This week has been focused on getting our ideas down on paper in the form of asks and save the date post cards. By using the Sparrows point save the date as a reference I was able to compose a paragraph to go onto our save the date.  I really like the way this class works together collaboratively, this was displayed when the class worked together to tighten up my paragraph for the save the date and worked together to decide on layouts we preferred.  I have begun to spread the word on our event to my family and friends and am ready to begin selling Garden Gala tickets and Filbert Street Garden T-Shirts.  I have a very large family and I am hoping to have them help support this event.

I feel I have had so many exciting opportunities in the last two weeks. My first was the opportunity to lead an interview with a former Bethlehem Steel employee. Although I was nervous I was able to ask questions that were open ended and allowed for him to tell his story.  When I had completed my part of the interview I switched spots with Michelle Stefano. This was a truly valuable opportunity to observe her techniques for interviewing.

 After the interview me and my other classmates from my Ethnography in America Class set off on mission two, dinner collaboration with Marc Steiner. This was to begin to gather ideas on how to collaborate between classes began discussions about the deindustrialization of both Bay Brook and Sparrows Point and how this has and is affecting the communities.  Providing a platform for discussion of how they would like to see the future of their communities that are being reshaped as the industries leave. One suggestion that I discussed with the group was to provide opportunity for high school students in both areas to have a voice on the radio show. This would provide a platform for what they see is their future, as they become adults in an area that is changing rapidly as deindustrialization occurs in their neighborhoods.

The third great experience I had was the opportunity to assist Kurtis with an interview of Mary Rosso and her friend Lola. Mary Rosso who at on time was a resident of Curtis Bay and has become what she states as, “An accidental environmentalist.” Mary and Lola shared many of their battles to advocate for environmental justice. These women were truly inspiring as they were not afraid to stand up for justice. They of course did not claim to do it by themselves as they share many names of people and groups who they would work with, as there is power in numbers. Some of the groups they worked with were Greenpeace and Clearwater Action. One of my favorite stories that she shared was when she introduced President Clinton and took a picture with Al Gore. What amazing lives these two women have lead and I am so thankful they allowed use to interview them so their stories can be shared with future generations.

Trying to wear multiple hats has become a bit overwhelming.  So I feel the need to share how different elements of this project are coming. After receiving my first attempt at producing a research history of Masonville cove I was relived when it was suggested to split my research into the different points the Educational Center and cove and do a second write up on the area of the Dredged Materials Containment Facility. This provided me a more focused approach to allow for a more detail history of each.  I was proud of myself for finally figuring out how to navigate the Sanborn Maps on the database available thought he Pratt Library. One challenged I faced was that Masonville was once Anne Arundel County and sanborn maps of Anne Arundel County are all on Annapolis and surrounding areas.

 

I would like to take next about the event planning committee. I have expanded on the children’s plant a seed and take it home to grow.  I would like to use the seeds for a milkweed plant. I have contacted a professor in the early childhood education department who is very passionate about children having access to outdoor space that also I very interested in planting the milkweed plants to help the monarch butterfly. I would like to have a card attached to the cup giving and explanation of how planting milkweed plants are helpful to the Monarch butterfly.  I also had a thought that the kid’s area could have kid songs for like 15 to 30 minutes in between bands possibly after the first band. Not on the main stage area this would be small over near the children’s area. I would be willing to volunteer for this I could incorporate some garden songs and the song This Land is Your Land.

The pressure of raising money for the Filbert Street Garden can become overwhelming and often I have found my self-focusing on the dollar amount.  After having the opportunity to hear 
Marc Steiner talk. His words were powerful and they sort-of refocused me. As I am preparing to interview and collect oral histories I feel his advice for really listening and be in that moment are something we often forget in the fast pace world of work and school. He reiterated what I have been learning in my AMST-403 class as we have been discussing about not bringing your preconceived biases to the interview. This will allow you as the interviewer to as Marc Steiner said turn it off and really listen to what people have to say. He continued to give great advise for interviewing to plan well but when the interview begins set it aside and let it be like improv. The part that I will take with me most, as I feel overwhelmed is make a commitment and keep it leaving a reputation of trust. After hearing his passion for community I am very excited to have the opportunity to get to work with him on his radio show that will focus on the areas of Baybrook and Sparrows point and the deindustrialization of these areas and how it has and continues to shape the lives of those living here.

 This week has been tough!  Although I put many hours into my research of Masonvillle Cove, I was never satisfied with my results. I feel that it was hard for me to show the history of the cove itself including the claw, the head and the shipyard. For this I plan to return to the Pratt Street library to access some vertical files that may be helpful to me now that I have some names and dates to reference. Especially to companies and people that use the land that is now the Dredged Materials Containment Facility. I found this photograph that displays how much this area has changed over time.

Soft Sites:Masonville was a blog that I found helpful as a jumping point for my research. This blog provided lots of photographs of the Masonville cove.

I am part of the event planning committee. We had our first time brainstorming together last Thursday. With two of our committee members representing our class at another activity I felt it was harder to began. As a group we just started plowing through the list of topics to begin organizing our thoughts and ideas. One of are big questions hanging over our head was, “What does the 2640 look like?” Cody and Conor were already signed up to visit the space with the class on Sunday and offered to take pictures to help with the event planning. One of our goals that we feel very passionate about is connecting the garden to as many aspects of the garden as possible. For the topics that needed handling we divided each sub area up to provide focus and direction for each person to began with. These may switch around but it does provide a focus to begin getting ideas and things done. I was happy to begin focusing on the children’s events, as this is my strongest skill. When the class decided on a time 3-8, I new how important the children’s activates well be. One idea was to have the children have a plant a seed type of make it and take it. I typed up all of the great ideas we had discussed and forwarded them on to the group and displaying how we have already started working as a team Rita used this to create a Google doc. that we can all work on together.