
understand, like,

1275
01:06:44,166 --> 01:06:46,330
"Okay, I don't have to
act like this."

1276
01:06:46,660 --> 01:06:48,133
Ironically, we live--
it's the land of opportunity,

1277
01:06:48,166 --> 01:06:51,216
yet it seems like we have
a lot more opportunities
than you guys have

1278
01:06:51,250 --> 01:06:53,330
and I don't really know
why that is.

1279
01:06:53,660 --> 01:06:54,316
I don't really think
there is, you know?

1280
01:06:54,350 --> 01:06:56,183
Brandon:
<i>That's just how life is.</i>

1281
01:06:56,216 --> 01:06:58,330
-<i>We're in America.</i>
- It's America.

1282
01:06:58,660 --> 01:07:00,166
- Yeah.
- It's America
and it sucks.

1283
01:07:00,200 --> 01:07:03,830
Brandon:
<i>It's more about--</i>
<i>it's more than racism.</i>

1284
01:07:03,116 --> 01:07:05,216
It's more about wealth.
It's who controls the money.

1285
01:07:07,116 --> 01:07:08,350
Josh:
<i>My sister,</i>
<i>she's a little girl</i>

1286
01:07:08,383 --> 01:07:11,330
and she dreams
to come here.

1287
01:07:11,660 --> 01:07:13,216
<i>Like, it would honestly</i>
<i>change her life.</i>

1288
01:07:20,383 --> 01:07:22,216
This is exciting.
You've been in there before?

1289
01:07:22,250 --> 01:07:24,330
- Never.
- Oh, my God.

1290
01:07:24,660 --> 01:07:26,160
It's like being
in Disney World,
I'm telling you.

1291
01:07:31,330 --> 01:07:34,183
So, this is
the middle school
common area.

1292
01:07:34,216 --> 01:07:36,350
<i>Doubles as the library,</i>
<i>doubles as study space.</i>

1293
01:07:36,383 --> 01:07:39,660
You find students
doing small group work

1294
01:07:39,100 --> 01:07:40,350
or projects out here.

1295
01:07:42,133 --> 01:07:43,383
Acevedo:
<i>This is a really good school,</i>

1296
01:07:44,160 --> 01:07:46,100
and I believe if you're gonna
come to a community,

1297
01:07:46,133 --> 01:07:47,316
to be part
of a community,

1298
01:07:47,350 --> 01:07:49,133
<i>you should give back</i>
<i>to the community.</i>

1299
01:07:49,166 --> 01:07:51,330
<i>And my goal</i>
<i>is to make sure,</i>

1300
01:07:51,660 --> 01:07:53,233
<i>especially the residents</i>
<i>from low-income development,</i>

1301
01:07:53,266 --> 01:07:57,233
<i>has the opportunity</i>
<i>to get into this school.</i>

1302
01:07:57,266 --> 01:07:59,200
Woman:
<i>We will graduate students</i>

1303
01:07:59,233 --> 01:08:03,150
who are accomplished
in the academic skills
one would expect--

1304
01:08:03,183 --> 01:08:05,300
<i>at ease</i>
<i>beyond their borders,</i>

1305
01:08:05,333 --> 01:08:08,500
<i>great leaders</i>
<i>when they can be,</i>

1306
01:08:08,830 --> 01:08:10,333
<i>good followers</i>
<i>when they should be.</i>

1307
01:08:10,366 --> 01:08:13,266
Rosa:
<i>I wanna be a leader because</i>
<i>I wanna show other people</i>

1308
01:08:13,300 --> 01:08:17,660
that are-- 'cause I used
to be a follower.

1309
01:08:17,100 --> 01:08:18,233
Okay, I don't wanna
say that,

1310
01:08:18,266 --> 01:08:20,233
but I used to be
a follower, it's true.

1311
01:08:20,266 --> 01:08:22,133
I used to, like,
copy other girls

1312
01:08:22,166 --> 01:08:24,160
and be, like--
they used to be
all sassy and stuff.

1313
01:08:24,500 --> 01:08:26,660
I used to be like...
( clicking tongue )

1314
01:08:26,100 --> 01:08:28,166
I used to be
like all that stuff,
and I still have it.

1315
01:08:28,200 --> 01:08:30,250
I'll be like,
"Yeah, mm-hmm, girl."

1316
01:08:30,283 --> 01:08:32,150
I still have
that little thing,
but I don't be, like,

1317
01:08:32,183 --> 01:08:34,500
following other people,
what they do.

1318
01:08:34,830 --> 01:08:36,183
Like if--
monkey see, monkey do,

1319
01:08:36,216 --> 01:08:37,366
monkey get
in trouble, too.

1320
01:08:38,000 --> 01:08:39,250
I don't do that stuff.

1321
01:08:39,283 --> 01:08:40,383
If you look in here,

1322
01:08:41,160 --> 01:08:43,500
we have two classrooms
that are painted

1323
01:08:43,830 --> 01:08:45,350
with IdeaPaint
so you can write
on the walls.

1324
01:08:45,383 --> 01:08:49,166
Can you take the iPad home
or it stays in the school?

1325
01:08:49,200 --> 01:08:51,200
Woman:
<i>You can take it home</i>
<i>if you're a little bit older.</i>

1326
01:08:51,233 --> 01:08:53,000
<i>The younger students</i>
<i>leave theirs here.</i>

1327
01:08:53,330 --> 01:08:55,500
<i>The kindergarteners</i>
<i>leave their iPads here.</i>

1328
01:08:55,830 --> 01:08:57,183
- What about the fifth grade?
-<i>Fifth grade, you can</i>
<i>take it home.</i>

1329
01:08:57,216 --> 01:08:59,350
- Yes!
-<i>( women chuckling )</i>

1330
01:08:59,383 --> 01:09:02,150
<i>( marching band playing )</i>

1331
01:09:04,316 --> 01:09:07,330
<i>( people cheering )</i>

1332
01:09:14,300 --> 01:09:17,350
David:
<i>For 15 years,</i>
<i>we have worked to secure</i>

1333
01:09:17,383 --> 01:09:20,330
<i>the entire</i>
<i>historic structure</i>

1334
01:09:20,660 --> 01:09:21,250
<i>and open it</i>
<i>to the public</i>

1335
01:09:21,283 --> 01:09:24,330
and today,
that part of our mission

1336
01:09:24,660 --> 01:09:26,000
-<i>has been achieved.</i>
-<i>( applause )</i>

1337
01:09:26,330 --> 01:09:28,266
( cheering )

1338
01:09:33,330 --> 01:09:35,100
Scofidio:
<i>When we first looked</i>
<i>at the High Line,</i>

1339
01:09:35,133 --> 01:09:37,383
<i>the history had</i>
<i>many layers to it.</i>

1340
01:09:38,160 --> 01:09:41,150
<i>There's the billboards</i>
<i>that were stuck up</i>
<i>on the High Line</i>

1341
01:09:41,183 --> 01:09:43,333
<i>because, obviously,</i>
<i>cars passing under</i>
<i>the High Line</i>

1342
01:09:43,366 --> 01:09:45,200
<i>would see</i>
<i>the billboard.</i>

1343
01:09:45,233 --> 01:09:49,330
<i>We decided to keep</i>
<i>the frame of the billboard.</i>

1344
01:09:49,660 --> 01:09:52,300
<i>The frame takes something</i>
<i>which is just a general view</i>

1345
01:09:52,333 --> 01:09:54,300
and makes it
a very particular view.

1346
01:09:58,660 --> 01:10:02,183
Oh, my apartment
is right there.

1347
01:10:02,216 --> 01:10:05,830
Around my mom's times
and my dad's times,

1348
01:10:05,116 --> 01:10:06,200
this was a bad area.

1349
01:10:06,233 --> 01:10:07,333
<i>Everything</i>
<i>is changing now.</i>

1350
01:10:07,366 --> 01:10:10,500
They got the High Line,
which is so beautiful.

1351
01:10:10,830 --> 01:10:11,316
Oh, you wanna see me run?

1352
01:10:11,350 --> 01:10:13,830
You wanna have a race?

1353
01:10:13,116 --> 01:10:14,383
Starting now!

1354
01:10:16,116 --> 01:10:19,000
No! I hate you,
you little midget!

1355
01:10:19,330 --> 01:10:21,166
I can get that, too.

1356
01:10:24,160 --> 01:10:26,160
I've been here
a lot of times,
like, a hundred.

1357
01:10:26,500 --> 01:10:28,233
David:
<i>We're a free</i>
<i>New York City public park</i>

1358
01:10:28,266 --> 01:10:30,250
<i>open to the public,</i>
<i>no charge,</i>

1359
01:10:30,283 --> 01:10:34,160
<i>creating places</i>
<i>where everybody,</i>
<i>regardless of background,</i>

1360
01:10:34,500 --> 01:10:36,000
regardless of income,
can come together.

1361
01:10:39,660 --> 01:10:41,330
<i>( band playing )</i>

1362
01:11:15,216 --> 01:11:17,183
( cheering )

1363
01:11:20,366 --> 01:11:22,183
Rosa:
<i>The people, the audience,</i>

1364
01:11:22,216 --> 01:11:23,366
they gave me $5.

1365
01:11:24,000 --> 01:11:25,216
<i>It was like,</i>
<i>"Oh, my God!</i>

1366
01:11:25,250 --> 01:11:27,150
<i>My first money</i>
<i>from a stranger."</i>

1367
01:11:27,183 --> 01:11:30,160
I mean, that felt good.
I mean, I love this.

1368
01:11:30,500 --> 01:11:32,500
This is, like,
the best thing ever.

1369
01:11:32,830 --> 01:11:34,500
Let's see down there!

1370
01:11:34,830 --> 01:11:36,333
<i>♪ Yeah, I wanna try ♪</i>

1371
01:11:36,366 --> 01:11:40,233
♪ I wanna make it
to the top ♪

1372
01:11:40,266 --> 01:11:42,830
♪ And if I don't ♪

1373
01:11:42,116 --> 01:11:45,150
♪ And if I fall down,
I'm gonna make it up ♪

1374
01:11:45,183 --> 01:11:48,150
♪ And don't you worry ♪

1375
01:11:48,183 --> 01:11:50,183
♪ 'Cause I'll be fine ♪

1376
01:11:50,216 --> 01:11:52,366
♪ I will make it,
I will make it ♪

1377
01:11:53,000 --> 01:11:56,160
♪ Oh, I will
make it happen,
all right ♪

1378
01:11:56,500 --> 01:11:57,116
♪ Yeah. ♪

1379
01:11:57,150 --> 01:12:00,160
<i>( music playing )</i>


