I began work in Red Hook, Brooklyn, along with my business partner William Keltie (who specializes in finance and economics), in December 2012, right around the holidays. It was encouraging, while also humbling; it gave perspective to a grim reality. Many people living in traditionally isolated and poor communities see the cold and dark of winter as a harsh reminder of their isolation, of the struggle and hardship they live and breathe on a daily basis. It is as if winter becomes a symbolic multiplier of this reality, intensifying the sense of hopelessness, of being left to fend for themselves in their weakness, forgotten by much of the better equipped outside world, particularly after Hurricane Sandy. During this time of extreme difficulty, Red Hook lay between the terrifying reality of the flooded East River waterfront, its waters submerging first floors far into the neighborhood, and the physically and culturally segregating reality of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. This superstorm, and its physical, economic, social effects on entire communities, from Brooklyn and Long Island to New Jersey, was one of the most hurtful disasters this country has ever seen. The infrastructure and delivery of services was overwhelmed. Government funds were slow or drying up, budgets were cut in hurtful ways, neighborhood businesses were closed down from the damage, jobs were becoming even more scarce, and the vicious cycle of socioeconomic hardship – and ultimately of frustration and despair - was in full swing.
We started with a research plan and ethnography platform developed from my training and experience in the military and thereafter, both abroad and where I lived in the States. It is based on understanding the human layer, the particular social terrain, and the sociocultural and economic 'battle space' in which a war on poverty and hardship must be fought. Neglecting to understand this terrain has led to failure time and time again, even when seemingly endless sums of money are involved. By contrast, understanding it can make even the smallest amount of money have a real impact. Grasping the human layer of a community is absolutely fundamental. Everything starts and stops with the local residents themselves; their destiny should be defined by them, not by outsiders, ourselves included. This is not us coming in and telling the neighborhood what’s best for them. Rather, we are seeking to help empower them to build their own community and define their own future.
Nobody likes naïve do-gooders; we are seeking to make real impact through a real understanding of the human and social terrain. Connecting with a community on its own terms, through its own schemes of sharing, discussion and decision-making, of dispute resolution and simple camaraderie, almost always proves to be the best approach. The impact then comes from people’s ‘human capital’ – their skills, talents, abilities and knowledge, almost always under-appreciated or underutilized by today’s economic climate. By effectively getting to know these people, we discovered the massive wealth of skills and talents, of knowledge and spirit to be found in these public housing projects, something outsiders rarely get a chance to appreciate. Essentially, the community becomes what it seeks to be, by helping define and participate in the solution rather than being passive recipients of a solution imposed on them.
Despite many setbacks, an impressive and respectable wave of grassroots volunteerism, relief and rebuilding came to Red Hook, and was most effective and timely when it was transparent, self-organized, and working directly with the needs of residents. William and I, through our Human Empowerment Network, are working to take this concept to the next level, making this a means of sustainable growth - a way for these same residents to improve and build their own community long after the storm.
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