Dinosaur Hill: Building Blocks, TuTus, Puzzles, Rubber Duckys, Trucks & Staten Island Ferry

(Gift ideas for infants/young children) For over 27 years, Dinosaur Hill has been selling handmade wonderments, toys, clothes and gifts in NYC’s East Village. This is a visual walk through the East Village store with owner Pamela Pier. Items that are highlighted include: Building Blocks, Umbrellas, Tutus, Reading, Make-A-Plate, Tub Toys, Trucks & The Staten Island Ferry.

Queens Library Rally(6.03.10): The Kids Have Something To Say

I heard kids chanting “Save Our Library”. I live across the street. I grabbed my camera….. Faced with the prospect of closing 14 local branches, reducing hours at an additional 34 locations and laying off as many as 400 employees, Queens Library officials, Kids and parents gathered at the Woodhaven location and rallied Tuesday. This story is from the angle of the kids and their guitar teacher, Ken. The kids have created a new movie as well.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95pxcJ5g7bA

Hakim Green: Young Genious, Hip-Hop Education, Newark Entrepreneurship & LIFE

 Say hello to East-Orange,NJ born Hakim Green. Entrepreneur, A former School Teacher, Member of Channel Live and now Executive Director of The FOR LIFE INITIATIVE . I spent the day with Hakim in Newark witnessing his passion to stem gang violence. (FLI) is a non-profit organization committed to advocacy, awareness and education. FLI’s vision is to advance a national series of sociopolitical movements to reduce increasing incidents of youth gang and gun violence. Our efforts through “The Initiative” are to motivate and mobilize indigenous communities to take a proactive approach to reducing homicides, serious injuries and other negative consequences of gun violence occurring in neighborhoods throughout America. FLI’s mission is to advance a national series of sociopolitical movements to reduce increasing incidents of youth gang and gun violence.

Barbara Dick: Bronx, NYC Language Center, Xenophobia & Teaching Methods

Born in the Bronx, Barbara Dick is the founder and executive director of the New York Language Center. 26 years, 5 locations and a mountain of immigrant challenges later, I met Barbra at the her headquarters in Jamaica, Queens. Our conversation covered: Her Bronx pride; Immigrants daily life challenges from xenophobia to attending parent-teacher meetings; meet the staff; discuss their curriculum philosophy; a need for qualified teachers; hear a story from a student/intern; and insight from Barbara after 26 years.http://www.nylanguagecenter.com/

The DETROIT SOIL: “Motown to Grotown”

A conversation with my mom’s friend, Pat, filmed in my mom’s hospital room during the last days of her life. This was “the conversation” when I knew I wanted to share stories from my hometown of Detroit, my current home NYC and other cities and countries across the globe i have visited or lived. Solutions through filmed, edited & shared conversations. 2 months after this filmed conversation, I launched http://mysmallstory.wordpress.com. Thank you for your eyeballs. Pat is a longtime family friend and a certified urban farmer with a goal of converting the 100,000 vacant lots (homes) in Detroit to “urban farms”…”Motown to Grotown”.