Mostly in Brooklyn, But Also In Other Boroughs
On this week’s show we will speak with the people behind the newest exhibition “Stoop Stories” at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
My guests will be Hana Elwell, Vice President of Exhibits and Education at the Museum; and Marj Kleinman and Lara Weinberg, producers and creators of this inspiring work.
Tune in for this fascinating conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.
Today’s first guest is Hana Elwell who is the Vice President of Exhibit and Education at the Brooklyn Children's Museum. In 1998, she was drawn to New York due to its art and culture. She loved how she was surrounded by what she loved as soon as she moved. Her professional path started working at the museum in Brooklyn. It is her responsibility to plan museum exhibitions and decide which stories will be told. Hana states that one of their main goals is to provide a safe space for everyone to learn and be inspired, not just kids. The museum was founded in 1899 making it the first children’s museum in the world.
Children’s museums are important because they provide a positive environment for families. During the pandemic, the museum was shut down but everyone is now glad that the missing energy and laughter has returned. There has been plenty of great feedback on the new exhibitions and return overall. The museum hosts an exhibit called stoop stories. This is their way of reflecting the way they want people to feel when entering by putting photos of families on their home stoop on the walls. Many people viewed the wall as a sign that they are not alone as a community.
The next two guests played a major role in creating stoop stories. Their names are Marj Kleinman and Lara Weinberg. They are both New York natives. Today, both of them live in the neighborhoods they grew up in. Stoop stories is their first involvement with the museum. They were pleased how they got to work together on this project after wanting to collaborate for a while. Marj got inspired to create stoop stories after interviewing people on their stoops. Currently, they are trying to expand the exhibit by adding more neighborhoods and boroughs.
The two are the co-producers and co-creators of stoop stories. Lara says that this exhibition is different from others because they go to you and share your story and message. They come to them so that people are more likely to be their most authentic selves. Some people are sought out by them while others are more likely to reach out. Many people find relief and relaxation in sharing their story. People can share their own stories at stoopstories.net.
00:00:30.900 --> 00:00:39.690 Jeff Goodman: Hello everyone, welcome to our listeners in the big apple from across the rest around the world i'm Jeff Goodman, and this is rediscovering New York.
00:00:40.350 --> 00:00:45.480 Jeff Goodman: professionally i'm a real estate broker with brown Harris Stevens, but our show is not about real estate.
00:00:46.230 --> 00:00:51.600 Jeff Goodman: We discovered in New York, as a weekly program celebrating New York or history or texture our vibe.
00:00:52.110 --> 00:01:00.390 Jeff Goodman: And we do it through interviews with historians local business owners nonprofit organizations preservationists musicians and artists and the occasional elected official.
00:01:01.350 --> 00:01:09.630 Jeff Goodman: On some shows we bring an individual New York neighborhood to life we explore its history and its current energy what makes that particular New York neighborhood special.
00:01:10.500 --> 00:01:16.890 Jeff Goodman: On some shows like tonight's we celebrate an interesting and vital color of the city that's not focused on one particular neighborhood.
00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:26.430 Jeff Goodman: Prior episodes you've heard us covered topics as diverse and eliminating as American presidents who came from lived in were have or had some interesting history in the city, but half of them.
00:01:26.940 --> 00:01:30.540 Jeff Goodman: we've looked at the history of women activists and the history of the suffrage movement in the city.
00:01:31.050 --> 00:01:36.660 Jeff Goodman: we've looked at the history of different immigrant communities, the history of the city's LGBT community and the gay rights movement.
00:01:37.350 --> 00:01:42.330 Jeff Goodman: we've looked at the history of bicycles and cycling they've been part of New York from within 200 years.
00:01:42.750 --> 00:01:49.410 Jeff Goodman: we've looked at the history of punk and opera in New York we've looked at our public library systems, we visited the subway public art.
00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:54.600 Jeff Goodman: Our greatest train stations and even some of our bridges, yes in New York, we even have great bridges.
00:01:55.290 --> 00:02:04.320 Jeff Goodman: After the broadcasts, you can catch our shows on podcasts we're on apple spotify Amazon podcast stitcher Google podcasts and other services.
00:02:05.310 --> 00:02:14.310 Jeff Goodman: And I were going to do one of those special shows and i'm calling it places they gather mostly in brooklyn but also in other brothers and other borrows.
00:02:14.760 --> 00:02:24.960 Jeff Goodman: We have three really great guests, this evening, our first is Hannah Lol Hannah is the Vice President of exhibits and education at the brooklyn children's museum.
00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:34.590 Jeff Goodman: Among our responsibilities are creating strategic vision and objectives for the museum's programs and exhibits, including the exhibition that we will talk about today stoop stories.
00:02:35.820 --> 00:02:51.000 Jeff Goodman: A documentary that talks about that sorry it says documentary storytelling project that forms the basis of a new exhibition composed of more than 150 images and stories representing families essential workers, small business owners and activists from around brooklyn.
00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:58.110 Jeff Goodman: I don't also directs the research, development and implementation and evaluation for all education program areas of bcn.
00:02:58.590 --> 00:03:08.400 Jeff Goodman: Including programs for the general public and it's K through 12 education and she also works on Capitol renovation projects, including the rooftop terrace the children's garden.
00:03:08.880 --> 00:03:23.130 Jeff Goodman: theater as well as new exhibitions on oversees the museum's collections and management and access programs and ensures that the collection of the museum is used to its full potential, which I also want to ask her about Hello Lol a hearty welcome to rediscovering New York.
00:03:24.060 --> 00:03:26.640 Hana Elwell: Thanks so much Jeff so happy to be joining you.
00:03:27.510 --> 00:03:28.800 Jeff Goodman: Are you from New York originally.
00:03:29.790 --> 00:03:42.240 Hana Elwell: i'm not I actually grew up, on the other side on West Coast and Los Angeles New York visit in high school and was completely just fell in love with the place and knew that my energy was a much better match for New York City.
00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:46.860 Jeff Goodman: And what so what specifically brought you to New York and when did you arrive here.
00:03:48.090 --> 00:03:50.370 Hana Elwell: I rolled in in 1998.
00:03:51.570 --> 00:04:10.410 Hana Elwell: And was drawn to the arts and culture, I was a museum and busiest even before my museum profession professional trajectory began, and this was the place to be surrounded by all the things that I loved and just the high intensity and energy of the diversity of New York.
00:04:11.760 --> 00:04:19.080 Jeff Goodman: which we celebrate on every one of our shows, by the way, um how did you become professionally engaged with museum work.
00:04:20.340 --> 00:04:23.700 Hana Elwell: Well, my first museum experience was actually at the brooklyn museum.
00:04:24.780 --> 00:04:30.570 Hana Elwell: and much of my career has been focused in brooklyn and sort of unapologetically for concentric.
00:04:31.980 --> 00:04:34.440 Jeff Goodman: Especially like that let's begin at a brooklynite.
00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:46.710 Hana Elwell: Yes, love New York holistically, but I have a very special place in my heart for brooklyn where I live and work and my professional path began at the brooklyn museum I.
00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:55.860 Hana Elwell: didn't realize that I could combine this love of working with families and children, and my love of museums, I didn't you know now there are many professional.
00:04:56.850 --> 00:05:05.160 Hana Elwell: There many academic programs across the country and at many different colleges, but there really weren't when I was in college, and so it was.
00:05:05.880 --> 00:05:19.140 Hana Elwell: brooklyn museum with the place where merging those two passions of mine could really happen, so I taught in the galleries there and spend a really wonderful year through their fellowship program and that was really my point of entry into the museum field.
00:05:19.830 --> 00:05:29.640 Jeff Goodman: Well, you know one thing I want to ask you about is your work and your tenure at Ralph applebaum and associates that's a firm that works with museums, including helping to create as exhibitions.
00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:37.230 Jeff Goodman: What kind of work, did you do at apple Bam and how was might have been had been different from working in in in a particular institution.
00:05:37.620 --> 00:05:44.760 Hana Elwell: mm hmm well many museums engage a firm like wrath applebaum and associates, to help them man.
00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:54.810 Hana Elwell: Either new institutions do concept planning doing target interpretive planning or design exhibits that they aren't able to take on the founding of themselves.
00:05:55.230 --> 00:06:00.150 Hana Elwell: Based on you know step staff capacity and other constraints so.
00:06:00.990 --> 00:06:08.280 Hana Elwell: apple bomb is a firm that does interpretive planning there I did project management and had the privilege to work on several really wonderful.
00:06:08.580 --> 00:06:27.570 Hana Elwell: Projects over the course of my time, there are two two large projects, the National Museum of African American history and culture in DC which opened in 2016 and prior to that the natural museum i'm sorry the Museum of natural history in salt lake city utah so two completely different.
00:06:28.890 --> 00:06:37.980 Hana Elwell: projects and both spanning in in my life about four and a half years so exhibition planning and museum making is.
00:06:38.280 --> 00:06:43.170 Hana Elwell: very, very long process, which I think you know people seldom think about how many.
00:06:43.380 --> 00:06:51.510 Hana Elwell: How many different components, there are, how many different entities have to come together to create a new institution, you know there's the curatorial side there's the concept planning.
00:06:52.020 --> 00:07:03.390 Hana Elwell: there's mapping out all the stories that you will tell there's thinking about the presentation i've been in design form and then there's the architecture of new buildings, so there are lots of different aspects, and it was really exciting work.
00:07:04.200 --> 00:07:11.070 Jeff Goodman: Well, not to get into too much detail about that museum planning is there a size of museum that that.
00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:20.610 Jeff Goodman: will not need to have the surface of the services of a company like apple Bamboo oval some of the largest museums in the country also use independent.
00:07:21.840 --> 00:07:30.720 Hana Elwell: consultants to help them interesting question, I think a combination of both many places take on, you know designing and executing exhibits of their own.
00:07:31.440 --> 00:07:37.440 Hana Elwell: themselves, they have to ask you to do so, you know, however, frequently they change out their exhibits.
00:07:38.100 --> 00:07:53.130 Hana Elwell: But many large museums, even you know there's only so many so many projects, one can take on and House so even you know very large institutions often look outward to bring in a consultant firm to help them develop a new space.
00:07:54.330 --> 00:07:58.800 Jeff Goodman: What brought you to the brooklyn children's museum Hannah how did you wind up with bcn.
00:07:59.700 --> 00:08:10.710 Hana Elwell: Well, interestingly, after my my introduction to the museum work at the brooklyn museum and I made my way to the brooklyn children's museum back in 1999.
00:08:11.580 --> 00:08:18.990 Hana Elwell: So I worked at brooklyn children's museum very early on in my career for a couple of years and then took a good long break.
00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:32.130 Hana Elwell: pursued the exhibit design field went to graduate school and then found myself back at the museum about 17 years later, and have been there in the capacity I am now for about seven years.
00:08:32.490 --> 00:08:49.530 Jeff Goodman: wow um what are some of the characteristics that define a children's museum, obviously we think well, obviously, it has to appeal to kids right, but you know within that what special things are there about children's museums, that that might differentiated from from most other museums.
00:08:50.430 --> 00:09:00.990 Hana Elwell: Well, they are inherently interactive and I think they are guided by joy joy and fun and there is a faithfulness, that is, you know at the core.
00:09:01.740 --> 00:09:14.100 Hana Elwell: Of the mission of most children's museums, all of them that I can think of, and you know they're they're not burdened by the weight of some other museums, in the expectation of transmitting content.
00:09:14.790 --> 00:09:22.500 Hana Elwell: That is very specific, though of course they are content driven in their own unique way we certainly are in brooklyn, but I think.
00:09:23.640 --> 00:09:27.540 Hana Elwell: There is this creative freedom that children's museums.
00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:41.070 Hana Elwell: embrace and thrive on, and I think they attract really unique special people within the museum fields, whose interests are interdisciplinary and who come from so many different creative.
00:09:41.490 --> 00:09:54.240 Hana Elwell: professions and kind of find a home in a place of play and in a place that values whimsy and really looks to draw out playfulness in visitors of all ages.
00:09:54.990 --> 00:10:03.540 Jeff Goodman: there's a word that comes to mind, for me, hearing you talk about what what differentiates a children's museum and that's engagement, if anything, you know how.
00:10:03.870 --> 00:10:17.250 Jeff Goodman: How young people are engaged, how you know really little people are engaged to want to be inspired and to be interested in and and maybe fascinated by by what a children's museum is going to present to them.
00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:29.700 Hana Elwell: Well it's in many ways, I think the engagement that's invited in the space of a children's museum and mirrors how all of us have any age, want to engage with the world around us.
00:10:30.060 --> 00:10:37.980 Hana Elwell: Now we invite sensory engagement hands on learning inquiry based learning, we want, we want to create a space for kids are guiding their own discovery.
00:10:38.400 --> 00:10:49.170 Hana Elwell: and truly as adults, we all want to do that too we just aren't often in the place to end invited to do so or the invitation expired.
00:10:50.010 --> 00:10:59.220 Hana Elwell: Or we thought it expired and so in this space of the children's museum, we want to renew that invitation to everyone walking in the doors we want to instill a spark for caregivers.
00:10:59.700 --> 00:11:10.860 Hana Elwell: That reminds them that exploration guided exploration, with the help of the caregiver can be this beautiful joint experienced that a parent or caregiver and a child together.
00:11:11.460 --> 00:11:15.360 Hana Elwell: So some children's museums really look to differentiate the experience.
00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:24.930 Hana Elwell: into littles and Bigs and one of our goals at the brooklyn children's museum is really to combine that experience and offer opportunities for families to engage.
00:11:25.470 --> 00:11:33.480 Hana Elwell: together within their own family units and for families to engage with other families museums are inherently social spaces.
00:11:33.690 --> 00:11:45.180 Hana Elwell: So we want to really value the uniqueness of being a space where different kinds of families come together families that in New York, are passing on the street, but may not have the opportunity to have a conversation about.
00:11:45.690 --> 00:11:59.190 Hana Elwell: Water play oh your kid is doing the same thing that my kid is doing there are so many points of points of common and sharing common interests and sharing that happened in the space of museum it's a really beautiful thing to see every day.
00:12:00.060 --> 00:12:01.890 Jeff Goodman: Well, speaking about sharing stories we're going to.
00:12:02.010 --> 00:12:09.810 Jeff Goodman: Talk about stoop stories in a minute, but I want to ask you about the history of the brooklyn children's museum, it was founded in 1899.
00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:13.410 Jeff Goodman: that's actually you arrived there at its hundredth year anniversary.
00:12:14.550 --> 00:12:18.240 Jeff Goodman: How did the brooklyn children's museum come about as the first children's museum and then.
00:12:18.420 --> 00:12:20.070 Jeff Goodman: In the country what was his inspiration.
00:12:20.850 --> 00:12:31.920 Hana Elwell: Well Jeff in fact is the first children's Museum in the world, which is quite amazing to think that the first children's Museum in the world was founded in a residential neighborhood in central brooklyn.
00:12:33.810 --> 00:12:52.920 Hana Elwell: In 1899 at a time when museums were being created on fifth avenue in Manhattan or an Eastern parkway the intentionality of creating founding the children's Museum in a residential neighborhood and since that point really super serving the Community surrounding it is really quite spectacular.
00:12:54.210 --> 00:13:06.330 Hana Elwell: The Sam has always taken its mission as serving Community its closest surrounding community very seriously and engaging the families that are within our closest REACH, so those neighborhoods and.
00:13:07.560 --> 00:13:19.620 Hana Elwell: You know the diversity of the neighborhood has changed over time and and transitioned still serving those who are in our closest range is very important to us and.
00:13:19.710 --> 00:13:21.510 Jeff Goodman: The museum is in crown heights now.
00:13:22.650 --> 00:13:27.720 Jeff Goodman: Did it start in crown heights I know you're in a relatively new building but, but where was where was the museum founded.
00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:40.890 Hana Elwell: The original mansion that has the museum was actually just adjacent to our current location in brower Park, which is right next to the museum, so the original the two mansions that has the museum we're located there.
00:13:42.090 --> 00:13:51.180 Hana Elwell: And the building that is the current museums building was built in the 70s, on our site and last renovated we underwent a big renovation in 2008.
00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:52.140 um.
00:13:53.790 --> 00:13:57.540 Jeff Goodman: You know i've been on the outside of the museum, a number of times i'm almost embarrassed to admit I haven't.
00:13:58.050 --> 00:14:05.040 Jeff Goodman: But I have, I have to make that one of the like old new Yorkers you know who've never been to the Statue of Liberty they're a bunch of things i've never done in the city that I I need to do.
00:14:05.400 --> 00:14:13.830 Jeff Goodman: And we're going to take a break in a minute, but I want to ask you, first, what do you do, as Vice Presidents of of exhibits and education at the museum.
00:14:15.210 --> 00:14:24.540 Hana Elwell: Well, as the privilege of doing a lot of different kinds of things and children's museum is a place where many, many different departments can speak to each other.
00:14:25.260 --> 00:14:32.250 Hana Elwell: Everything is about education, everything is about family experiences so i'm able to have my hands in a lot of different paths simultaneously.
00:14:32.820 --> 00:14:45.000 Hana Elwell: I get to support the creation of our cultural festival calendar days, where we invite community in and celebrate the diversity of this amazing city I get to help.
00:14:45.660 --> 00:14:53.880 Hana Elwell: steer and lead new exhibits including stoop stories, the one we're going to talk more about today so thinking about you know what.
00:14:54.450 --> 00:15:02.880 Hana Elwell: What would be an exciting experience to bring in and showcase for families to engage in and then think sort of strategically about museum experience.
00:15:03.330 --> 00:15:08.730 Hana Elwell: Both in the short term, as we look at the yearly calendar and then, in the longer term, you know where does the museum look.
00:15:09.150 --> 00:15:18.660 Hana Elwell: want to see itself and how do we want to continue engaging family is how are we being responsive to families needs as we look, you know, to the year and five years ahead.
00:15:20.550 --> 00:15:29.340 Jeff Goodman: Great okay we're gonna take a short break and when we come back we're going to continue our conversation with honey Lol she's the Vice President of exhibits and education.
00:15:29.670 --> 00:15:36.060 Jeff Goodman: At the brooklyn children's museum, which is now exhibiting a an exhibition called stoop stories will be back in a moment.
00:18:03.330 --> 00:18:11.280 Jeff Goodman: you're back to rediscovering New York and episode 120 which is places they gather mostly in brooklyn but also in other borrows.
00:18:11.730 --> 00:18:24.090 Jeff Goodman: My first guest is Hannah Lol Hannah is the Vice President of exhibits and education at the brooklyn children's museum, which is located in crown heights in brooklyn the biggest borrow at least by population in the city of New York.
00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:35.940 Jeff Goodman: Before we get to stoop stories hon I want to ask you one other question why are children's museums important now, maybe even more important than they were before the pandemic.
00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:44.460 Hana Elwell: Well, you know, on the heels of this wild experience that we've all shared this pandemic in New York City I think we've.
00:18:45.810 --> 00:18:57.150 Hana Elwell: we've realized how vital it is to affirm our connectedness to each other and our responsibility to each other as individuals and as sharing space.
00:18:57.840 --> 00:19:04.710 Hana Elwell: How we need to be accountable to one another to ensure the health and safety of the collective that we have chosen to be part of.
00:19:05.430 --> 00:19:20.460 Hana Elwell: In this city, so I think, as it relates to children's museums, we have this mission to both create a space for engagement and fun and sharing, but also on a deeper level to really create a space where families can come together.
00:19:22.290 --> 00:19:30.510 Hana Elwell: and feel supported where we can offer some prompts for starting hard conversations and create a space for.
00:19:31.170 --> 00:19:36.480 Hana Elwell: sort of constructive exploration of kids own agency and their lives, and you know.
00:19:36.870 --> 00:19:44.310 Hana Elwell: help support the next generation of change makers, because that is what we so vitally need we saw the absence of that.
00:19:44.670 --> 00:20:00.840 Hana Elwell: And I think the fishers of our collective identity became really apparent in this experience of the pandemic and I think it's really incumbent on brooklyn children's museum and other children's museums, to support families as they you know raise the next generation.
00:20:02.100 --> 00:20:11.040 Jeff Goodman: Now that the museum is open again Do you see any would you feel any difference in the energy of people who were there, compared to before the pandemic.
00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:22.620 Hana Elwell: We really do it's been I think and create an amazing affirmation of our existence to welcome families back into our space, it was so.
00:20:23.580 --> 00:20:33.870 Hana Elwell: surreal to have our institution be empty and when families returned their footsteps and their laughter just brought our institution back to life.
00:20:34.560 --> 00:20:45.750 Hana Elwell: With their voices and I think what we so quickly observed was families deep craving to be in community with each other, even in this space of being very aware of you know.
00:20:46.800 --> 00:21:00.810 Hana Elwell: You know remaining mass mass and you know being safe, while coming together, there was really this craving to be in the company of other families who had who were experiencing this.
00:21:01.290 --> 00:21:08.040 Hana Elwell: hard time and I think we've also seen a real appreciation for accessing cultural content.
00:21:08.490 --> 00:21:15.240 Hana Elwell: Through our programs, and while we've seen fewer guests relatively because our numbers have been kept in a different way than they were formerly.
00:21:15.900 --> 00:21:22.200 Hana Elwell: we've been able to go more deeply, with some of our programming and what we haven't been able to.
00:21:22.800 --> 00:21:35.460 Hana Elwell: fulfill in in breath in numbers of visitors we've really been able to do with depth and have really heard from families how appreciative they are of the new exhibitions that we brought in.
00:21:36.120 --> 00:21:45.150 Hana Elwell: The exhibitions that we've been able to renovate and update during our time soldier and the programs that were able to facilitate an offer for families on an ongoing basis.
00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:52.560 Jeff Goodman: Well, speaking of Community and bringing people together and people hearing each other and being together a new exhibitions that takes us to stupid stories.
00:21:53.760 --> 00:21:58.200 Jeff Goodman: What was the genesis of putting together stoop stores for the brooklyn children's museum.
00:21:59.400 --> 00:22:01.890 Hana Elwell: Well, we got our conversation started.
00:22:02.970 --> 00:22:13.500 Hana Elwell: march laira and I and it seemed an amazing opportunity to really highlight the experiences and the faces and the stoops the physical spaces of brooklyn.
00:22:14.220 --> 00:22:19.740 Hana Elwell: At a time when like I said it just has has never been more present this.
00:22:20.460 --> 00:22:29.880 Hana Elwell: importance of coming forth and sort of showing solidarity, and I think when I first saw these family photographs, it was such a poignant.
00:22:30.420 --> 00:22:44.610 Hana Elwell: reflection of the resilience and the strength and the Community mindedness of brooklyn families and how much power there was in those images and we wanted to put them on our walls and it felt like this was the reflection.
00:22:45.780 --> 00:22:59.250 Hana Elwell: That photographic reflection of how we wanted families to feel during this time we wanted them to feel heard and seen and supported and hosting stoop stories really enabled us to make that happen on the walls in our space.
00:23:00.180 --> 00:23:08.730 Jeff Goodman: To the idea for student stories or the major emphasis come after the pandemic or with their rumblings about it before the pandemic started.
00:23:09.750 --> 00:23:25.740 Hana Elwell: I was actually mid pandemic and we made the connection and learn more about the project and it seemed as we were looking ahead, and knowing we wouldn't bet open reopen to the public, it seems like a really again a wonderful way to really reflect.
00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:33.000 Hana Elwell: reflect the feelings that we wanted to project outward and and the way we wanted families to feel within our space.
00:23:34.530 --> 00:23:42.810 Jeff Goodman: How do you find that the exhibition two stories has really additional meaning or importance than him, I mean.
00:23:43.470 --> 00:23:53.310 Jeff Goodman: we're going to talk more about the exhibition itself with the with the creators with with Marge climate and Lara weinberg but after the break, but I want to ask you, in terms of the museum.
00:23:54.480 --> 00:24:04.590 Jeff Goodman: How do you think the pandemic has added a sense of importance, having this exhibition now as opposed to it, it would have been great having beforehand, because people you know.
00:24:05.220 --> 00:24:16.500 Jeff Goodman: Talking about people and families and businesses and communities is really important, and sharing those and how how has the pandemic change the importance of that for the museum to host it.
00:24:18.900 --> 00:24:37.980 Hana Elwell: Well, I think it's a it's a really powerful visual representation of this home based experience that we all experienced families and all of us, in whatever whatever way we were bound to our homes and our physical environments in a way that we had never been.
00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:41.130 Hana Elwell: In this, especially in a city that.
00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:50.250 Hana Elwell: Where our everyday experiences so outward, so I think there's something very powerful in seeing families on the stoops and the steps and the.
00:24:51.180 --> 00:24:59.670 Hana Elwell: In the immediate Jason see of the physical spaces that they spent so much time during the pandemic and to really be reminded that we were all in it together.
00:25:00.060 --> 00:25:10.530 Hana Elwell: Our neighbors were in it, we were alongside yes, as many times and I know we all felt these like moments of individual focused peril and despair.
00:25:11.100 --> 00:25:17.490 Hana Elwell: That we truly were in it together and that there were all these families that were experiencing it alongside ours.
00:25:18.150 --> 00:25:33.720 Hana Elwell: So I think the the power in the reflection of that is also an affirmation that you know we we will prevail, we can bond and be bonded together in our in the facing of this experience and it's made us a stronger collective.
00:25:35.040 --> 00:25:45.720 Jeff Goodman: Personally Hannah would you say that this exhibition has created new experiences for you as as as an administrator and as VP at the museum.
00:25:47.070 --> 00:25:56.520 Hana Elwell: it's been really wonderful to see visitors stop and well as they look at the photographs know sometimes there are things that people pass by.
00:25:56.910 --> 00:26:05.550 Hana Elwell: And it's it's become really clear that this is not while dressing, this is not wallpaper I think the the images the faces the expressions.
00:26:05.790 --> 00:26:15.450 Hana Elwell: And again, those common points of best soup looks like mine that family reflects there's something about that families portrait that reflects my own experience.
00:26:16.050 --> 00:26:24.810 Hana Elwell: Whether it's you know I in I directly correlated way Oh, they have three kids, I have three kids I think it's more so, this sense of.
00:26:25.170 --> 00:26:33.540 Hana Elwell: We were all there, we were all there together, and I can see visitors really stopping to look at the photographs, to point out different aspects of them.
00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:50.670 Hana Elwell: Sometimes, seeing people they recognize, which is so exciting because brooklyn is just a small village, and I think it's you know, particularly in these times, as we are all reintegrating into our social lives I it's it's a really powerful reflection of perfect families.
00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:57.330 Jeff Goodman: Well, what are some of the other exhibitions that you have at the at the museum, now that you'd like people to know about and come and say.
00:26:58.260 --> 00:27:07.260 Hana Elwell: i'd love to invite people to a very exciting exhibit that we opened just this past weekend called amazed and it is amaze.
00:27:08.340 --> 00:27:20.010 Hana Elwell: made out of corrugated cardboard boxes dimensional maze, but you can traverse on foot and embedded within the maze, which is actually a great connection to stoop stories.
00:27:20.580 --> 00:27:30.510 Hana Elwell: Are illustrated highlighted landmarks of brooklyn so you'll find the arch at grand army plus you'll find kings theater you'll find the wonder we'll.
00:27:31.080 --> 00:27:40.560 Hana Elwell: parachute jump of coney island you'll find the botanic garden, as you turn through and wine through the bands of this cardboard piece and.
00:27:40.920 --> 00:27:42.720 Jeff Goodman: It sort of puts a new take on the old.
00:27:43.830 --> 00:27:50.760 Jeff Goodman: Hedge maze and English gardens but gives it a little more context from New York and people to be fascinated about things about New York.
00:27:52.410 --> 00:28:00.510 Jeff Goodman: What exhibitions do you have coming up in the future that you are not at the museum now, but that you're working on that will be that will be open at some point in the future.
00:28:01.800 --> 00:28:05.730 Hana Elwell: We are in planning stages of something the working title.
00:28:07.470 --> 00:28:15.180 Hana Elwell: brooklyn time machine, it will be a permanent exhibit that we're working toward and it will invite families to explore.
00:28:16.230 --> 00:28:25.410 Hana Elwell: The history and the families and the stories, who have lived in brooklyn since pre colonial times, starting with philanthropic population.
00:28:25.890 --> 00:28:34.290 Hana Elwell: we're working with many different wonderful partners on the development of this exhibit and that's a long term project that we hope will be realized.
00:28:34.950 --> 00:28:47.640 Hana Elwell: You know, maybe within five years but sooner than that we're working on an exhibit that draws on those themes called bk voices and that's something that will open in February of 2022 and that will highlight.
00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:57.870 Hana Elwell: The voices and the histories of brooklynites through what different themes through the themes of family traditions food traditions.
00:28:58.500 --> 00:29:09.360 Hana Elwell: living spaces, the physical built environment Community spaces, that we all share and we've engaged some really wonderful Community advisory groups to help support the development of those exhibits.
00:29:10.110 --> 00:29:13.890 Jeff Goodman: And how can people find out about those exhibitions at the brooklyn children's museum.
00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:23.040 Hana Elwell: brooklyn kids.org you can learn more about our education programs or exhibits how to visit where to find us on our website.
00:29:23.460 --> 00:29:27.480 Jeff Goodman: I love that URL, by the way, that's pretty pretty innovative and right on target.
00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:36.000 Jeff Goodman: Well, honey Oh well, thank you so much for being our guest on this first part of this program about places they gather mostly in brooklyn but also other boroughs.
00:29:36.210 --> 00:29:45.240 Jeff Goodman: My first guest has been haunted Lol Hannah is the VP of exhibits and education at the brooklyn's children Museum in you guessed it brooklyn New York and crown heights specifically.
00:29:45.720 --> 00:29:53.970 Jeff Goodman: we're going to take a short break and when we come back we're going to speak to the creators of the exhibition that we're going to focus on stupid stories will be back in a moment.
00:29:58.260 --> 00:29:58.740 And my.
00:32:40.650 --> 00:32:44.400 Jeff Goodman: we're back support for rediscovering New York comes from our sponsors.
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00:33:22.350 --> 00:33:27.270 Jeff Goodman: One of the note before we get to our next guests, even though rediscovering New York is not sure about real estate.
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00:33:46.650 --> 00:33:54.780 Jeff Goodman: Well, our second guests are a duo a team who have created students stories the brooklyn children's museum, they are march climate and lauer weinberg.
00:33:55.650 --> 00:34:04.320 Jeff Goodman: marches a visual storyteller and the creator of stoop stories she's a lifelong brooklynite she resides in her childhood brownstone and has a years of stoop sitting under her.
00:34:04.890 --> 00:34:09.600 Jeff Goodman: This symbol of brooklyn culture became both for refuge in us, especially in times of crisis.
00:34:10.170 --> 00:34:21.270 Jeff Goodman: Before focusing on photography March was a children's educational media producer creating award winning games and activities for kids families and teachers at PBS kids sesame workshop scholastic and noggin.
00:34:21.900 --> 00:34:25.290 Jeff Goodman: She was also a contributing writer and photographer for took a book or magazine.
00:34:25.740 --> 00:34:31.290 Jeff Goodman: exploring the power of play and creativity and childhood her work has been featured in the New York Times time out in New York.
00:34:31.710 --> 00:34:42.870 Jeff Goodman: wp I access channel 11 for us new Yorkers PBS parents and scary mommy Marge holds and masters and art in educational psychology from nyu it's New York university everyone.
00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:58.740 Jeff Goodman: And a bs in theater management from Emerson college and joining Marge is louder weinberg she's The co producer and editorial director of stories she's upon loving wordsmith and communications consultant with eclectic experience in entertainment marketing and media.
00:34:59.820 --> 00:35:16.230 Jeff Goodman: Like march Larry is born and bred in New York, she studied literature and rhetoric at suny binghamton and went on to associate produce the writing code it's a critically acclaimed three part PBS series and the origin history and art of writing she's the former Managing Director of.
00:35:17.250 --> 00:35:23.310 Jeff Goodman: A nonprofit leadership and career transition organization and was the director of sales and business development for shadow TV.
00:35:23.850 --> 00:35:32.040 Jeff Goodman: In May 2020 despite being stupid in the city this ground floor apartment to ella was listed to create content for and co producer stores.
00:35:32.490 --> 00:35:41.100 Jeff Goodman: channeling her coven blues to heartfelt storytelling laira is proud to edit pros contributor original pieces and crafts stories that honor her fellow new Yorkers.
00:35:41.430 --> 00:35:48.600 Jeff Goodman: Marge climate and last one, but weinberg healthy heart and hearty welcome selfie especially but already welcomes to rediscovering New York.
00:35:49.890 --> 00:35:51.240 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Thank you so much stuff.
00:35:52.110 --> 00:35:54.300 Jeff Goodman: you're both from the city what neighborhoods did you grow up in.
00:35:55.680 --> 00:36:01.800 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): I grew up in boerum hill i'm still in my childhood home hanging on my stoop and lira.
00:36:02.100 --> 00:36:11.280 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): And I was born and bred here in the city upper West side bopped around and somehow end up back on the upper West side, but not in the building where I grew up.
00:36:12.750 --> 00:36:20.610 Jeff Goodman: Oh, so you both live in the neighborhoods where you grew up that's amazing I mean native new yorker but i've lived in five different neighborhoods and I don't live in the neighborhood where I grew up.
00:36:21.690 --> 00:36:28.050 Jeff Goodman: um you both have varied backgrounds and the combination to me it's like a perfect storm for a project like super stores.
00:36:28.620 --> 00:36:40.350 Jeff Goodman: margin photography and creator of children's educational media and Larry you and writing and creating experiences in entertainment and was also focused on marketing, this is the first time you've worked together on a project.
00:36:42.060 --> 00:36:51.120 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): It is we we actually have been friends, for many, many years and always wanted to work together and I started, I think the end of March early April with.
00:36:51.810 --> 00:37:03.840 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): photographing families on their stoops it was the perfect six feet, I was at the bottom, they were at the top in the middle of coven and doing some very light interviews with them by email, and I was like you know lira.
00:37:05.070 --> 00:37:14.640 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): you're an amazing writer, and you have, like all this experience in documentary and marketing and business and come on board, you know I just I asked, I begged her to join me.
00:37:15.870 --> 00:37:17.880 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And you can say more earlier.
00:37:18.180 --> 00:37:26.940 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): There was definitely no begging involved godson because this is during the pandemic when I barely I live in a studio apartment and so you know.
00:37:27.270 --> 00:37:43.170 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): commuting was from my living room to my kitchen, which was basically put away so this was a wonderful way to reconnect not only with my good friend, but this the outside world and feel productive and like I was giving back through a really hard time.
00:37:44.460 --> 00:37:49.950 Jeff Goodman: Is stoop stories, the first project that each of you have been engaged with with the brooklyn children's museum.
00:37:51.810 --> 00:38:03.900 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Yes, yes, I had gone my dad took me as a child, so I just it's so touching because I can picture myself I have really strong memories of playing at be Sam.
00:38:04.380 --> 00:38:13.080 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And I had over the years, I had sent them a resume you know about digital media content um but this sort of happened very organically this connection.
00:38:15.660 --> 00:38:16.500 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): You want to hear the story.
00:38:16.980 --> 00:38:18.390 Jeff Goodman: Yes, yes, yes.
00:38:18.570 --> 00:38:19.410 Jeff Goodman: Yes, please.
00:38:19.710 --> 00:38:21.240 Jeff Goodman: I actually since one is still on.
00:38:21.450 --> 00:38:23.220 Jeff Goodman: Still in virtual room.
00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:24.210 Jeff Goodman: or virtual studio.
00:38:25.110 --> 00:38:33.600 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): it's pretty awesome we one of our one of our staff stories was of this kid Leo I think around 1314 years old and his grandma.
00:38:34.290 --> 00:38:44.130 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): He they were sort of separated quarantining on their own and park slope from the rest of their family, we did their stupid story, and it was adorable grandma grandma son bonding story.
00:38:44.460 --> 00:38:59.790 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And it turned out his mother is stephanie will treat the President of bcs so I was like interesting let's chat and it happened really organically she sort of put me in touch with Hannah and the rest, almost a year ago, actually this in July.
00:39:01.020 --> 00:39:02.160 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): The ball started rolling.
00:39:03.720 --> 00:39:05.010 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): So we're very grateful.
00:39:06.720 --> 00:39:12.810 Jeff Goodman: Is this your first project each of you working with museums in general or have you done anything with other museums in the past.
00:39:14.430 --> 00:39:14.670 Have you.
00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:33.210 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): know I mean other than frequency, you know going to museums, I definitely have not had a professional relationship, although I will, to a horn for Mars, because she was an ICP exhibit she had one of the photos displayed there, so we we have that that touch point.
00:39:34.110 --> 00:39:45.960 Jeff Goodman: Is up by the way, is the international Center for photography which is located on the lower East side and actually I had one of the curators from ICT on a show about a month and a half ago, so though podcast yeah.
00:39:46.770 --> 00:39:47.940 Jeff Goodman: yeah David yes yup.
00:39:47.970 --> 00:39:48.240 Jeff Goodman: yup.
00:39:48.450 --> 00:39:53.760 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): The beautiful exhibit and we've actually we're very honored to have been in a couple of different Community.
00:39:54.690 --> 00:40:09.750 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): exhibits as well with individual students stores, but this is our first big solo exhibit and i've always been interested in museum education, as you know, connected to children's media so we're really thrilled to be really thrilled to be at ECM.
00:40:11.220 --> 00:40:16.710 Jeff Goodman: What were your personal inspirations for stoop source, ladies margin level What was it about.
00:40:17.850 --> 00:40:23.220 Jeff Goodman: The concept that had you go wow This is something that we really have to collaborate on and we have to bring to life for people.
00:40:25.950 --> 00:40:27.900 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): uh should I jump in.
00:40:29.100 --> 00:40:30.960 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): i'll join him he set the stage.
00:40:31.080 --> 00:40:37.110 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): um well, as you know, I grew up in my childhood, I mean i'm still in my childhood home, and we have.
00:40:38.010 --> 00:40:39.690 Jeff Goodman: around the corner, from where I used to live when I.
00:40:39.690 --> 00:40:40.830 Jeff Goodman: live by the way.
00:40:41.610 --> 00:40:42.450 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): that's amazing.
00:40:43.470 --> 00:40:52.350 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And there's a whole history of hanging out on the stoop, not just for me, obviously, but for so many communities across brooklyn and across all socio economic and racial groups.
00:40:52.920 --> 00:41:02.640 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): i'm telling stories on the stoop and that was my safe refuge my safe haven like just hanging out on my stoop and chatting with people, because I was solo during quarantine.
00:41:03.120 --> 00:41:12.720 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And I actually had started a project called stoop stories, believe it or not, over 10 years ago interviewing people on video on their students in the neighborhood.
00:41:13.470 --> 00:41:22.320 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): about the old days and I sort of thought this was the perfect time to revive it and it just happened really just naturally and kind of.
00:41:24.090 --> 00:41:27.120 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): got it got kind of it took over.
00:41:28.830 --> 00:41:30.060 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): took over our lives.
00:41:31.110 --> 00:41:46.830 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And then Larry came on and we just jumped in and we've been just going at this, you know we're trying to expand it it's way past a pandemic project we're expanding it to include a lot more Community engagement and more and more neighborhoods and.
00:41:47.970 --> 00:41:50.580 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): give people ways for them to tell their own stories.
00:41:52.350 --> 00:41:54.990 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): um What about you learn did you want to jump in.
00:41:55.530 --> 00:42:02.520 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): No everything you said i'm i'm on board and basically it was it was perfect timing, I mean the safety and.
00:42:03.090 --> 00:42:16.890 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): The Community that you could have from a stoop during a pandemic is sort of unprecedented as far as you know, when people were barely leaving their houses, so you had the safety and still being home but being in the world and.
00:42:17.970 --> 00:42:26.100 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): There was a real you know beauty, to the environment of where these images were captured and then, as we develop this you know the stories.
00:42:26.460 --> 00:42:38.520 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): If sometimes you, you can tell just from a photo what's going on in that person's world so when we you know started to add some more content, but the narratives it was a really great balance for people.
00:42:38.850 --> 00:42:48.660 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): Excuse me to be able to express themselves from a really safe space, like a literal safe space, you know that's very symbolic of New York City.
00:42:49.740 --> 00:42:58.980 Jeff Goodman: How long did it take you to create the project I know it's ongoing and you're going to be adding to it, but how long did it take you to create the project that we see the finished product for it at the brooklyn children's museum.
00:42:59.910 --> 00:43:03.690 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): For the for the museum project, specifically, it was almost a year.
00:43:04.740 --> 00:43:09.330 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): and actually it's funny because, at the beginning, we we sort of were like Oh, we can get it up in a couple of months.
00:43:09.690 --> 00:43:20.130 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And it just the process was a little longer for variety of reasons, just on everybody's part I think it was such a stressful time with the pandemic, you know what our brains.
00:43:20.610 --> 00:43:29.460 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Our brains were sort of hijacked by by a traumatic experiences and right it took a little time to just get our head straight.
00:43:30.450 --> 00:43:49.890 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And we brought on a designer to help with the layout but also to hannah's credit was going to be much smaller and they gave us a lot more space so there's a more engaging section in world brooklyn where kids can actually sit on an indoor stoop and and take us to be as we say self.
00:43:51.150 --> 00:44:07.710 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): selfies to be, and they can see stories about essential workers and healthcare workers, but then upstairs we have a whole celebration of families and images of from all the different neighborhoods so we've got we're on all three floors it's very exciting.
00:44:08.040 --> 00:44:08.520 well.
00:44:10.350 --> 00:44:15.630 Jeff Goodman: i'm gonna have to see the exhibition and that's it that's a good reason for me to make my first journey to bcn.
00:44:16.770 --> 00:44:24.300 Jeff Goodman: we're going to take a short break and when we come back we're going to continue our conversation with flour weinberg and March climbing the Co producers and co creators.
00:44:24.600 --> 00:44:30.600 Jeff Goodman: of stories, which is on exhibition now with the brooklyn children's Museum in crown heights in brooklyn will be back in a moment.
00:44:34.020 --> 00:44:34.860 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Talk radio.
00:44:35.040 --> 00:44:35.820 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And my Co.
00:46:46.260 --> 00:46:52.560 Jeff Goodman: we're back and you're back to rediscovering New York and this episode on places they gather mostly in brooklyn but also other borrows.
00:46:53.190 --> 00:47:04.110 Jeff Goodman: My guests, for the second part of the show or March climate and Laura weinberg co creators and co producers of the exhibition stoop stories now at the brooklyn children's Museum in brooklyn and crown heights.
00:47:04.830 --> 00:47:19.110 Jeff Goodman: Learn March, I want to ask you what would you say is different about stoop stories compared to other projects that document and have documented people's experiences in neighborhoods and what's going on in their lives at any particular point in time.
00:47:20.700 --> 00:47:30.810 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): I mean, I think one of the key things, especially since he started during the pandemic is, we can two people you know we we go to your studio.
00:47:31.230 --> 00:47:42.870 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): To record your story to get a sense of where you are but, in addition, as things expanded for safety reasons and also for the growth of the project, we also.
00:47:43.440 --> 00:48:00.030 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): You know, turned into a real virtual stoop So if you wanted to submit your story, you can do it really even if you are stimulus, such as myself, I could still submit one I could go and just grab a spot somewhere in the city that has some sort of meetings me, you know and availability and.
00:48:01.050 --> 00:48:06.960 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): And it's just the the symbolism of the stoop as a literal and figurative platform for expression.
00:48:07.470 --> 00:48:24.750 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): And I think that really you know it's got the symbolism it's got the reality of what it means to people, you know, during a crisis, and also during joyful and amazing times it's a place you go to hang out and be yourself and and share and connect with other people.
00:48:27.570 --> 00:48:28.950 Jeff Goodman: March, you want to add anything to them.
00:48:29.940 --> 00:48:33.750 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Know listen it beautifully I mean, I think, just to build on that, I mean.
00:48:34.050 --> 00:48:50.610 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): When people are at home, their their most authentic and vulnerable cells they're relaxed and they're so when we came to them as opposed to just sort of finding them randomly in the city and also added store owners, of course, so they may not have actual suit but storefronts or steps.
00:48:51.720 --> 00:48:59.520 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): yeah and as Laura said they could have a bench they could have we interviewed a Holocaust survivor on a bench she sent this as my stoop you know you just never know.
00:48:59.910 --> 00:49:01.470 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): As soon as the state of mind.
00:49:04.170 --> 00:49:04.410 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): yeah.
00:49:04.770 --> 00:49:09.240 Jeff Goodman: Yes, that's why we say Larry is two plus no more, even though she doesn't ever stupid in front of in front of.
00:49:09.960 --> 00:49:12.540 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): My heart don't we all in New York.
00:49:12.960 --> 00:49:13.470 Yes.
00:49:16.620 --> 00:49:30.810 Jeff Goodman: Why lived in two buildings that sort of had stoops you know so like you know I can say that, as well um how did you pick the subjects for the project was there anything special that you brought to to deciding who was going to be included in the project.
00:49:33.330 --> 00:49:34.440 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): where you want to take this.
00:49:34.950 --> 00:49:46.050 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): yeah i'll start it off, I mean sometimes people have sought us out, you know, we made a nice little niche for ourselves online and people often come to us, they have got something that they want to share.
00:49:46.380 --> 00:49:56.490 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): um, but we also are always keeping an eye out, especially as the city reopened, you know we really wanted to get voices out there, as the person, the city is so.
00:49:56.730 --> 00:50:01.440 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): We reach out to people in the five boroughs started out specifically in brooklyn because.
00:50:01.920 --> 00:50:14.370 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): We were locked down and then we've been evolving and really just opening up to you know authentic voices of the city, people who have something that they really feel they want to share and contribute and connect about.
00:50:15.630 --> 00:50:26.760 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): So it's a very Community oriented project to uplift new Yorkers and to to just bring people together sort of you know what the Honda saying about.
00:50:27.180 --> 00:50:35.400 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): The you know the families and the people who make up the city wanting to really feel the togetherness, particularly under this you know.
00:50:36.120 --> 00:50:55.740 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): crazy time and so it's been a it's been a really beautiful process and very organic like mark was saying, as far as the REACH and how people find us how we seek them out whether it's an activist, a store owner, you know, a single parent we really try to just have an open door policy.
00:50:57.270 --> 00:51:02.220 Jeff Goodman: What were some of your most meaningful experiences as you as you put together the project.
00:51:03.870 --> 00:51:12.750 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): I can jump in a little on a lyric and share a few we've done hundreds of stories now, which is very exciting and we like to say, we don't play favorites but.
00:51:14.070 --> 00:51:22.470 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): We really tried to share stories as diverse as the city and and we often say you know, be seen be heard, we want voices that aren't often seen and heard.
00:51:22.920 --> 00:51:34.380 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): To bubble up but also really focusing more and more on celebrating this whole stoop culture of intergenerational storytelling so we had tiffany invents die.
00:51:34.590 --> 00:51:41.610 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): On the stoop with her son and she's holding a portrait of her aren't so she's the third generation to live in this House.
00:51:42.000 --> 00:51:46.560 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And tells the story about her aunt's legacy and in this beautiful summer night.
00:51:47.100 --> 00:52:00.210 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): And you know and the stories are always paired you know at the museum they're mostly visual because they're very young children with some quotes but the stories are paired with written narratives as well, and sometimes video interviews.
00:52:01.290 --> 00:52:09.810 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): But yeah tiffany shared the legacy of her off with us and also how her son was doing and the pandemic and sort of everybody had so many layers to their stories.
00:52:11.040 --> 00:52:18.690 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Another one is queen Jean who's a black trans activist who was literally using a stoop as her platform.
00:52:19.260 --> 00:52:26.550 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): APP and it was the stoop outside the stonewall in in the West village and so she's there there, she is with her partner joelle.
00:52:27.150 --> 00:52:37.860 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Leading the stonewall protests starting last summer they've literally been protesting 53 straight weeks every Thursday at 5pm and pouring rain in heat in.
00:52:38.520 --> 00:52:50.070 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Hailing it's just it's kind of incredible so they're very inspiring and she said this, it was very healing to share her story in a more intimate way, as opposed to you know when she leads the.
00:52:50.970 --> 00:53:02.640 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): The the protest, which people say is like going to church, this was her just sitting on the stoop having a chat with us on instagram so that's two examples, do you want to Larry do you want to jump in with a couple more.
00:53:02.760 --> 00:53:08.160 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): yeah thrown a few more so, for example, motor been my which I just love to say anyway.
00:53:08.220 --> 00:53:09.330 Jeff Goodman: In the Roman Mike.
00:53:09.420 --> 00:53:18.930 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): motorman my and you know it's always so interesting like mark was saying, the pairing of the visual you know the imagery with the words because you look at motive in my.
00:53:19.380 --> 00:53:32.790 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): Big tough looking guy and he's also a pussycat and then you hear his story and what he had to go through as an essential worker here in New York, and it was so representative of that community and.
00:53:33.930 --> 00:53:42.210 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): You know just a life that a lot of us would not have heard about if he hadn't shared with us, so it was that was a really meaningful one I thought.
00:53:42.660 --> 00:53:55.440 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): i'm also gym phone is is a great example of chinatown during this period of time they were the largest dim sum palace in the city, they were closing up.
00:53:56.400 --> 00:53:58.350 Jeff Goodman: right on Elizabeth street I think they they shot.
00:53:58.410 --> 00:54:01.380 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): yeah yeah I mean they're finding a new home.
00:54:01.620 --> 00:54:15.870 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): But we were able to go there, you know, on the cusp of their closing down the banquet and and really get some firsthand storytelling from the third generation also operator of the restaurant and.
00:54:16.980 --> 00:54:25.260 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): The only other one I wanted to just touch on which is we recently wrapped up a Council City Council series which I thought was a really great way of.
00:54:25.800 --> 00:54:35.490 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): Literally opening the door for people to take a peek into the politics without getting overly political it was come meet these people on the stoop.
00:54:36.150 --> 00:54:49.350 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): As they share, you know some highlights about their platform and also their lives anyone anyone from Marty, who was running you know here in my district and he's also a drag queen so.
00:54:49.380 --> 00:54:50.910 Jeff Goodman: Marty Marty Ellen coming.
00:54:51.420 --> 00:55:05.910 Lara W. // @Stoop.Stories (she/her): yeah Marty Marty Allen coming you know you just never know and a picture can speak volumes and it can also be very deceptive, because until you click on her photo and you would not know that he was in full drag it many of his speeches.
00:55:05.940 --> 00:55:06.210 yeah.
00:55:07.380 --> 00:55:10.980 Jeff Goodman: yeah I know Marty being a longtime member of the LGBT community here in New York.
00:55:11.610 --> 00:55:11.880 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): i'm.
00:55:12.240 --> 00:55:12.960 Happy Friday.
00:55:14.340 --> 00:55:20.970 Jeff Goodman: We have about a minute left, I want to ask one more question can new Yorkers air their stores, to the project if they want to.
00:55:21.750 --> 00:55:33.510 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Yes, so just to be clear, you can find all our stories and the full archive at instagram it's souped up stories and souped up stories and it's also on Facebook, you can.
00:55:34.080 --> 00:55:46.320 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): DM us there, but you can go to our website as well and submit your own story, you can share any story you want and that's stupid stories.net and that's how the Council people share Theirs was through.
00:55:47.340 --> 00:55:51.540 Marj K // Stoop Stories (she/her): Our our platform and yeah does that answer your question.
00:55:51.720 --> 00:55:52.650 Jeff Goodman: Yes, it does.
00:55:52.860 --> 00:56:00.510 Jeff Goodman: Okay, well, thank you march climate and lauren weinberg co creators and co producers of stoop stories at the brooklyn children's museum.
00:56:00.870 --> 00:56:12.450 Jeff Goodman: Thanks so much for joining us today, and you can find out more about the exhibition at brooklyn kids.org and Hannah Lol thanks so much again for being on the show and for sticking around for our second interview.
00:56:13.950 --> 00:56:20.100 Jeff Goodman: If you have comments or questions about the show if you'd like to get on our mailing list, please email me Jeff at rediscovering New York that nyc.
00:56:20.730 --> 00:56:25.620 Jeff Goodman: You can like us on Facebook and also follow me on instagram and Twitter my handles they were Jeff Goodman nyc.
00:56:26.280 --> 00:56:36.720 Jeff Goodman: Once again i'd like to thank our sponsors the mark my admin team mortgage strategist at freedom mortgage and the law offices of tom's yaka focusing on wheels estate planning probate and inheritance litigation.
00:56:37.440 --> 00:56:42.180 Jeff Goodman: One more thing, before we sign off i'm Jeff Goodman a real estate agent and brown Harris Stevens in New York City.
00:56:42.600 --> 00:56:49.290 Jeff Goodman: And whether you're selling buying leasing or renting my team and I provide the best service and expertise in your in New York City real estate.
00:56:50.070 --> 00:57:09.240 Jeff Goodman: You can reach me and my team and 646-306-4761 our producers Ralph story or our engineer, this evening, as the great Sam leibowitz our special consultants David Griffin of landmark branding stay tuned at 8pm for coffee talk with Kevin barbero thanks for listening we'll see you next time.
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