Sweat dripped down the back of my neck as I sat in the outdoor seating area of the local Bushwick diner. Alonzo and I were meeting with a filmmaker who wanted our help producing a series called “Jus’ Brooklyn.” It was a hot summer day, and I could feel the sun beating down on me, causing me to squint my eyes against its harsh glare. As I listened to the filmmaker’s pitch, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease creeping over me. Here we were, two Brooklyn-born and bred guys, sitting in a gentrified area of our neighborhood, being asked to produce a series about Brooklyn by someone who had only lived here for a couple of years. It all seemed so daunting, so disingenuous. The diner was crowded, and the chatter of the other diners blended together into a dull hum in the background. The smell of bacon filled my nostrils, and I watched as Alonzo’s plate arrived at the table, piled high with slabs of straight fat. It was a sign, a symbol of the gentrification that was slowly but surely taking over our neighborhood. I struggled to focus on the filmmaker’s words as I sipped my beer, feeling increasingly disconnected from the world around me. It was hard to reconcile the Brooklyn I knew, the one that was gritty and raw and full of life, with the version that this filmmaker was trying to sell us. Alonzo, always the optimist, seemed to be on board with the idea. But for me, the whole thing felt wrong. It felt like we were selling out, like we were being complicit in the gentrification that was changing our neighborhood beyond recognition.
Similar Posts
Second Week Wrapped
Week two of “Good Morning Bushwick” had come to a close, and despite the hurdles life had thrown at us, Alonzo and I managed to keep the show afloat. Brenna and I found ourselves spending more time together, the bond between us gradually healing. Our hope for the show’s future…
Back On The Horse
The days began to blur together as Alonzo and I poured our hearts and souls into “Good Morning Bushwick.” The high-quality morning show had become our primary focus, and it made sense to scale back on the B&RS episodes we’d been recording in the other studio space. As the show…
My Brother Told Me
Those nights were all too familiar, my brother and I sitting on the porch, a couple of cold beers on the table between us. The air would be thick with the lingering scent of barbecue, while the sounds of laughter from our friends and family filled the darkness. We would…
What Came With Clarity
I laid there, still in the embrace of the sheets, staring blankly at the pale wall before me. The patterns of light danced in and out of existence, playing tricks on my vision as I blinked away the last remnants of sleep. My thoughts, gradually shifting into focus, were consumed…
Graduating Class
Things are changing quickly. Internally, I’m just in a different space. I find my body is healing from the decades of abuse I’ve put it through, and I can feel my spirit being cleansed in ways I have never felt before. My boundaries have kept me safe from the world…
A Dark Cloud Above Me
By week 3 of “Good Morning Bushwick”, I felt like I was falling apart. The same clothes I wore on camera, day in and day out, only reinforced the reality of my financial struggles. No matter how hard I tried to keep it at bay, my poverty was always lurking…