“Hip-Hop Biology is a class created to keep students engaged in STEM while embracing their love for hip-hop,” said Parker, an instructor at Fordham, who started using hip-hop as a teaching tool in his Fordham college-level biology classes in 2018.
One technique that Parker uses to engage his students is battle rap. Students come up with raps about course material and then compete against each other. To win a battle, Parker said, “One must have a semi-complex rhythmic flow, interesting content, and understand the culture of the audience they will be performing. Most importantly, the battle must be something the audience can react to and truly feel, even if it’s a personal story or a social issue.”
Students learn more than biology from battle rap, said Parker. Competing directly against another individual encourages students to perform better than they would if they were performing independently. The student becomes better at communicating, performing, and interacting with an audience. They also learn self-control by not reacting if someone insults them in front of others. Another critical piece is the mental health aspect, he said. Artists can discuss trauma in their lives and bring personal experience to their rap.
The class is a perfect fit for STEP, Parker said, because it gets young people excited about college. STEP is a New York state academic enrichment program designed to prepare underrepresented minority and economically disadvantaged junior high and high school students for college and careers in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, health careers, and licensed professions, like accounting, law, psychology, social work among other licensed fields. Fordham’s STEP program normally takes place at the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses, with some activities also taking place at local school and partner sites. The program continued throughout the pandemic when students attended virtually.
Camila Diaz Rodriguez, a student from Cathedral High School in Manhattan, called the Hip-Hop Biology course “a different experience.”
“Writing about STEM, It does help us bring together ideas and speak about topics that usually people don’t pay mind to, for example, our [rap]was on global warming,” she said.
Parker invited guest speakers to the course, like Papoose, a prolific rapper known for spreading knowledge through his rhymes. In a Q&A, the middle school and high school STEP students were able to ask Papoose advice on how to memorize rhymes and discuss STEM.
“You’ve got to know how to count your bars. You got 16 bars. Sometimes you want to say so much. And that’s the challenge for artists. How can you break it down and summarize it into 16 bars or sometimes eight bars?” He said, ” That can make you a better rapper because now, when you’re creating your rap, you’re calculating what you’re saying,” he told the students.
Parker said using hip-hop makes students feel like they are a part of something familiar. “We want this to be a space where people feel welcome, for them to be a part of it and want to be a part of it. Sometimes in these spaces, you don’t always see individuals who look or sound like you, and so if we can at least have our own sound from our own voice and sometimes bring our own people into this space, maybe we’ll feel a little more comfortable.”
]]>This week, the sighting of the crescent moon will mark the holiest month in the Muslim calendar, and Ramadan will commence. Muslims believe that the scripture was revealed to the prophet Mohammed during Ramadan; the annual observance of the holiday is one of the five pillars of Islam. During this month, Muslims fast from food, drink, smoking, and sex between the hours of dawn and dusk, and they aim to abstain from gossip, arguments, and lying. Ramadan is also a time where Muslims focus on charity and donating their time and money in service of others.
While the basic customs and traditions of the holiday remain the same this year, COVID-19 restrictions will prevent Alsiadi and other Muslims from sharing those traditions with loved ones.
“I am psychologically preparing to spend Ramadan at home,” said Alsiadi, recalling that even during the Islamist uprising in Syria from 1979 to 1982, he was still able to visit the mosque. “Those were difficult times, but even with daily shootings, we were still able to go to the mosque and pray. We had comfort in being able to sit together, to read the Quran together among our elders.”
Now, mosques and other places of worship around the world have closed. “The mosques cry when there are no worshippers,” says Alsiadi. “The impact is not just on us as individuals, but it’s also on the house of God.”
But, he said, Muslims can still find solace in the symbolic togetherness of being called to prayer at the same time and facing Mecca when they pray separately in their homes.
Students and parents face particular challenges during Ramadan, not just this year but every year, said Zein Murib, Ph.D., assistant professor of Political Science.
“Ramadan often falls during the school year. Last year, Ramadan took place during finals, and I heard from many students who felt that they were alone in negotiating fasting and prayer alongside the rigors of late-night study sessions and back-to-back exams,” said Murib. “This year will be no different, and I wonder how finals and the compounded circumstances of COVID-19 and New York’s pause will impact Fordham’s Muslim students.”
Alsiadi said that though this is an unprecedented and challenging time, we all have to do our part to keep each other safe. This includes being careful about our words.
“Islam is peace. If we launch a war against a virus, then that lends itself to discriminating against people who are sick,” he said. “We have to be careful of that.”
Despite all of the disruptions this year, Ramadan remains a time “that we do things from our hearts,” said Alsiadi. “We have to be patient. Ramadan is an opportunity for Muslims to get an infinite amount of hasanats (credit for good deeds) by cleansing their soul by helping around. We must share what we have. If you have enough, share with those who have nothing.”
Tumultuous times can offer an opportunity to deepen one’s spiritual practice. This has been a focus for Muhammad Faruque, Ph.D., George Ames Endowed Postdoctoral Fellow at Fordham, who is spending Ramadan away from his family this year.
“One should meditate on the question of fasting, ponder the inner significance of an ascetic practice— what it does to the body and the soul, and how it can make oneself a better, compassionate human being.” Faruque said. “For me, this Ramadan will be an opportunity to retreat into the inner sanctum of the self and explore the possibilities of inner happiness.”
]]>Sunday Morning Special Contributor Ted Koppel asked Father McShane, “What do you think are the most important elements of leadership?”
“That’s a tough question,” he replied. “I think you have to begin with self-knowledge. Number two, you have to know what your priorities are. Number three, you have to be wise enough to ask for advice. And four, you have to be humble enough to accept it.
“And if you are able to do those, you’ll be a leader. A good leader? Maybe. A great leader? Possibly.”
Click here to watch the full clip on CBS News Sunday Morning.
]]>“ … common approaches to managing rats often fail to address the most important factor contributing to infestations: humans and the prolific quantities of food that they waste. The more research we do on rats in New York City and worldwide, the more we realize that rat behaviors contribute less to infestations than do humans,” the pair wrote in the piece, which was picked up by several media outlets across the country, including in the Washington Post.
Munshi-South and Parson’s work links managing food-waste in cities to controlling the rat population. Rats adapt to human food sources and reproduce accordingly. Thus, the less food there is available, the less a rat will reproduce.
As they explain in the piece, this food-focused approach involves changing deeply ingrained habits of city dwellers who often don’t think about the food-waste they produce. Munshi-South and Parsons recommend starting with giving people incentives to create effective and socially progressive strategies to create a sanitary environment.
Click here to read the full piece in The Conversation.
]]>Today contributor Donna Farizan spoke to college students about how they boost their well-being and find happiness. One student noted that serving others made them the happiest. “I think that when you take time to give back to our community, to give back to our loved ones, that’s the most rewarding experience.”
Father Marcotte then joined Today’s Hoda Kotb and Willie Geist to talk about how we can all be our best selves.”We need to cultivate skills to live a happy life,” he said. “How do we do that? Keep a calm mind, a positive outlook, build resilience, and be generous.”
Watch the full clip here.
]]>Download ‘Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates 2018-2020’
Biological Anthropologist Reiko Matsuda Goodwin contributes to New List of World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates
Bronx, New York, Oct. 9 – The Tapanuli orangutan, the indri, and the white-thighed colobus are listed among the World’s 25 Most Endangered primates. The list includes seven species from Africa, five from Madagascar, seven from Asia and six from the Neotropics. Twelve of the species in the 2018-2020 report were not in the previous report, with eight of those appearing on the list for the first time.
The biennial Primates in Peril report is a collaborative effort of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, the International Primatological Society, Global Wildlife Conservation and the Bristol Zoological Society.
Reiko Matsuda Goodwin, a faculty member at Fordham University, whose areas of expertise include primate behavioral ecology and conservation, contributed significant research about the population size of the white-thighed colobus to the report. The white-thighed colobus is distinguished by the silvery-white thighs and a white ruff around its face.
For more information on Goodwin’s work see Anthropology Professor Tracks Critically Endangered Monkeys in Africa.
Fordham University
Fordham University offers exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition across nine schools. Fordham awards baccalaureate, graduate, and professional degrees to approximately 15,000 students.
Global Wildlife Conservation
GWC conserves the diversity of life on Earth by safeguarding wildlands, protecting wildlife and supporting guardians. We maximize our impact through scientific research, biodiversity exploration, habitat conservation, protected area management, wildlife crime prevention, endangered species recovery, and conservation leadership cultivation. Learn more at https://globalwildlife.org
Bristol Zoological Society
Bristol Zoological Society is a conservation and education charity that runs and operates Bristol Zoo Gardens and its sister attraction, Wild Place Project. Its vision is a sustainable future for wildlife and people and its mission is to conserve wildlife through conservation action and engaging people with the natural world. It does this by managing sustainable animal and plant populations, conserving wild populations, carrying out conservation research both in captivity and in the wild, integrated learning, communication and through its partnerships and community involvement.
International Union for Conservation of Nature
IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organizations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,300 Member organizations and the input of more than 15,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
Contact
Ayesha Akhtar
347-340-8584
]]>Oluo aimed to provoke and address difficult questions as she discussed the topic of her first book, So You Want to Talk About Race (Seal Press, January 2018), with Ashley C. Ford, the moderator of the event and author of the upcoming memoir Somebody’s Daughter.
In Keating Hall’s auditorium, the pair candidly described their experiences growing up as black women in America. Ford said she went to a high school in Indiana where 80% of the students were black, yet most of her teachers were white.
This paved the way for Oluo to share the way she navigates the education system as a mother.
“What I try to get teachers to understand is that when you think you are not talking about race, you’re talking about race. Often teachers don’t realize when they are teaching white history, white language, white science 90% of the time.”
Oluo encouraged parents to show up and speak up on behalf of their children. When pressed by an audience member on what teachers can do to help students from low-income or minority backgrounds, Oluo said the best thing is to try to find resources for their parents. Doing things like translating the paperwork that gets sent home can make a big difference.
Under Ford’s guidance, the evening’s tone varied from serious to light. When Ford asked whether social media is a good place for tough conversations, Oluo said with a laugh, “You should stop fighting with your family members on Facebook.” After a pause, she added, “Don’t get me wrong, social media is horrific, but I wouldn’t exist without social media. It is the biggest tool for marginalized voices to be heard.”
The audience leaned in when Oluo talked about the many different kinds of people who were impacted by her book. She described a black woman she met at a book signing in the Bay Area.
“She was dressed in a suit, she had obviously just come from work. She said, ‘I never knew that the things that happened to me were something that could be written in a book. I’m 56 and I’m now just figuring things out. I’m going to give this book to my daughter who is 32 so she doesn’t have to wait as long as I did.’”
Ford, who was named to Forbes magazine’s list of 30 Under 30 in Media in 2017, confessed that she was obsessed with Oluo’s YouTube channel Lessons in Shades, where Oluo talks about difficult topics while applying make-up. “There’s something about this reveling in this creative process, especially for a black woman,” Ford said. “It’s a little more serious than people take it at first. I have been watching you do your face and your eyes. It’s very beautiful and empowering.”
Oluo smiled and said, “I do it because it’s creative and it’s a celebration of myself.”
This event was sponsored by Fordham’s Office of the Chief Diversity Officer.
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Consumers Rate Auto Manufacturers as the Most Socially Innovative Brands, but Social Innovators Also Include Service Providers like Navy Federal Credit Union, Aflac, and Chick-fil-A
New York, New York, Sept. 4– Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, along with the Norwegian School of Economics, and market research firm Rockbridge Associates, Inc., announced the top social innovators from the American Innovation Index
(Aii), the only survey in the US measuring company social innovativeness based on customers’ experiences. To date, the Aii is the only large scale, scientifically vetted measure of social innovation in the U.S. that is based on customer ratings.
Auto Companies claim most of the top spots, with Honda, Toyota, Ford and General Motors ranking #1, #2, #4 and #6 respectively out of 174 companies covered in the study. Service companies rounded out the list of top social innovators. The nation’s largest credit union, Navy Federal, ranked #5, insurer Aflac ranked #7, and Chick-fil-A ranked #8. Customers feel these companies offer products and services that benefit the social good, innovate to benefit society and the environment, and make social innovation a priority. The tech sector is not the most socially innovative, according to this study, but two tech firms made the top 20: #17 Google and #18 Apple.
The top 20 Social Innovation Index leaders will receive awards at the 2nd annual American Innovation Conference on October 3 at Fordham University, and include: Honda, Toyota, John Deere, Ford, Navy Federal Credit Union, GM, Aflac, Chick-fil-A, Trader Joe’s, GE, USAA, Stanley Black and Decker, Weber, Ikea, Nissan, Hyundai, Google, Apple, Whirlpool, and LG.
“Companies that are viewed as socially innovative by their customers achieve unique advantages in loyalty and word of mouth that ultimately contribute to long-term marketplace success,” said Lerzan Aksoy, Ph.D., Professor of Marketing at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. “Because the Social Innovation Index is based on customer perceptions, it has a high level of objectivity and market validity that complements approaches that look at internal metrics to evaluate companies.”
According to Gina Woodall, President of Rockbridge, “Companies not only need to be innovative in the eyes of their customers but should be viewed as socially innovative. That is the difference between a transformative brand that is viewed as helping society and one that causes more social disruption than good.”
About the American Innovation Index:
The Aii scores and ranks the customer-perceived innovativeness and social innovativeness of U.S. companies based on their customers’ experiences. The 2nd annual study was conducted in May 2019, and covers 174 firms from 21 industries, such as airlines, hotels, car rental companies, banks, TV and Internet service providers, wireless phone providers, manufacturers, retailers and utilities. The study surveyed 8,863 consumers and covered over 38,000 customer-company relationships.
For more information about the Aii and a full list of company rankings, visit www.americaninnovationindex.com
About Fordham University:
Fordham University offers exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition across nine schools. Fordham awards baccalaureate, graduate, and professional degrees to approximately 15,000 students.
About the Norwegian School of Economics:
NHH Norwegian School of Economics, one of the leading business schools in Europe, launched the Norwegian Innovation Index in 2016 and partnered with Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business and Rockbridge Associates to replicate the methodology in the US.
About Rockbridge Associates, Inc.:
Rockbridge Associates, Inc. is an outcome-based market research firm that has been advising Fortune 500s, mid-sized firms and non-profits on their innovation and marketing strategy for over two decades. www.rockresearch.com
Contact:
Gina Vergel
[email protected]
(646) 579-9957
Consumers Pick America’s Most Innovative Companies and not all are Tech
Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, along with the Norwegian School of Economics, and market research firm Rockbridge Associates, Inc., announced the top innovators from the American Innovation Index (Aii), the only survey in the US measuring company innovativeness based on customers’ experiences. The study also tracks customer perceptions of social innovativeness to give a complete picture of how companies impact customers and society. The Gabelli School will recognize the top companies with an innovation award to be presented at the 2nd annual American Innovation Conference to be held in October in New York.
Conducted in May 2019, the survey found Apple was rated the most innovative company in America by its customers for the second year in a row. Innovation leadership is not confined to tech firms. Automakers Honda and Toyota claimed the #2 and #4 spots respectively, while Ford and GM make the top 20. Weber, the 126-year-old manufacturer of grilling equipment, ranked #3 on customer-perceived innovation. Retailers Amazon and Ikea made the list of top 10 for the second year, ranking #5 and #6 respectively. The nation’s largest credit union, Navy Federal, made the top 10 and was rated higher in innovation by its customers than all leading banks.
The top 20 leaders on the American Innovation Index will receive awards, and include: Apple, Honda, Weber, Toyota, Amazon, Ikea, Google, Netflix, Navy Federal Credit Union, Samsung, Ford, GM, John Deere, Airbnb, Trader Joe’s, Chick-fil-A, Stanley Black and Decker, Aflac, Microsoft, and Southwest Airlines.
“In a competitive consumer market, innovation propels companies to the top of their industry and drives their growth and financial performance,” said Lerzan Aksoy, Ph.D., professor of marketing at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. “The American Innovation Index recognizes the companies with the highest innovation index scores based on consumer ratings. These companies have been able to mobilize resources in a manner that makes customers notice they are creative, pioneering and shapers in their industry.”
The Aii scores and ranks the innovativeness of U.S. companies based on their customers perceptions. The Aii covers 174 firms from 21 industries, such as airlines, hotels, car rental companies, banks, TV and Internet service providers, wireless phone providers, manufacturers, retailers and utilities. The study surveyed 8,863 consumers and covered over 38,000 customer-company relationships.
The American Innovation Index identifies certain innovation leaders that challenge traditional consumer manufacturing and services companies. Besides the obvious example of Amazon, which is rated higher on innovation than all other retailers, Netflix ranks #8 in customer innovation ratings, exceeding all the traditional cable companies, while Airbnb ranks #14 and exceeds all hotel chains.
“Companies can provide the highest levels of satisfaction, but if they do not deliver an innovative customer experience, they face becoming obsolete,” said Gina Woodall, President of Rockbridge Associates, Inc. “We have found that your industry does not determine how innovative customers think your company is. For example, in the airline industry, Southwest is an innovation leader ranking 20 out of 174 companies, while United is near the bottom with 169.”
The Social Innovation Index
The survey also measures social innovation through the Social Innovation Index (Sii), which is the degree to which customers of companies perceive them to innovate in ways that benefit society and the environment. Three of the top 10 most innovative companies on the American Innovation Index are also in the top 10 on social innovation according to customers, including Honda, Toyota and Navy Federal Credit Union.
The top 20 companies on the Social Innovation Index will also receive awards from Fordham, including: Honda, Toyota, John Deere, Ford, Navy Federal, General Motors, Aflac, Chick-fil-a, Trader Joe’s, General Electric, USAA, Stanley Black and Decker, Weber, Ikea, Nissan, Google, Hyundai, Apple, Whirlpool and LG.
Another key finding from the Aii is that tech-driven firms that are rated high in customer innovation are not always leaders in social innovation. Example: Netflix ranks in the top 10 on the American Innovation Index for customer innovation, but its ranking on the Social Innovation Index is 76.
Why Does Innovation Matter?
The American Innovation Index methodology is based on years of research by the Norwegian School of Economics that found that consumers are sensitive to company efforts to innovate, including in their products, value delivery, customer treatment and interaction space. These innovation efforts, when moved “downstream” where they affect the customer experience, trigger positive emotional responses that translate into greater customer loyalty and attractiveness toward the brand. Many studies attempt to rank companies on innovation through external indicators such as patents, R&D spending, productivity, and experts, but only the American Innovation Index captures innovation through what customers actually experience. To date, no large scale, scientifically vetted measure of customer-perceived innovation exists in the United States. The Aii was created to address this gap in the body of knowledge.
Customers not only expect companies to innovate to meet their needs, but to innovate for a greater good. The Social Innovation Index also correlates with customer loyalty and with perceptions of brand attractiveness. The research to date reveals that the most successful companies achieve high customer scores on both customer experienced innovation and social innovation.
For more information about the Aii, visit www.Americaninnovationindex.com
About Fordham University:
Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition across nine schools. Fordham awards baccalaureate, graduate, and professional degrees to approximately 15,000 students from Fordham College at Rose Hill, Fordham College at Lincoln Center, the Gabelli School of Business (undergraduate and graduate), the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, the Graduate Schools of Arts and Sciences, Education, Religion and Religious Education, and Social Service, and the School of Law. The University has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom.
About the Norwegian School of Economics:
NHH Norwegian School of Economics is one of the leading business schools in Europe. They launched the Norwegian Innovation Index in 2016 and partnered with Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business and Rockbridge to replicate their methodology in the US.
About Rockbridge Associates, Inc.:
Rockbridge Associates, Inc. is an outcome-based market research firm that has been advising Fortune 500s, mid-sized firms and non-profits on their innovation and marketing strategy for over two decades. www.Rockresearch.com
Contact:
Gina Vergel
[email protected]
(646) 579-9957
Cơm Tấm Ninh Kiều
This unassuming spot under the 4 train on Kingsbridge Road greets visitors with a warm atmosphere that smells of basil, coffee, and rice. Cơm tấm is Vietnamese for broken rice, referring to a dish made from fractured rice grains, explains Ruby Nguyen, the co-owner of the restaurant, and Ninh Kiều refers to the urban waterfront district Cần Thơ. Many of the restaurant’s dishes are classics from Saigon, the hometown of chef Chang Lam, Nguyen, and many of their Vietnamese neighbors in the Bronx. Nguyen’s favorite dishes are Bún bò Huế, inspired by the city of Huế, with spicy beef, pork broth, beef brisket, Huế-style sausage, pork knuckle, and blood cake, and Cơm tấm Ninh Kiều, a rice plate with grilled pork chop, meatloaf, eggs, crispy shrimp dumplings, and shredded pork. Don’t forget to try the Vietnamese iced coffee, made with sweetened condensed milk and strong enough to power you through a 12-hour day.
Price: $, family-friendly
[doptg id=”153″]La Morada
La morada is Spanish for both purple and dwelling place or home. The menu offers traditional Oaxacan dishes, including six different types of mole. Two favorites are mole Oaxaqueño, which is made with seven types of chiles, and mole blanco, made with pine nuts, almonds, and cashews. Chef-owner Natalia Mendez and her daughter Carolina created the menu. Mendez owns the place with her husband, Antonio Savaadra; all three of their children are involved in the business. Marco, an artist and poet, is the host; his watercolors can often be found on the purple walls. “It’s about sharing who we are,” he said. Protest banners and art also adorn the space, and there’s a sizable lending library in the back. Try their food and the need to return that book won’t be the only thing calling you back!
Price: $-$$, family-friendly
[doptg id=”154″]La Masa
La Masa is a bustling family restaurant in the heart of Morris Park. The founders, Joswar Montalvo and his wife, Laura, started the business five years ago, showcasing food from Montalvo’s homeland of Colombia. Empanadas are what La Masa is famous for, and there is one for everyone’s taste; they’re filled with everything from cilantro lime chicken, shrimp, and roasted eggplant to Nutella and apple pie—made special for Montalvo’s daughter who wouldn’t eat any of the others. Try the passion fruit flan!
Price: $-$$, family-friendly
[doptg id=”156″]Al-Aqsa + Premium Sweets
Al Aqsa is a Bengali restaurant on Starling Avenue in Parkchester that makes everything from biryani to bhorta. Biryani is a dish made of fragrant rice, meat, and ghee, and often prepared for holidays. Bhorta is a mash of vegetables, fish, or legumes and is a staple dish in many Bengali homes. Mohammed Hasnat, the owner of Al-Aqsa, said his favorite dishes are the fish curries. This writer’s favorite is the shutki bhorta which is made of dried fish and red chili peppers. Hasnat started the restaurant in 2007 because there was a growing population of Bengalis in the community; his dishes are ones that you would find in a traditional Bengali home. After you’re done with lunch or dinner at Al-Aqsa be sure to stop by Premium Sweets, just across the street, for a cup of cha and Bengali desserts.
Price: $, family-friendly
[doptg id=”157″]Mama G’s African Kitchen
Marked by a graffiti mural on White Plains Road, this spot has a bar-like ambiance complete with a large TV playing soccer in the back. But unlike other sports bars, you won’t find burgers and fries coming out of the kitchen. Africans from Nigeria to Senegal gather in this welcoming spot, where house favorites include okra stew and banku, a kind of bread made with fermented corn mixed with cassava. The owner, Mama G, said the menu is full of recipes passed down from her mother and grandmother. Mama G, short for Gina Nti, is from Accra, Ghana, but the Bronx has been her home for over 20 years. The borough is her heart, she said, and she encourages those who have never had African food to stop in and try some.
Price: $-$$
[doptg id=”155″]Havana Cafe
Havana Cafe was opened in 2010 by three friends, Troy Perez, Kevin Alicea, and Ruben Rodriguez, all of whom grew up in the East Tremont area where the restaurant is located. The New York State Assembly citation framed on the wall inside reads, “Havana Cafe brought the Cuban experience to the Bronx, celebrating Cuban culture, cuisine, and customs.” The trio has extensive experience working in the restaurant industry in Manhattan, and they wanted to bring that Manhattan vibe to their home in the Bronx. Their menu includes many Cuban classics, but also features dishes from Puerto Rico and other Latin cuisines. Try the pastelon, a lasagna layered with meat, cheese, and sweet plantain.
Price: $$, family-friendly
[doptg id=”158″]Ali’s Roti Shop
Ali’s Roti is a small hole-in-the-wall place that packs a serious flavor punch. The family-owned Trinidadian restaurant has been around since the ’70s. It’s located next to a Montefiore Hospital, so you’ll see many nurses in line for lunch. They are famous for their enormous roti, round flatbreads made with flour and served with either meat or vegetables. The menu offers a lot of vegetarian options, including lentil, chickpeas, and cabbage dishes. The roti can easily be split between two people and come with a tangy tamarind sauce. Try their juices; their peanut punch is a perfect post-roti desert.
Price: $, cash only
[doptg id=”159″]Kingston Jamaican Bakery
Kingston Jamaican Bakery was started by John and Joyce Levi in 1970 in the Wakefield section of the Bronx. There is always a long line here, especially on weekends, but it’s well worth the wait. There are three options for patties: beef, chicken, and vegetarian. These are not your typical patties, says Caroline Sinclair, the sister of the owner, with a smile. Many locals say that you haven’t had a patty until you’ve had one made with coco bread from Kingston Jamaican Bakery. The patties are freshly baked using seasonal ingredients, and the dough is made from scratch. Their carrot cake rivals Lloyd’s Carrot Cake in the Bronx. It’s dense with butter and laces your tongue with nutmeg.
Price: $, cash only
[doptg id=”160″]Narciso Bakery
Take note: not all the Bronx Italian bakeries are on Arthur Avenue! This one, on White Plains Road, is a family-owned business run by Sicilian native Vincent Passafiume, his wife Giovanna, and his daughter Rose. The signage out front is simple and the window displays a line of freshly baked bread. The place has an old-world vibe complete with a vintage bread slicing machine. The raisin swirl bread is filled with walnuts. Mini-cheesecakes are filled with custard and berry jams. Passafiume has been baking here for over 30 years. He immigrated to the United States in 1974 when he was 17 years old and has worked only in Bronx bakeries ever since. What’s special about this bakery is the diversity of people who come through the doors. The customers hail from the Caribbean, Korea, and everywhere in between, and Passafiume and his family all make them all feel at home.
Price: $, cash only
[doptg id=”161″]Seven Spices
An ode to Guyana, Seven Spices is adorned with an awning brightly decorated with palm trees and the Guyanese flag. George DaSilva, a gold miner from the nation’s Berbice region with a passion for food, opened the restaurant in 2011. It is one of only three Guyanese restaurants in the Bronx. The vegetable sides are almost like desserts. The pumpkin and spinach have a creamy consistency and a light sweetness from coconut milk. The okra is lightly spiced, a perfect companion to rice and peas. The mac and cheese and oxtail here are customer favorites. Both are cooked to perfection: a crispy crust of cheese sits on top of the mac and the butter beans in the oxtail dish are melt-in-your-mouth soft. Also on the menu are goat curry roti, baked salmon, and cook-up rice, a dish made with a variety of meat and herbs. DeSilva’s father and grandfather were bakers in Guyana and he has kept up the tradition. He makes pastries from scratch including cassava pone, a cake made from yucca. Their lunch special is $6 and keeps you full all day.
Price: $, family-friendly
[doptg id=”162″]Go forth and eat!
]]>The three-part discussions that Waite hosts dive into “colorblindedness” and the way race affects students in the classroom. Part I of the series of discussions discusses the historical context of colorblindness. Part II includes the voices of individuals exposed to and in the position of navigating colorblind ideology in schools on a daily basis. Part III will include responses from researchers and scholar-activists in the field of education. Waite’s began the forum by posing the question, what are the best ways to respond to educators who say they “don’t see color” when they teach?
Waite says in order to resolve the great issues in schools right now we need to have difficult discussions. “Deep reflection coupled with courageous conversations allows school communities to examine the dysconscious systems and biased structures they conceive and implement. Often these policies and practices are developed with the best of intentions, and school communities are only able to see that the unintended consequences of these policies actually hurt students and families by committing to becoming a critically conscious school community.”
Waite’s discussion prompted some responses from fellow educators, including Kris DeFillipes, middle school associate principal in Orange County, N.Y., who is pursuing his Ed.D. at Fordham’s Graduate School of Education.
“As educators, it is required that we understand the reasons for the social construction of whiteness and how the educational system serves the values that maintain systemic oppression of repressed and marginalized students. As white educators, it is urgent and compulsory that we recognize and embrace our whiteness; ignoring its presence only exacerbates the issue. Defensiveness or fragility cannot embed itself in our thinking; instead, we must rage with passionate and poised urgency when we recognize these traits in others.”
Read Waite’s full introduction (including DeFillippes’ full response) here or listen to the podcast discussion with Larry Ferlazzo with Terri Watson, Chris Emdin and Shannon Waite where they talk through Waite’s question.
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