Style, Community, and Expression In New York City’s Ruins ??

Below is a piece from Down to Earth, my weekly Health, Happiness, and Community newsletter. Be sure to Subscribe and check out the full archive here! ??

Welcome to Down to Earth ??

I hope y’all enjoyed the Power Five. It was a big risk to write about specific health concepts for five weeks, but I’m glad it worked out favorably.

It was a pleasure to write it, and working with GEM was awesome. The most gratifying aspects, however, came from you. I got multiple messages from readers about how the newsletters helped shape their diets and habits.

A few people shared kind words about the series in person.

Helping loved ones and loved ones-to-be is what I do this for, really. Your support emboldens me to continue this process and reach new heights.

I must share my thanks for this.?

Today, we’re getting back into themes of community, expression and self-determination. We’ve spent the last five weeks learning about crucial elements of health, and now it’s time to build on that foundation.

The first piece is one I wrote about how Hip-Hop and graffiti unified the broken youth of New York during the 1970s and ‘80s captured in the film Style Wars. This subject is near and dear to my heart as a New York City native, and I believe there is much we can take away from it as we assemble the future.

I hope you enjoy reading!

Style, Community, and Expression In New York City’s Ruins ??

A murky New York City subway car rumbles through echoing tunnels, shrouded in darkness. As it approaches, a shoddy streetlamp exposes a vibrant scrawl of graffiti, covering nearly inch of the subway car’s flank.

This is the opening scene of Style Wars . The 1983 film covers Hip-Hop, B-boying, and graffiti culture during New York City’s golden age of youthful creativity.

“Skeme” with his namesake bombing

I teamed up with Epicenter NYC and the Bronx Music Heritage Center to present a special screening of the film, sharing a conversation with Style Wars’ producer Henry Chalfant.?

“There have been countless screenings of this film over the years, but nothing compares to the heart of it all, here in the Bronx,” Chalfant said. “It all started right here.”?

The event series was split into two parts, the first being held at nearby Fannie Lou Hamer High School. Students were introduced to an important part of their history as Bronxites, reliving real moments that took place right in their neighborhood.?

Students were put into the shoes of the film’s subjects. Why is it so important for young people to honor this fragile piece of history?

What can they do to keep it alive??

The students of Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School

As one student put it, “Who ends up being valued as an artist is often subjective. Yet when art is created by Black people, it seems like it doesn’t get revered in the same way.”

The predominant culture of New York City is historically produced by Black and Brown youth. That’s why it’s so important to safeguard and enhance what we have left.

Events like this cultivate a community centered around these elements, and readers like you have the option to join in.

Part two of the event was held at the Bronx Music Heritage Center (BMHC), just south of the Cross Bronx Expressway in Morrisania.?

“You wouldn’t believe how many artists come from this neighborhood right here,” an organizer proudly boasts. Hint: there are a TON of artists from the Bronx.

There was an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and excitement as New Yorkers poured into the screening room, reminiscent of movie days in grade school.

“I never usually leave Manhattan, but this broke me out of my routine,” says Jimmy Meyers.?“You don’t usually see events like this about the culture.”?

As the film’s dialogue emanated from the speakers, audience members faithfully recited their favorite lines.

“THERE IT IS! THEREIT IS!” Shouted a trio from behind. “WARS! BLOODY WARS!”

As familiar faces popped on screen, several of those in attendance grinned and reminisced on the old days, with old friends.

“This will be my fourth or fifth time seeing the film,” Jefferson, a Bronx native proudly shared. “I once knew many of these kids.”?

Classic ‘80s tunes soundtracked the vintage New York City landscapes. People of all ages bopped their heads and mouthed the words to Pump Me Up by Trouble Funk.

The entire room seemed to sway with the feeling.?

“There’s nothing realer than real life,” a moviegoer mentioned with a chuckle.

“Who needs actors when you’ve got real people?” responds producer Chalfant.?

Villains like Mayor Ed Koch, MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch, and Detective Bernard Jacobs faced decisive jeers and boos.

The teenage graffiti artists of Style Wars had nothing to their name, having to persevere through various trials and obstacles just to make a name for themselves.

In a very deliberate way, the City of New York and its law enforcement aimed to erase their work, and thus, their identities. In a time where Black and Brown communities and their art are under siege, this feels eerily relevant.

“It’s the only way they could see their name in bright lights, just like the billboards around the city,” Meyers. says.

The comfortable, close-knit community viewing of the film felt like something of a sacred ritual. Like a passing of the torch, (or spray paint can) to the next generation of Bronx creatives, just like the kids of Style Wars.

Art and creative expression are vital for affirming the identities of minorities —people born in a strange, foreign land, often with no ties to their homeland or heritage.

Initiatives like Epicenter strive to bolster the foundations of these communities, fostering creativity and preserving the cultural remains of New York City.

It's also up to people like us.

When we actively connect with our heritage and nurture the artistic talents of young people, we’re ensuring that there will be a lasting legacy for the future.?

A future where kids can express themselves to gain the recognition they deserve, without needing to plead with the world to acknowledge their names.

Smart or Wise? ??

If you could be known for being either “smart” or “wise,” which would you choose?

The difference might seem subtle, but it’s important – and it matters now more than ever for your job security and career trajectory. Put simply, smarts get you a right answer. Wisdom gets you the best answer. Of course, wisdom requires smarts. But moving from smart to wise is the difference between having good information or answers, and knowing what to do with them (how and when to apply them).

The less time and effort you need to spend getting reliable, relevant, and actionable information you need in front of you, the more time and effort you can spend on the latter – and the farther you can go. Being smart focuses on the right answer or information as the finish line. Being wise sees those answers or information as?the starting line. Wisdom provides the opportunity for the journey to continue in earnest and confidence.

An expression I’m enjoying ??

Lately, with various ups and downs, I’ve found myself in many a felix culpa, using challenging situations to my benefit, and welcoming the blessings that come gift-wrapped in every scenario that comes my way.

I believe that everything will work out for me, no matter how far I fall. The key word here is believe. Without that, I can only see my downs as downs, making that my default state of living. I’ve been there before, and it’s miserable.

The choice of emotional response is yours. Which will be yours?

When you see everything as negative or predatory, you become the victim. Life then becomes not a challenge, but a threat, positioning every move to be a reactionary one. It’s a prey mentality, and we tryna be Kings of the Jungle out here.

Thank you for reading Down To Earth ??

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