Cookie cutter glass condos in Williamsburg and Greenpoint are decimating a way of life and putting in place rootlessness. I try to find the old place, my old memories. I grew up here – learned to ride a bike in the rickety (then) McCarren Park, rode the graffiti subway (which seems better than the L train now), played on the sidewalks, shopped on the avenue, went to Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic School (which is no more), compared kielbasa between Pete’s in Williamsburg and Steve’s in Greenpoint. I know there are many memories like these. So for my MFA program at the New School, I founded Williamsburg Memories and Greenpoint Memories as websites with stories open to all. The start is slow but memories just need to be tapped into to stay forever.

I shared some of these memories with my piece, “Doorways in Time,” for The Seventh Wave. More to come.

Share