>>> ON THIS EDITION OF 
"INDEPENDENT SOURCES" -- 
SEPARATE AND NOT EQUAL.
THE EFFORT TO ADDRESS SCHOOL 
SEGREGATION IN NEW YORK CITY.
>>> AND, VAMPIRES OF CUBA.
A LEGENDARY ANIMATOR IS 
RECOGNIZED FOR HIS SEMINAL WORK.
♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪
>>> "INDEPENDENT SOURCES."
YOUR WINDOW TO THE CITY'S ETHNIC
AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
HERE'S YOUR HOST, GARRY 
PIERRE-PIERRE.
>>> SCHOOL SEGREGATION IN NEW 
YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS 
QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF THOSE 
INTRACTABLE ISSUES, LIKE 
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
NEW YORK BOASTS THE COUNTRY'S 
LARGEST PUBLIC SCHOOLING SYSTEM,
AN ESTIMATED 1.1 MILLION 
STUDENTS.
BUT A UCLA STUDY IDENTIFIED IT 
AS ONE OF THE MOST SEGREGATED IN
THE COUNTRY.
THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR THIS 
OCCURRENCE.
SOME EXPERTS SAY THIS STEMS FROM
A TIME WHEN MANY NORTHERN 
SCHOOLS WERE NOT FORCED TO 
INTEGRATE AFTER THE LANDMARK 
BROWN VERSUS THE BOARD OF 
EDUCATION CASE IN 1954.
THEY ALSO CITE THE FACT THAT 
INTEGRATING A SYSTEM THAT IS 
MORE THAN 70% BLACK AND HISPANIC
IS DIFFICULT.
WHILE THERE ARE MORE CYNICAL 
CRITICS WHO CITE THE CORRELATION
WITH SCHOOLS SEEKING STUDENTS 
WHO CAN BRING IN HIGHER TEST 
SCORES AND MORE MONEY.
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS TRIED TO 
DRAW MORE ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE
WITH THE SCHOOL DIVERSITY 
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT.
BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS 
DAUNTING.
IN LIGHT OF THAT, AT LEAST ONE 
STUDENT ORGANIZATION HAS EMERGED
IN THE BRONX TO RAISE AWARENESS 
OF AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
ZYPHUS LEBRUN SPOKE TO TAYLOR 
McGRAW, THE EDITOR OF "THE
BELL," A PODCAST THAT RECENTLY 
BEGAN CHRONICLING HOW SOME 
STUDENTS ARE COPING AND OTHERS 
ARE RALLYING AGAINST THE 
PROBLEM.
>> SO, TAYLOR, UM, NEW YORK 
CITY.
ONE OF THE MOST SEGREGATED 
SCHOOL SYSTEMS IF NOT THE MOST 
SEGREGATED SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
>> WELL, I GREW UP IN THE SOUTH.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SCHOOL 
SEGREGATION, THAT'S THE REGION 
YOU THINK OF.
PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE BROWN V
BOARD DECISION WHICH FORCED 
THE SCHOOLS TO INTEGRATE 
BECAUSE THEY WERE SEGREGATED
BY LAW.
IN THE NORTH, THEY WERE NEVER 
SEGREGATED BY LAW.
THEY WERE JUST SEGREGATED.
THAT RULING NEVER APPLIED TO THE
BIG SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE NORTH.
WHICH TODAY ARE NOW AS 
SEGREGATED AS DAY WERE IN THE 
1960s.
>> THE NEW YORK CITY SCHOOL 
SYSTEM IS 1.1 MILLION PUPILES, I
BELIEVE IT'S QUOTED AS.
SO WHERE DO YOU FIND THAT THESE 
CLUSTERS OF SEGREGATION HAPPEN?
>> ALL OVER.
BUT I WOULD SAY MOST EXTREME IN 
THE BRONX AND PARTS OF BROOKLYN.
THERE ARE POCKETS OF QUEENS THAT
HAVE MANY DIVERSE SCHOOLS.
AND -- IN SOME CASES IN 
MANHATTAN, TOO.
BUT, I WOULD SAY, UPPER 
MANHATTAN, HARLEM, WASHINGTON 
HEIGHTS, THE BRONX, AND THE 
NONGENTRIFYING PARTS OF BROOKLYN
WHERE IT'S THE DEEPEST.
>> HOW DOES THIS SEGREGATION 
BREAK DOWN, IF YOU WILL.
LET'S TALK ONE BOROUGH AT A 
TIME. FOR INSTANCE,
IN MANHATTAN, HOW DOES IT BREAK 
DOWN? IS IT A SITUATION
WHERE SCHOOLS ON THE UPPER EAST 
SIDE HAVE MORE WHITE STUDENTS AS
OPPOSED TO MINORITY STUDENTS?
>> THE WHITER THE NEIGHBORHOOD
THE LESS LIKELY THE
SCHOOL IS GOING TO MATCH THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CITY.
MEANING THERE'S GOING TO 
BE MORE WHITE STUDENTS, 
MORE AFFLUENT STUDENTS.
I THINK DISTRICT 3 WHICH SPANS 
FROM THE BOTTOM PART OF CENTRAL 
PARK ON THE WEST SIDE ALL THE 
WAY UP TO WEST HARLEM, THERE'S A
INTERESTING CASE STUDY.
BECAUSE THAT DISTRICT IS QUITE 
DIVERSE.
IF YOU TAKE IT AS A WHOLE.
BUT, AS YOU MIGHT GUESS, BELOW 
110th STREET, IT LOOKS MUCH 
DIFFERENT THAN IT DOES ABOVE 
110th STREET.
AND RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A BIG -- 
I GUESS INTEGRATION BATTLE 
TAKING PLACE BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS
IN THE UPPER WEST SIDE ARE 
OVERCROWDED.
AND THERE ARE MANY SCHOOLS IN 
WEST HARLEM THAT ARE -- HAVE A 
LOT OF ROOM.
AND SO, FOLKS ARE TRYING TO 
FIGURE OUT HOW TO -- NUMBER ONE 
EASE THAT PROBLEM.
BUT ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, 
DIVERSIFY THE SCHOOLS, BECAUSE 
IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACHIEVEMENT 
GAPS IN THAT DISTRICT, IT'S 
REALLY EXTREME.
I MEAN, SOMETHING LIKE 75% OF 
WHITE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ARE 
PASSING STATE TESTS.
IN THE SAME DISTRICT, ABOUT 25% 
OF THE BLACK STUDENTS ARE 
PASSING STATE TESTS.
AND SO I THINK, AN INTERESTING 
EXAMPLE OF WHERE THIS IS MOST 
EXTREME.
>> MM-HMM.
MM-HMM.
THIS IS SPECIFIC TO PUBLIC 
SCHOOLS.
OR IS IT SOMETHING HAPPENING AS 
REGARDS TO CHARTER SCHOOLS AND 
THAT SORT OF STUFF AS WELL?
>> WELL, I MEAN, CHARTER SCHOOLS
ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND -- YOU KNOW, I THINK OFTEN 
TIMES PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW 
CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE MORE 
SEGREGATED THAN THE AVERAGE 
PUBLIC SCHOOL, WHICH IS TRUE.
BUT THAT'S BECAUSE CHARTER 
SCHOOLS TAKE ROOT IN 
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT TRADITIONALLY
HAVE HAD KIND OF LOW-QUALITY 
EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS.
THEY HAPPEN TO BE IN POORER 
NEIGHBORHOODS.
NEIGHBORHOODS WITH MORE FAMILIES
OF COLOR. ACTUALLY,
I TAUGHT IN WEST HARLEM AT A
CHARTER SCHOOL FOR THREE YEARS 
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT.
I DIDN'T TEACH ANY WHITE STUDENT
THERE IS, RIGHT?
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I 
UNDERSTAND WHY THAT SCHOOL CAME 
INTO EXISTENCE.
IT'S COMPLICATED.
>> ON THE GROUND, I MEAN, AS 
REGARDS TO THIS SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, FOLKS MUST KNOW THAT 
IT'S BROKEN, RIGHT?
AS REGARDS TO THE SEGREGATION 
THAT EXISTS IN THESE VARIOUS 
COMMUNITIES.
>> I THINK THE QUESTION WOULD 
BE, WHO IS IT BROKEN FOR?
I THINK THE SYSTEM WORKS REALLY,
REALLY WELL IF YOU'RE AFFLUENT.
AND IF YOU LIVE IN AN AFFLUENT 
NEIGHBORHOOD.
BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A HIGH 
DEGREE OF CHOICE THAT STUDENTS 
HAVE OVER WHERE THEY GET TO GO 
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, 
ESPECIALLY.
THERE ARE SOME REALLY 
OUTSTANDING PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS.
BUT THOSE OPTIONS ARE NOT REALLY
AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS OF 
COLOR AND POOR STUDENTS WHO LIVE
IN POOR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO --
UM -- I THINK WHEN YOU ASK IF
IT'S BROKEN, I DON'T KNOW THAT
WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS AS A CITY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYBODY 
BELIEVES THAT IT IS.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
IS ANYTHING BEING DONE IN LIGHT 
OF THAT, IS ANYTHING BEING DONE 
ON THE GOVERNMENTAL LEVEL TO 
PERHAPS TRY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE
AT ALL?
>> OF SEGREGATION IN PARTICULAR?
THERE HAS NOT BEEN TO MY 
KNOWLEDGE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 
PUT FORTH BY THE SCHOOL'S 
CHANCELLOR OR THE MAYOR.
THERE ARE GROUPS THAT WOULD LIKE
TO SEE ONE AND HAVE PRESSURED 
THEM TO DO THAT.
BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
THE MOST THAT -- WE HAVE HEARD, 
I THINK, IS THAT -- THE 
CHANCELLOR WOULD LIKE TO SEE 
WHAT SHE CALLED ORGANIC 
SOLUTIONS TO ARISE TO COMBAT 
THIS PROBLEM, WHICH, IN MY MIND,
IS STRANGE, BECAUSE THIS WAS 
NOT -- AROSE ORGANICALLY.
THIS WAS A SYSTEMATIC, YOU KNOW,
SEPARATION OF STUDENTS.
IF WE'RE GOING TO COMBAT THIS, 
IT HAS TO BE DONE AT A SYSTEM 
LEVEL.
BECAUSE IF YOU RELY ON 
INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS TO TRY TO 
SOLVE IT, THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL
MIGHT BECOME MORE DIVERSE OR 
INTEGRATED.
THE ONE NEXT TO IT BECOMES MORE 
SEGREGATED AS A RESULT.
I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A 
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PUT FORTH.
>> THERE'S NO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
AS YET.
WHAT THERE IS, WHAT WE KNOW OF, 
VARIOUS GRASSROOTS LEVEL 
EFFORTS TO DO -- ONE OF THEM 
IS -- WAS LAUNCHED RECENTLY BY A
NUMBER OF STUDENTS COMING OUT OF
THE BRONX.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
>> TALKING ABOUT TEENS TAKE 
CHARGE?
>> MM-HMM.
>> YEAH, THIS KIND OF HAPPENED.
THIS DID HAPPEN ORGANICALLY.
I WORK WITH A NUMBER OF HIGH 
SCHOOL STUDENTS BOTH THE 
STUDENTS THAT I TEACH AT MY HIGH
SCHOOL BUT ALSO THROUGH A 
NONPROFIT CALL SPONSORS FOR 
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S A COLLEGE PREP PROGRAM FOR 
UNDERPRIVILEGED STUDENTS IN THE 
CITY.
AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE INTERVIEWED
SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS FOR MY 
PODCAST, "THE BELL."
HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH
THEM ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
AT SOME POINT, WE DECIDED WE 
SHOULD SPREAD THE CONVERSATION 
AND GET IN FRONT OF A WIDER 
AUDIENCE.
THE STUDENTS TOOK TO THE IDEA.
AND, ABOUT A WEEK AGO IN THE 
BRONX, WE HAD OUR FIRST EVENT 
WITH A DOZEN HIGH SCHOOL 
STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE CITY.
WHO GOT ON STAGE AND DELIVERED 
TESTIMONY ABOUT THEIR 
EXPERIENCES.
THAT WAS THE KICKOFF EVENT FOR 
THIS GROUP THAT'S CALLED TEENS 
TAKE CHARGE.
THEY'RE AMPED UP.
WE'RE EAGER TO DO MORE EVENTS.
THERE'S A SUMMIT IN THE BROX 
LATER THIS WEEK THAT THEY'RE 
GOING PARTICIPATE IN.
WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT 
HAPPENS.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU 
MENTIONED IN YOUR PODCAST, "THE 
BELL," ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS 
THAT STRUCK ME IS YOU'RE ON A 
WALK WITH SOME OF YOUR STUDENTS.
THEY MENTION, THEY SAID, THE 
STUDENTS OVER THERE.
THAT OTHER -- ARE THE STUDENTS 
AWARE OF THAT SEGREGATION?
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS IN IF 
FRONT OF THEIR MINDS?
LISTEN, WE ARE APART FROM FOLKS 
WHO DON'T NECESSARILY LOOK LIKE 
US?
>> I THINK THAT'S EMBEDDED DEEP 
IN THEIR PSYCHES.
I THINK THEY'VE KNOWN THAT SINCE
THEY WERE BORN.
BUT, THE ISSUE IS, WE DON'T 
REALLY TALK ABOUT IT.
AND SO, THAT'S WHY WHEN I HEARD 
THAT COMMENT FROM THIS GIRL WHO 
I -- AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN GIRL 
WHO LOOKED ACROSS THE STREET AND
SAID, LOOK AT THOSE KIDS OF THE 
OTHER RACE, REFERRING TO WHITE 
KIDS, IT STRUCK ME IN THAT 
MOMENT THAT THIS IS THEIR 
REALITY BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING 
ABOUT IT.
AND WHY IS THAT?
THAT'S WHAT LED ME TO CREATE 
THIS PODCAST WHERE I TRY TO 
ELEVATE THOSE VOICES AND TURN IT
INTO A CONVERSATION, A LONG 
OVERDUE CONVERSATION.
>> AND TO "THE BELL," NOW.
WE WERE TALKING BEFORE HAND 
ABOUT HOW IT EMERGED.
FOR THE FOLKS WHO WERE NOT PRIVY
TO THAT, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
"THE BELL" AND WHAT IT IS AND
WHAT YOU'RE HOPING TO DO WITH 
IT.
>> "THE BELL" IS A MEDIA
PLATFORM THAT AMPLIES THE
VOICES OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
IN NEW YORK CITY.
IT WAS THE GOAL OF EMPOWERING 
THEM TO LEAD THE FIGHT FOR THEIR
FUTURES.
BECAUSE THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM 
EXISTS FOR THEM.
YET, THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A 
VOICE IN THE POLICIES THAT 
THEN DIRECTLY IMPACT THEM.
AND SO, WE'RE TRYING TO BE THAT 
CONDUIT BETWEEN THE STUDENTS WHO
ARE AFFECTED AND THE ADULTS WHO 
ARE THE ONES DESIGNING THE 
POLICIES.
>> CAN YOU GIVE US A QUICK 
OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE STUDENTS
THAT YOU'LL BE TALKING TO IN THE
FUTURE, AS WE CLOSE THE 
INTERVIEW?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE INTERESTING STORIES.
SOME STUDENTS FROM HARLEM THAT 
HAVE HAD SOME INTERESTING 
ENCOUNTERS WITH WHITE STUDENTS.
THEY GO TO A SCHOOL THAT IS 100%
NONWHITE.
ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY MADE A 
WHITE FRIEND PLAYING A VIDEO 
GAME WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER.
HE'S NEVER MET THE GIRL IN 
PERSON.
BUT AS SUSTAINED THIS ONLINE 
FRIENDSHIP OVER THE YEARS.
AND THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO LIKE 
HOW SEGREGATED THESE KIDS' LIVES
ARE.
AND THERE'S A STUDENT WHO IS 
PART OF THE TEENS TAKE CHARGE 
GROUP.
ALSO PART OF A GROUP CALLED 
INTEGRATE NYC FOR ME.
A STUDENT-LED GROUP THAT BEGAN 
IN THE BRONX.
THEY'RE MAKING IT THEIR MISSION 
TO INTEGRATE THE NEW YORK CITY 
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SHE'S QUITE AN ACTIVIST.
AND SO THAT WILL BE KIND OF THE 
CAP TO THE SEASON IS TO HEAR HER
STORY.
AND -- THE TYPES OF EFFORTS THAT
ARE TAKING PLACE TO CHANGE THIS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
TAYLOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR 
BEING IN STUDIO TODAY.
IT AMAZES ME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
THIS IN 2017.
THAT NEW YORK CITY'S SCHOOL 
SYSTEM IS -- SO -- SO SEPARATE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
ENJOYED IT.
>>> STILL TO COME ON THE SHOW.
CELEBRATING THE LOWER EAST 
SIDE'S IMMIGRANT HISTORY.
>>> THANKS FOR STAYING TUNED.
AN ESTIMATED 15,000 VISITORS ARE
EXPECTED TO DESCEND ON AVENUE C 
IN THE LOWER EAST SIDE ON
SUNDAY, MAY 28th, FOR THE 30th 
ANNUAL LOISAIDA FESTIVAL.
THE FESTIVAL IS BEING ORGANIZED 
BY LOISAIDA, INC.
A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT 
BEGAN AS A GRASS ROOTS EFFORT TO
COMBAT DRUGS AND GANG VIOLENCE 
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DURING THE 
1970s.
THE STREET FAIR IS ONLY ONE 
ASPECT OF THIS YEAR'S 
CELEBRATIONS THAT MARK MAY AS 
LOWER EAST SIDE HISTORY MONTH.
THERE WILL ALSO BE AN EXHIBIT OF
SEVERAL MURALS PAINTED OVER THE 
YEARS, CALLED "LA LUCHA 
CONTINUA: THE STRUGGLE 
CONTINUES: 1985 AND 2017."
I SPOKE WITH LOISAIDA INC.'S 
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR LIBERTAD 
GUERRA AND MURAL CURATOR JANE 
WEISSMAN, ABOUT THE HISTORY OF 
THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE 
FESTIVITIES.
LIBERTAD.
WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT AT THIS 
FESTIVAL?
>> THE FESTIVAL THIS YEAR IS A 
VERY SPECIAL ONE.
IT'S A 30th ANNIVERSARY OF THIS 
ANNUAL FESTIVAL HAPPENING.
IT'S BECOME A HISTORICAL EVENT.
WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT IS AN 
EXPERIENCE FROM MUSIC, ON THE 
MAIN STAGE.
A THEATER LAB AND THEN
THE STREET-LEVEL EXPERIENCE, 
WHICH ENCOMPASSES SO MANY 
KID-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES.
PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS.
ELEMENTS FROM THE NONPROFIT 
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA.
AND, YOU KNOW, VERY ENGAGING 
ELEMENTS FROM THE FRIENDS OF THE
HIGHLAND THAT PROVIDE 
WORKSHOPS FOR THE FAMILIES.
IT'S LIKE THREE EVENTS IN ONE, 
YOU COULD SAY.
>> THE WHOLE DAY?
>> IT'S FROM 11:00 TO 5:00.
MAIN STAGE SOUNDS STARTS AT 
12:00.
WE OPEN WITH A PARADE THAT IS 
MADE BY THE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A WHOLE MONTH THAT WE'RE
WORKING ON AT THE LOISAIDA 
CENTER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO 
BUILD PUPPETS AND A LOT OF
PARADEMAKING CHARACTERS.
THE KICKOFF PARADE OPENS AT 
11:00.
>> JANE, HOW DID MURALS BECOME 
SUCH AN ICONIC PART OF THE 
LOWER EAST SIDE'S CULTURE?
>> THEY FIRST APPEARED IN 1970.
SO THERE'S A VERY LONG 
TRADITION.
BY THE TIME THE LA LUCHA 
CONTINUA MURALS WERE PAINTED
IN 1985 IT WAS ALMOST THE END OF
COMMUNITY MURALS.
MURALS CONTINUED ALL OVER
THE CITY.
BUT FOR SOME REASON THOSE
COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN ARTISTS 
AND COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT HAD A 
MESSAGE THEY WANTED TO PROJECT 
SEEMED TO HAVE PETERED OUT THEN.
SO LA LUCHA CONTINUA, WHERE 
THE MURALS AND THE THEMES
ARE AS RELEVANT TODAY AS THEY
WERE IN 1985,
WERE THE CULMINATION OF 
MURAL-MAKING.
>> THE MURALS WILL BE PART OF 
THIS FESTIVAL?
PEOPLE WILL GET A CHANCE TO 
EXPERIENCE THEM?
>> WELL, YES, AND NO.
OF THE 26 MURALS THAT WERE 
PAINTED IN 1985, ONLY 2 EXIST.
>> OH.
>> AND RIGHT NOW, THERE IS AN 
EXHIBITION BEING HOSTED BY THE 
LOWER EAST SIDE CENTER THANKS TO
LIBERTAD CALLED LA LUCHA 
CONTINUA: THE STRUGGLE 
CONTINUES: 1985 AND 2017.
WE'LL SEE THROUGH 
PHOTOGRAPHS AND STATEMENTS
THAT IT'S STILL THE SAME ISSUES
ARE AFFECTING THE COMMUNITY.
MORE OVER, THE PUPPET PEOPLE 
HAVE CHOSEN TWO OF THE MURALS.
THEY HAVE TAKEN THE FIGURES 
FROM THEM AND ARE MAKING 
PUPPETS.
SO THE MURALS WILL BE MARCHING 
IN THE PARADE.
>> WE MAKE IT A POINT TO TREAT 
HISTORY AS LIVING HISTORY.
EVERY PART OF OUR PROGRAM, WE 
TRY TO BRING THEM TO THE PRESENT
IN HOW THEY'RE STILL RELEVANT.
AND YOU KNOW, THE FESTIVAL IS 
KIND OF THE PUBLIC PLATFORM OF 
MANY OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE 
HAVE HAD THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
AND THAT IS OUR INTERSECTION 
POINT.
THE OTHER ASPECT IN WHICH IT 
INTERSECTS IS THAT THE PLAZA 
WHICH STILL HOUSES TWO OF THE 
REMAINING MURALS OF THE 26, 
THAT'S WHERE WE HOST OUR THEATER
LAB.
IT WILL BE IN THE SAME EXACT 
PLACE.
PEOPLE WILL HAVE A NEW ADDED 
CONTEXT OF VALUING THESE RELICS 
THAT STILL REMAIN THERE.
>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE 
CHALLENGES, IF YOU WILL, STILL 
FACING THE LOWER EAST SIDE?
>> WELL, GENTRIFICATION WAS A 
MAJOR THEME IN 1985 AND IT'S 
A MAJOR THEME TODAY.
>> IT'S ACCELERATED MORE.
>> YES..
AS HAS POLICE BRUTALITY, MAYBE
NOT SO MUCH ON THE LOWER EAST 
SIDE BUT CERTAINLY ALL OVER 
THE CITY. AND THERE ARE 
PROBABLY COUNTLESS INCIDENTS 
THAT WE ARE UNAWARE OF.
WOMEN ARE AFFECTED BY FEMINIST 
ISSUES.
IT'S HARDER AND HARDER TO GET 
GOOD HEALTH CARE TO WOMEN OF 
LOWER ECONOMIC MEANS.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE CURRENT 
ADMINISTRATION.
IMMIGRATION IS AN ISSUE.
IN 1985, THE CONCERN WAS GETTING
INTO THIS COUNTRY.
TODAY, THE CONCERN IS BEING 
KICKED OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR NO
REASON. AND THEN
THERE WERE TWO INTERNATIONAL
CONCERNS. WHICH WERE OPPOSITION
TO U.S. INTERVENTIONS IN CENTRAL
AMERICA.
FILL IN THE BLANK FOR OTHER
COUNTRIES.
AND OPPOSITION TO APARTHEID IN 
SOUTH AFRICA.
AND FRANKLY, WE HAVE APARTHEID 
IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S JUST NOT OFFICIAL.
>> SO LIBERTAD, SAME QUESTION.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES 
FACING THE LOWER EAST SIDE 
RESIDENTS?
>> IT'S A VERY RESILIENT PLACE.
IT WAS THE FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD ON
THE FRONT LINES OF THE 
GENTRIFICATION WAVE IN THE EARLY
80s. THE LATINO COMMUNITY 
PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN THE 
ACTIVISM OF THE ERA.
EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE THINK THAT 
THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ALREADY 
BEEN GENTRIFIED, THERE'S A 
BIG FOOTPRINT OF THE WORKING 
CLASS, NOT ONLY LATINO, BUT
PEOPLE OF COLOR,
ASIANS, AND
THIS YEAR, OUR FESTIVAL, THE 
THEME IS THE 30th ANNIVERSARY IS
IMMIGRATION AND MIGRATION.
AS YOU KNOW, PUERTO RICO IS 
GOING THROUGH A SECOND WAVE OF 
MIGRATION DUE TO THE FISCAL 
CRISIS IN THE ISLAND.
WE AIM TO BE AT THE CENTER TO 
PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR ALL THE 
VOICES.
THE ARTISTS.
THE CONTRIBUTIONS THEY HAVE 
MADE TO THIS ICONIC NEIGHBORHOOD
WHICH IS RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE.
THE HISTORIES.
THE LEGACIES ARE NEVER GIVEN A 
PROPER PLATFORM.
THAT'S PART OF THE LEGACY.
FINDING THE DISABILITY.
FOR ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE
PEOPLE THAT STILL REMAIN.
THE FESTIVAL IS A WAY OF 
PRESENTING THAT IN THE PUBLIC 
DOMAIN.
>> CAN WORKING CLASS PEOPLE 
STILL AFFORD TO MOVE INTO THE 
NEIGHBORHOOD?
>> TO MOVE IN?
>> YES.
>> HOW WE SEE IT IS PART OF
OUR MISSION IS TO DEVELOP
THAT SENSE OF BELONGING 
BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE WHO 
WERE NOT DISPLACED,
CHOOSE TO LEAVE BECAUSE 
THEY DON'T FEEL THE FABRIC, THE 
NETWORK THAT THEY USED TO HAVE.
THOUGH MAYBE OBVIOUSLY THAT HAS 
TO DO WITH HOUSING AND POLICIES 
AT THE CITY LEVEL.
PART OF THE MISSION IS FOR THE 
PEOPLE THAT HAVE MANAGED TO 
REMAIN THERE IS A SOCIAL 
COHESION.
AN ELEMENT OF PRIDE OF WHAT WE 
HAVE BUILT HERE.
AT THE SAME TIME, HAVING NEW 
COMMERCE REALIZE THROUGH 
EXHIBITS, WHAT IS THE LEGACY OF 
THE PEOPLE THAT BUILT THIS 
PLACE?
AND HAVE IT BE LAYERED UPON 
THE NEWCOMERS, THERE'S THIS 
HISTORY.
NOW YOU CAN RECOGNIZE IT.
YOU KNOW.
>> SO, JANE, TELL US WHERE CAN 
WE SEE LA LUCHA AND HOW LONG 
WILL IT BE RUNNING?
>> IT'S RUNNING AT THE LOISAIDA 
CENTER, AT 710 EAST NINTH 
STREET, JUST EAST OF AVENUE C.
AND IT RUNS THROUGH JULY 
31st.
AND WHAT'S REALLY LOVELY IS THE 
VENUE WHERE ALL OF THE MURALS 
WERE SITUATED BACK IN 1985 IS 
JUST ACROSS THE AVENUE. SO
PEOPLE CAN COME AND LOOK AT THE 
EXHIBITION.
AND GO ACROSS THE STREET AND 
INTO THE GARDEN, WHICH IS OPEN 
TO THE PUBLIC. I THINK THE 
COMMUNITY GARDENS ON THE 
LOWER EAST SIDE
IS ONE WAY THAT THE SOCIAL 
FABRIC HAS REALLY BROUGHT PEOPLE
TOGETHER.
BOTH OLDER AND NEWER RESIDENTS.
>> COMPLETELY.
>> THIS IS AN OBVIOUS QUESTION.
BUT I'M GOING TO ASK IT ANYWAY.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MURALS?
>> OH, WELL, MURALS ARE A
VERY EPHEMERAL ART FORM.
WEATHER TAKES ITS TOLL.
WIND, SUN.
RAIN.
USUALLY A WALL CAN BE 
WHITEWASHED AND TARRED OVER 
BECAUSE OF A LEAK.
IF IT FACES AN EMPTY LOT, A 
BUILDING GOES UP.
SOMETIMES THE BUILDING THE MURAL
IS ON IS DEMOLISHED.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE OUT
OF TIME.
JANE WEISSMAN, LIBERTAD GUERRA, 
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE FESTIVAL WILL RUN ALONG 
AVENUE C BETWEEN 12th AND 6th 
STREET.
>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, HONORING 
THE FATHER OF CUBAN ANIMATION.
>>> FINALLY FROM US, THE FATHER 
OF CUBAN ANIMATION, JUAN PADRON 
HAS A CAREER THAT SPANS THE 
ENTIRE CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY 
PERIOD.
HIS WORK HAS INSPIRED AN ENTIRE 
GENERATION OF CUBAN ARTISTS.
HE WAS RECENTLY HONORED FOR HIS 
BODY OF WORK AT THE HAVANA FILM 
FESTIVAL.
JUDITH ESCALONA TELLS US MORE 
ABOUT PADRON AND HIS WORK.
>> CARTOONIST AND ANIMATOR JUAN 
PADRON IS THE PIONEER OF CUBAN 
ANIMATION
HAVING PRODUCED OVER 60 SHORTS 
AND FEATURE LENGTH MOVIES
INCLUDING VAMPIRES IN HAVANA.
THAT FILM TAKES PLACE IN THE 
1930s IN PREREVOLUTIONARY CUBA.
IT'S A FAST-PACED, SATIRICAL 
ADVENTURE THROUGH THE STREETS OF
OLD HAVANA AS RECONSTRUCTED 
FROM OLD PHOTOGRAPHS, 
POSTERS AND COMICS.
>> IT WAS CUBA'S FIRST FULL 
LENGTH FEATURE ANIMATION.
AND RECEIVED WORLD ACCLAIM WHEN 
IT WAS RELEASED IN 1985.
>> HE LATER CREATED A SEQUEL TO 
VAMPIRES IN HAVANA.
IN 2003, "MORE VAMPIRES IN 
HAVANA" WAS RELEASED. RECENTLY,
THE 2017 HAVANA FILM FESTIVAL IN
NEW YORK HONORED PADRON WITH A 
SCREENING OF BOTH FILMS AND AN
EXHIBITION IN LOWER MANHATTAN.
PADRON WAS BORN IN CUBA IN 1947.
HE BEGAN PROVIDING SKETCHES AND 
CARTOONS FOR CUBAN MAGAZINES AND
NEWSPAPERS AT 16.
WHEN HE WAS 27, HE MOVED FROM 
PRINT TO FILM IN A CAREER THAT 
SPANS THE ENTIRE CUBAN 
REVOLUTION INTO THE PRESENT.
>> EL PIDIO VALDES IS A
MAMBISE SOLDIER.
THE MAMBISES WERE THE CUBAN
INDEPENDENT SOLDIERS WHO 
FOUGHT AGAINST SPANISH 
COLONIAL RULE.
PADRON DID EXTENSIVE RESEARCH 
AS HE PREPARED THE CHARACTER'S 
DESIGN AND STORY.
>> HE CREATED ANIMATED SHORTS 
BASED ON ORIGINAL JOKES HE AND 
HIS COLLEAGUES CREATED.
MANY WERE A MINUTE OR LESS IN 
LENGTH.
THEY ATTRACTED HUMORISTS FROM 
THE CUBAN AND EVENTUALLY THE 
FOREIGN PRESS WHO
WANTED TO CREATE JOKES.
A RENOWNED CARTOONIST JOINED 
PADRON AND CREATED A SERIES.
AN OUTSPOKEN LITTLE GIRL WHO 
EXPOSED SOCIAL AND POLITICAL 
ISSUES. MALFADA
WAS POPULAR THROUGHOUT 
LATIN AMERICA AND SPAIN.
>> AT 70, PADRON HAS NO 
INTENTION OF SLOWING DOWN.
HE'S CURRENTLY DEVELOPING A 
PREQUEL TO "VAMPIRES IN HAVANA" 
THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE 
HAVANA OF THE 1920s.
AS FOR HIS PLACE AMONG 
ANIMATORS IN CUBA AND WORLDWIDE?
>> THAT'S FOR THE CRITICS TO 
DECIDE.
JUDITH ESCALONA.
"INDEPENDENT SOURCES."
>>> THAT'S OUR SHOW THIS WEEK.
THANKS FOR STAYING TUNED.
TILL NEXT TIME, BE INDEPENDENT 
MINDED.
♪ [THEME MUSIC] ♪
