How long have you been teaching? Started in 1971 How long at New Paltz? 10 years How did it feel to win teacher of the year in 2008? Good because I was recognized for liking what I do; got $1,000 Why did you decide to become a history professor? Loved teaching; majored in english and philosophy, wife got pregnant, switched to history and included literature to leach Where do you think you would’ve been if you didn’t lose your football scholarship? It was a good thing, got me out of the Midwest and back to NY. Put me in the center of everything, irony and contingency” Do you thiknk being an older professor gives you an upperhand in teaching history? Oldest in the department, I don’t like it experience counts, but I don’t have any great wisdom over anyone else Have you ever looked at ratemyprofessor? Yes, I was embarrassed because they were all nice things. Im glad I reached a lot of students; students are the number one important thing, and im glad new paltz let’s me do that. Students > material How has reaching at NP changed you? Keeps me in touch with young people my first time here was teaching, I love academic freeom and openness. State education is important, I don’t like private schools even though I went to NYU What was the most exciting point in your life? Birth of my children; I passed out when my son was born What are some other interesting life experiences you’ve had? Too many; Woodstock, march on Washington, breaking my nose 5x, first time in paris I was 19 and I felt more at home there than in the US. The right place at the right time If you could give your students on piece of advice what would it be? “it’s ok to build castles in the air because that’s where they should be. Now go out and build a foundation under them: - Henry David Thoreau. Dream, but do things to make them happen What was the greastest moment of your teaching career? Idk, that’s a great question. My greatest thrill is when students call me up years later and say they remember something from my class it’s a collection of moments. Student teaching in the Bronx I got hit in the head with a rock by 7th graders What is your favorite part of history to teach? History of ideas; ideas move the past and it’s the job of a historian to take ideas for students to put them in historical context. I’m a history professor who doesn’t like dates. If you could run our country what is the fisrt thing you would change? Make an honest, 100% effort to make sure everyone understood that poverty is real-if we make that the number one priority to improve 24 million Americans in poverty; also, big macs for everyone Is there anything else? “It’s hard work staying 10 years old”
Part 1 - What would you say was the reason that made the owner wanted to open the store? - Always had a love for vintage things, so much so that she lives in a Victorian house now - What did she do before she opened the store? - She was a designer actually. She designed hats and all different types of accessories in new York - What made her want to leave all of that to open Aphrodite’s? - While designing was her passion, antiquing was her love even more. It’s not that she didn’t love designing or anything it’s just that antiquing was something that had always been fun for her and was something that she loved to do. So it was really an easy choice. - What was your involvement with all of that and her opening of the store? - Well we are best friends and it was something I am interested in as well so it just seemed natural that I would help her with it - Did you work with her when she was designing as well? - The most help I really did with that was telling her what I thought was pretty and what I would wear. Before I was helping her with the store I worked for SUNY actually - Ohh that’s interesting, what did you do exactly? - I worked at Hasbrouck dining hall, I loved it there. Everyone called me mom, and the little Hasbrouck angel - Another thing I was wondering was where do you find the things that you sell here? - Everywhere! Estate sales, yard sales, all over the world actually - All over the world, what do you mean by that? - The owner, my friends loves to travel. So when she is vacationing in all these tropical and foreign places she finds all different types of jewelry and furniture that she brings back and sells. - Can you tell me more about your involvement in finding things to sell here? - I’m not really too involved in that aspect of things. I mean sometimes I will go with her to these garage and estate sales but that’s more her thing. While I like doing that sort of thing I am not as in love with it as she is. You know she opened the store so she would be able to do that. - In your opinion what makes Aphrodite’s different from other thrift/antique stores in the area? - Mostly the diversity of our products, we have a very different selection from the other stores that are here in town. That’s one of the nice things about being in a small town, all the different business’ and business owners want to stay in business while at the same time see the other stores be successful as well. Everyone here generally tries to carry as different products as possible. And if someone here in New Paltz has something similar to what is carried at Aphrodite’s my friend just takes it out of here and moves it to the other store.
- There is another location of Aphrodite’s? - Yes! It just opened recently, about a year or two ago over in highland - Clearly the store is very successful seeing that it has a second location. Has it always been as successful as it is today? o -I would say so. There was never really any big hit that the store took, even when everything was happening with the economy. - How has the store managed to remain in business for as long as it has? - Well we are always getting new customers who come in. There are new students every year and from that we get all of the new students and all of their parents and if they have friends who visit. And of course all of the tourists who stop through here on their way to the mountain house. - What made her pick New Paltz for the location, did she go to school here? o -No, when she was looking for her house she looked around the area and had just fell in love with New Paltz. And when she had first wanted to open up the store here was close to her home and she thought that New Paltz would be just the perfect place for the type of store she wanted to open. Also being in a location where antiquing is a big thing has definitely helped her stay in business. - How did she come up with the name? - Well Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty. And that what her store is, her love for antiquing is the love part and just the beauty of all of the different items in the store. - How is the pricing for your items decided? - Just really how any business decides their pricing. Mostly what we take into account is how much the item we are selling actually cost us. It’s not as complex as you would think
Interview with general manager of Gadaleto’s, Steve Kraus, accompanied with chef, Shannon Hart Part 1
1. Q: Tell me how you got involved with this business. A: I started in ’96 as a student at SUNY and at that time it was the only place that would hire me so I ended up here. I cam and left a couple of times and worked my way up
2. Q: What did you do? A: I primarily worked in the market and I did little bits in the kitchen.
3. Q: Are there any other Gadaleto’s locations or restaurants owned by the same owners? A: No, this is the only one.
4. Q: Gadaleto’s was originally in Highland. Why did it move here? A: I think it actually burned down. So were in the process of compiling the history because we don’t actually have that.There were multiple locations in highland and Poughkeepsie in previous years but I believe they both burned down and this location was already running so they just made the switch over. Now there’s just us.
5: Q: So you handpick the seafood at New Fulton’s Fish Market? A: Correct, I am the fish buyer.
6. Q: Where does that seasfood come from? A: It’s a large market in the United States and it gets fish shipped from around the world daily. There are auctions to determine the price and big houses would buy from there. Some come directly from their own boats.
7. Q: What else do you do for Gadaleto’s? A: I’m the general manager so I deal with everything from staff and customers to back to the house stuff; pricing, inventory. Since I have Shannon, my partner, Stacie, and I don’t have to spend so much time in the kitchen. We work together and all the decisions come across our desks.
8: Q: I see on Facebook the specials come up every so often. A: Every Friday we have new specials. We actually used to accept Hawk dollars and then they got so expensive we had to stop doing it.
9. Q: How did the transition from market to market and restaurant happen? A: A car actually drove through the window. The owner at the time, Steve, was toying with the idea of putting in a restaurant there. When they had to rebuild they decided to put the kitchen in. Everything it seems has came about through disasters. Then they put this extension on a couple years later; the dining room came in and the cuisine started to get elevated to fine dining. Family friendly fine dining.
10. Q: The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesday. How was that decided? A: There wasn’t enough business to cover the costs for those days. Mondays and Tuesday in most restaurants are the slowest days of the week. It gives [the cooks] and automatic break from the kitchen. It gives a day for inventory, to create and just catch up.
11. Q: What is busier, the market or the retsurant? A: The restaurant is about 30% of the revenues. The market is the bigger revenue center. They work together. We can’t cut one part.
12. Q: Tell me about your market sales. What is the most popular item there. A: Wild King Salmon. Shrimp, scallops and clams. Tilapian flounder. Those are the most popular fish. They would be consistent with most markets I would think.
13. Q: Do you have any exotic products right now? A: We’re doing Langoustines tonight on the specials. We’re doing Ipswich clams. We come up with a lot of fun and rare things. We’re a wholesaler for a lot of restaurants in the area and schools so we only keep high quality foods. We have only 30 – 40 varieties but the choice is endless.
14. Q: What kind of crowd do you get at the restaurant since it is a college town? A: Generally the baby boomers is our biggest demographic. We also get a lot of familys. We have children’s night on Wednesdays. We have a specialized children’s menu which offers general chicken fingers and French fries but also like a salmon piece and salad. Chicken or fish skewers with vegetables. I have children so I promote healthy eating and they’re all included on the free menu. We get a lot of couples for dates. We have a lot of city repeat people.
15. Q: I didn’t realize that New Paltz was a big place for people to come visit from the city. A: That’s only grown after 9/11. It’s smaller vacations people take. It’s definitely helped our area.
16. Q: Do you think being located in a college town helps or hinders your business? A: When college kids come here the parents come to eat here. There are a lot of potential employees. Professors come to eat here. It is definitely a plus.
17. Q: The Jooba Doobie is Hudson Valley Magazine’s favorite sandwich from here. A: We use a local bakery called Torino. One of our breads is baked through them. I really try to tap in to local purveyors. We use Taliaferro farms for most of our greens and vegetables, fruits, whatever we can. The sandwich was names after the dean of the jazz program at SUNY. We used to do live music a long time ago and he was one of our originals.
18. Q: What is it about Gadaleto’s that sustains these awards. A: I don’t imagine you could get fresher. We have a unique setting, I don’t imagine other restaurants around here have a fish market to pull from. One of our strongest things have been any fish dish you wish. All of the fish in our market is available and that has got to be the primary difference. “Fish is generally viewed as healthier and people are definitely trying to take care of themselves” – Shannon. We only use high quality ingredients and we don’t turn staff over very quickly. My partner Stacie is the 3rd generation running the business. Very family oriented.
19. Q: What would you say is the most popular dish in the restaurant? A: English fish & chips, House fish n chips., fried calamari, then the Lobster roll.
20. Q: What makes these dishes different from any other place? A: We give a huge portion of fish. The lobster meat is fresh and we give a huge portion. When people come here they know they’re going to get a better product and a bigger portion than anywhere else. We can’t do all you can eat because we don’t have a product that is that cheap. To us the product is expensive. “It’s a major plus to have awesome 40 different proteins to work with but those proteins are some of the highest proteins of the market” –Shannon.
21. Q: Do you have any different plans with Gadaleto’s for the future? A: We’re always planning. In the future we’re going to start brewing beer. 10 years ago we won the largest single serving of Fish & Chips. A British company took it away from us by putting less fish and more fries in the basket, which I think is bullshit. I’d like to take it back. “We are always thinking, we are always trying to reinvent, we are always working on the best experience we can bring people. We believe in growth. We want to grow with the area, we want to grow with the families, we want to keep Gadaleto’s as a main stay in people’s names and where to get your fish.
22. Q: Is there anything you’d like to specially improve on? A: Communication with your staff is something you can always build on. Your staff is sometimes better than you so be able to get the ideas from them is something we can all do better. And of course make more money.
23. Q: Is there anything you’d like to say to potential customers that haven’t been here yet to get them to come, anything they should know? A: About 6 years ago was the high point for the restaurant and we lost our chef who had helped build it up from the window take out to fine dining and you can’t just hire a chef and think things are going to work out. It’s hard to find someone you can trust to fun a million dollars of your business, to find the right person was the hard part. And now that she’s here we’d like to keep her here. And build the trust back up. “Change is always rough, even if it’s better change people may not trust it, people may not understand it. We’re in the process of rebuilding that kind of trust and I think we’re finally starting to really get somewhere with it” – Shannon. I’d like to let people to know that things are looking good here and they’re looking better and if you haven’t been here, now would be a good time to try it.
Ticha: Tell me about your formative years in Mexico.
Lara: My childhood was a very quite one,we were raised in Juarez a city right next to the border of the U.S.I used to play outside a lot with my siblings.
T:At what age did you realize that you wanted to become a teacher?
L: (Laughs) I don't remember the exact age but when I was younger I would always help my younger siblings with their homework.
T:Most teachers earn peanuts, did this put you off a bit?
L:Not at all because I always had a passion for it, my decision was not influenced by how much monhey I would make.
T:How much do teachers earn in Mexico?
L: I can't tell you the exact amount but they are "relatively well paid" at the end of the year teachers get a bonus to spend for the festive holidays.
T:Why did you decide to leave your homeland?
L:I was pursuing a masters degree in El Paso, which is next to Juarez.
T:You chose to teach in the U.S.A, why?
L:I was starting to get settled here I have two kids so staying here to teach was logical. Also my daughter Ana is not a Mexican citizen so before thinking about going back I need to sort out her papers.
T: Did the fact that its right next to your homeland help make your decision?
T:There is a large population of Spanish speakers in this country, did the overwhelming presence of your mother tongue help you settle?
L:No, there are many people who come from the South, Central parts of Mexico and their culture is slightly different from those of us who stay in the North.We are catholic but not as strict as the other parts of the country.
T:Was it difficult learning English as a second language?
L:Very difficult, I started learning Mexico and still have a few problems with pronounciation of some words.
T:Do you feel that being bilingual gives the individual a better chance of succeeding academically and beyond?
L:Yes, we are all connected with other people and language is the medium to communicate with them. It is also good for "abstract thinking."
T:You chose to come to SUNY New Paltz, why?
L:It was destiny. Before I was teaching in Florence, South Carolina at Francis Marion University, it was very conservative and racist and I had a lot of problems with my female colleagues.New Paltz is very liberal so when I got the job I could not refuse.
T:Did you consider teaching at a private school?
L:No, Francis Marion was run like a private school, professors there were too religious and would judge your every move.
T:How do you find the classroom atmosphere in your courses?
L:In general I like it, it is more diverse and liberal than Francis Marion.
T:I noticed that American students in class can't role their r's, do you think that this could hinder their learning of Spanish in the long term?
L:No,"Your accent is part of you your personal history." It is difficult to change that. I put more emphasis on reading and understanding instead of making the right sounds.
T:Do you subscribe to the notion that students from developing countries are more motivated than students from developed countries?
L:Through my experience, foreign students always perform well in my class. I have had French, Turkish students and they have all been good.First generation American students especially from Mexico are hard workers but not as good as the foreigners because of their social economic background.Which is bad in most cases. The parents are insecure and this transmits to the pupil. their background reflects a lot in their performance.
T:Have you suffered from culture shock inside the classroom?
L:Yes!(laughs) the style Ideology of teaching in Mexico is different. Here the chairwoman of the department told me three things:
1.You need to treat your students like little kids
2.Client always has the right.
3.Don't complain about the students
Which is the opposite back home. Students discuss more in class but here they don't like discussing too much, sometimes they are afraid to discuss or not sure about themselves.
T:I remember one class where you said that you preferred assigning homework from the book as opposed to online, do you feel that technology is adversely affecting learning?
L:It devalues the dialogical process which "helps you put all your mind and body into your studies."
T:Have you had difficulties adapting to this new method of teaching?
L:It has been good, helps me put texts on the screen so that everyone is learning even those that forgot their books at home.
T:Outside the classroom, what activities do you enjoy?
L:I like walking on Mainstreet or any sidewalk with my children. I also enjoy sitting outside coffee shops. Also in my spare time I read and research on a lot of things
T:Will you return to live in Mexico one day, perhaps after you retire?
L:For sure! Can't now because of my daughters legal situation but when I sort that out I will go back.
1. What are the duties of a Resident Director? Duties of a Resident Director are vast. I’ll do my best to name a few of the more important ones but the list goes on and on; Mediator Staff Supervisor (RA’s, CDA, and Night Hosts) Physical manager of residence hall Work closely with multiple departments here on campus (Athletics, University Police, Campus Auxiliary Services, Academic Advising, Admissions, Facilities Operations, etc). Promote health and safety policies/procedures/education Hall government advisor Provide direction for hall programming Judicial Process Administrator Assist residents in personal growth To grow professionally
2. Are you trained to handle natural disasters? By who? Yes, by the Red Cross as well as by reading and being familiar with the emergency response plan that’s found on the New Paltz website.]
3. Who is your main form of contact before, during, and after a natural disaster? We utilize an emergency phone tree in Residence Life where one director contacts the next and so on to relay important information that comes from our Director of Residence Life.
4.What are the RA's responsibilities during a natural disaster? They are to meet at the RA office and wait for instruction from the RD. They are to keep the RA office open to answer questions from residents, do rounds of the building to make sure everyone is okay/safe as well as look for any emergency conditions such as broken windows, flooding, fire, etc.
5. Do you receive training to become an RD? Is it similar to the training of an RA, what are the similarities/differences? Yes, there is training every semester for RD’s. People who are considered for RD positions must show some sort of previous Residence Life experience, whether RA, CDA, graduate assistant RD, etc. RD training is a lot more in depth of the training that RA’s get as well as covers more relating to managing our buildings, staffs, counseling, mediation, etc.
6. Have you ever been through a natural disaster before as an RD? What's the experience like? Yes, last year at the beginning of the academic year during Hurricane Irene. The experience for me is normal. You just have to remain calm, relay information, check on everyone, get food/drink/supplies to those who need them and then wait out the storm.
7. Have you had any prior experience that you can use in times of natural disasters as an RD? My training as a firefighter has prepared me well for natural disasters. I constantly go through training that prepares me to handle most situations. There are also online workshops that have prepared me such as NIMS (national incident management system) and ICS (Incident command systems).
8. Does the RA's have little or more experience in natural disaster relief? CPR, First Aid, Etc. RA’s also go through the training that RD’s receive from the Red Cross for disaster relief, as well as occasionally we offer CPR through the Red Cross as well. We do not offer first aid to anyone for liability reasons.
9. How did you react to the power outage in Crispell the night of the storm? The same way as any other incident. I went to the RA office, met up with my RA’s who were there and had them go around the building knocking on doors and making sure everyone was okay, and then hung out in the lobby area to answer questions/concerns of passing residents.
10. What kind of safety precautions you run/check in the building during a storm? Checking areas for leaks, broken windows, smoke/fire, people who need refrigeration for medication, advise residents to stay away from windows, to name a few.
11. Is the dorm equipped with a shelter in the lower level of the building? No, there is no shelter other than advising residents to go to the lower levels of the building if necessary, or in their suite areas/hallways during damaging winds such as hurricanes or tornados so that they are not injured by broken windows.
12. Does the Town of New Paltz have a national whether service location in the area? Not that I’m aware of. We just listen to radio/tv news/internet for information/np alert.
13. What is the evacuation plan for Crispell if any storm may come worst than it did weeks prior? If for whatever reason Crispell had to be evacuated residents would leave the building (residents should be aware of all 3 exits and use them regularly) and go to a neighboring residence hall, either Lefevre or Dubois.
14. What's the most serious storm you have ever witnesses? Probably the most serious storm I’ve ever witnessed was about 3 years ago. It was a massive ice/snow storm that knocked down hundreds of trees, numerous power lines, roads were impassable, power went out for most of the town for upwards of 8 hours, strong winds and blinding snowfall.
15. For residents what do you think is the safest thing for them to d during a storm? The safest thing they can do is to listen to the RD/RA staff’s instructions of what they can/cannot do.
16. How long are the back-up generators programmed to run? Not sure (that’s a question for the facilities management office).
17. Is there a chance to for the back-up generators to run out of power? See answer to question 16.
18. How much power does the generators exert throughout the building? Full power? Half power? Generators only power emergency lighting (suite lights, bathroom lights as well as lounges and hallway lights).
19. Since Crispell is the only newly renovated suite style dorm in the Hasbrouck complex is there anything special that Crispell has that the other surrounding dorms around Hasbrouck does not have that helps during stormy whether? Not that I’m aware of.
20. How experienced are you as a Resident Director? Are you comfortable taking charge in any given situation when needed? I have lots of experience. Yes, I’m very comfortable taking charge in any situation because I take pride in preparing for anything. I read up on policies/procedures constantly and have learned through experience over the years.
Why did you choose not to go to college? It wasn’t that I wasn’t offered to go to college, I was. I was offered scholarships for wrestling, but I didn’t have the grades to back it up. Plus, marrying Arlene (his wife) was my focus at that time. What schools offered you a scholarship? NYU, CW Post, Ithica, Hofstra, Ferman Do you think not going to college pushed you harder? No because in those days you didn’t have to go to college. What pushed me harder was being married and having kids at the age of 21. But if I could add to that, because sports played such a large role in my life, what my coaches taught me about winning and losing was that I could compete against anybody and outwork them. I had that instilled in me throughout my life. What was Yohoo like when you first started working there? When I got to Yohoo they were selling less than a million cases a year. I got offered the job of general sales manager and I fought him saying that Yahoo had seen it’s best days and he reminded me of how successful he’s been and that’s what made me change my mind. In 6 years we drove it to 15 million cases. What kinds of jobs did you have prior to Yohoo? I started driving a soda truck then become a district manager at Nocal soda. I was the youngest manager there at age 26. Yogi Berra was the spokesperson for Yohoo and then suddenly stopped. Why did this happen? Yogi Berra met the original owner of Yohoo on a golf course and they hit it off real well. They got him to be the spokesperson. For that he would get the vice presidency of yohoo and get stocks and be part owner of it. Unfortunatly the original owner sold the business and the new ownership used Yogi and the Yankees and never lived up to the commitment and Yogi basically left with nothing. He helped make it a success and walked out with no money at all and that’s why he was so negative and left the company. He later returned to Yohoo. Was he still bitter? I bought him back in 1991 and used him in a promotion. He was very bitter, but I told him no matter where I went in the country whoever I met, they would refer to Yohoo as “Yogi Bera’s” drink. I told Yogi, “You’re sitting home pouting and you’re not getting anything. I’m willing to pay you to use your name; I’m going to use your name anyway because people will always associate you with the drink. Do you think if you were a teenager today you would have went to college? No, because I didn’t know I was going into soft drinks. I had enough getting through high school. I worked very hard. When you started working after you graduated high school, did you think you would end up being president of a company? No, the only thing I knew was that I would not drive a truck for the rest of my life. My father was a beer truck driver and I promised him when I took the job that I wouldn’t be on that truck for 40 years like he was. I was driven enough that I knew I wanted to get into management and didn’t think it would take me as far as it did. What would you say to college students who are just getting out into the work force? I think the toughest part is starting at the bottom. I think everyone is fed that your start at the top and you really don’t. You got to put your do’s in somewhere and to me if you work hard, the do’s you put in has to pay off because there are too many phonies out there who want things handed to them. You have to earn what you get.
1. Why did you decide to come to New platz? - I wanted to Study Abroad in the United States and New Paltz was closer to the city and I got a scholarship to come to New Paltz
2. How did you find out about New Paltz? -My college in Brazil has some kind of partnership with New Paltz and I went to the international office to learn more about this school.
3. How is the school system in Brazil different from here? - In Brazil there is no such thing as Majors or Minors. There are only courses. In Brazil you do not need to take unnecessary courses that do not apply to your major. All the classes you take are for the course you are studying. Instead of asking them what is your major? They ask what is your course? Also we do not have an advisor like students in New Paltz have.
4. Is New Paltz harder than the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro? - I have to see my grades in order for me to know if it is harder or not, but I don’t think so.
5. How is the process of entering college in Brazil? - First you will have to do a national exam after high school and after people will have to do a specific exam for the university they want to go to.
6- I heard in an article that the president of brazil wants to accept more black people in college, what is that about.? Can you explain that? -in brazil public schools are free and have worse education until high school. Private schools are expensive and have a better education system. It is not that black people aren’t accepted in college it is that most black people in brazil are poor and they do not have the best knowledge because they could not afford going to a good school. However the president, Dilma Rousseff, wants to give an opportunity to everyone and wants to accept 50 percent of people that went to public schools and the other 50 percent are people who come from any school. The percentages of people accepted have to have had a good exam grade in order to be accepted. Most black people don’t have the right knowledge to pass because most can’t afford a good education.
7. Do you think there are more opportunities here in New York rather than in Brazil? why or why not? -yes, because in New York there are more flexible with work schedules and it is easier to work and study at the same time. In Brazil you have to choose one or the other because the minimum of hours you can work is about 40 hours per week. Also, there are a lot of big companies and non-governmental organizations than in Brazil and because of this opportunity I got an internship in the city for “Earth child institute.”
8. How did you get the internship for “Earth child institute?” - My professor told me about this internship and told me to send them my resume. I did, they interviewed me and I got the job.
9. Do you think that the internship in Earth child institute will help you towards your goal in working for “Doctors without borders?” -yes, because I am learning how to develop projects with humanitarian issues about children.
10. Describe the job tasks for “Doctors without borders?” - you spend a couple of months in a place where there is a humanitarian crisis like people who are starving or have diseases and you stay there and with the team, you try to help them by providing food, shelter or medical assistance
11. What is the main reason why you would like to work for “Doctors without borders?” - I love helping people and I don’t imagine seeing myself working in a place where I earn money for myself without making a difference. There are many issues in the world and I want to help people to improve the world.
12. How supportive were your parents when you left? -my mother supported me and wanted me to do anything that would help me succeed. My father did not support me and wanted me to stay.
13. What have you learned while your time here at New Paltz? -it gave me different views of international relations that in my college in brazil. In Brazil we are more critical and in new Paltz they are more idealistic and do see things in different aspects.
14. What are your plans after you leave New Paltz? -I plan to find a job in brazil as soon as I get back in a non-governmental organization.
15. What are your plans after you graduate college? -I want to do a master in international humanitarian issues. I would like to do my masters in Europe or New York. But if I don’t get it I would stay in Brazil
16. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? - by then I hope to have my masters and hopefully working somewhere in Africa helping people who are in need.
17. Are you planning on coming back to the United States? -yes. I would like to do my masters in New York and find a job.
1) How long have you worked in the mail room? 8 years 2) Have you noticed over the course of 8 years, any drastic changes in the mail you’ve seen going through? Yes, there are a lot more incoming packages. 3) What do you think can be attributed as the cause? There’s an increase in students on campus and online shopping. 4) Do you think the internet had some effect? Yes, online shopping is definitely a new, popular trend. 5) Have you noticed any specific mail corporations dominating? I see a lot of Amazon, Chegg, Ebay. 6) How has your job changed? In the beginning of most semesters, the amount of students has become ridiculous with the amount of books coming in. 8) Do you think things have gotten easier or harder for you? Both 9) (If more difficult) Why do you think this is? When the system goes down, everything is ten folds more difficult. Takes a full day to resink the hand-held. Caused all packages to be marked delivered when they were not. 10) (If easier) Why? The system used to consist of 2 halves of sheets and the sorting of actual physical sheets through an organizer. 11) Have you noticed the line for the mailroom has gotten longer over the years? Yes, especially in the beginning of the semester. 12) Has there been more activity? Activity and students picking up mail has remained level, however, more packaging as opposed to paper mail. 13) How do you feel about the internet and it’s change on mail? I personally find it very helpful with work. Tracking numbers make everything much less complicated and less time consuming. 14) Do you think things have gotten less personal? Things have shifted from paper to digital. Instead of letters, people send emails. A lot of mail itself is no longer physical. 15) If you were to mail something, what company would you choose? This answer depends on what I would be mailing. I think the tracking number is definitely very helpful. UPS next-day shifting is a reliable company. 16) Would you do this through the internet? Also depends on the specific thing I’m buying. There are plenty of online sales. 17) What are the advantages of the internet’s changes in the industry? This has definitely helped our system to become a lot more organized. 18) Disadvantages? A lot more packages all at once can often create a backup in the beginning of semesters. 19) Has the internet made the mailing process quicker? Tracking numbers and the hand-held system. 20) How do you think it will further change the industry? I can see things being completely technological. We could always use some funding to help our system be updated.
1) What initially got you interested in such a candid form of modeling? -“I found out from a model in my drawing class. I’m a BFA graphic design major and needed a job that could make me good money. I got good feedback too. Lots of my dance moves applied to the nude poses.
1A) How often? - “I model twice a week for three hours at the school and also at Unison Art Center a mile up the mountain once a month. I get paid school $ 15.85 through the school and, $20 an hour through Unison. Professor Sheryl Wheat influenced me to start and made me feel so comfortable and gave me the courage to do it.”
2) Why do you think nude modeling is frowned upon? - “Some people don’t see it as art. They don’t realize I’m a figure that is here to be drawn and nothing more. They see it as a sexual act. Once a guy asked ‘what do you do in this class? And I told him it’s a nude figure drawing class and he responded saying he wanted to be in the class to go to look at naked girls. It was very sexual I’m a form not a sex object.”
3) Was everyone accepting of your choice to be a nude model or did you lack support? -“My parents were iffy; growing up I wasn’t a kid who was comfortable being naked. My parents said, ‘Why can you be naked in front of all those people and not in front of us?’ But then again I also have a little brother and can’t really walk around naked.”
4) Is it uncomfortable or awkward? Especially if someone you know is in the class. - “It was initially when I started and my friend was in the class, but she made me comfortable when she said, ‘Kristen I have the same parts as you. I’ m not going to see you any differently.’ I actually hang out with a lot of the students and other models in the classes I model for.”
5) In what way and why? - “I modeled for an intro class and when I would see one of the students outside of class she would yell out, ‘nude model, I’ve seen you naked, nude model!’ every time I’d see her it was demeaning. So one day I went right up to her and said, ‘Don’t call me by my profession. It’s not like you’d walk up to a plumber and say ‘hey plumber,’ it’s degrading, I have a name.”
6) What do you think it would’ve been like nude modeling in another country and why? -“In France the education system was set up different and the classroom set up itself was different. Students weren’t forced to go to class like we are in America and teachers show more concern for their students. It would be a larger audience with the same people in every class. It might be less direction I don’t know if it would’ve been as informative for poses and what not, but I wouldn’t have modeled because of the language barrier, although I can understand and navigate French I still have to think about what people are saying and how to reply to what they are saying.”
7) Are other countries more accepting of the practice? - “People weren’t as accepting of my pink hair in France as they were in Germany, but pretty much the same as our country, some people would feel awkward and others would be okay with it.”
8) Did you hear about the 9th grade Middletown teacher who was suspended for recommending his more advanced art students take up a figure (nude) drawing class? - “No, I’m personally not interested in drawing nude models. I’m a graphic designer and I don’t focus on drawing figures. Dance and yoga helped me a lot with poses. I can pick my own music while I model, some professors say only classical and others don’t care what kind of music. I choose music that helps students focus.”
9) Do you think it was justified? - “No I don’t think it’s justified. I feel drawing the nude figure is an essential part for drawing students to learn how to draw from a live figure. You lose a lot of depth from trying to draw a flat figure. He was just trying to help his students improve. People give it negative connotation and sexualize it, but that doesn’t make that teacher a creep by asking his students to advance their skills and try nude drawing.
10) Do you think being proud of your body something to be ashamed of? -“No, I think people need to be more proud of themselves. A new style is girls showing their undergarments mainly skinny girls. People prefer to draw heavier models because they create more depth to the object being drawn. People need to draw both skinny and heavy set models to fully understand the human form. We aren’t taught how to eat healthy and be healthy. Regardless your body image is something to be proud of. People should say ‘ok this is me this is who I am, take me as I am’. If you are bigger own it and be proud of it. If you can help it, be the best form you can be.”
11) Do you think taking off your clothes for the sake for money is acceptable in general? - “It depends on if the model or whatever they are wants to do it. Are they just doing it for money or do they actually like what they do? If they’re only doing it for money not a cause then they should respect themselves and not exploit themselves. They should do it because they find some interest in it.”
12) Do you think taking off your clothes for the sake of art, which you happen to get paid to do can be put on the same wave length as per say an exotic dancer? -“No, because I’m not there to turn people on, but I have seen males with canvases over their laps at times (haha). I don’t have anything against them, but they are there for entertainment and I am there for atmospheric purposes as a reference to the human body. I’m there as a study object. People don’t draw me to unwind for entertainment they draw me to learn.”
12B) Has it made you more comfortable with your body? - “It has definitely made me more comfortable with my body. Before nude modeling I would never let anyone take nude pictures of me and now I would. I think because a drawing is a replica of what happened and a photograph is what happened.” - 13) Do you think exotic dancing is an art? - “Yes, it’s different from nude modeling but is an art. Its self-expression and a skill. They have to learn how to move their body accordingly.”
14) Why do you think people are so shocked to see a nude body? After all we all have one. - “I think it has to do with the association, ‘oh nude person, sex.’ We see it as taboo.”
15) Do you think it stems from people’s personal discomfort with their body image? -“It could definitely, if you aren’t comfortable with yourself and then you see someone who is beautiful it could definitely cause some jealous animosity. To look at someone and say I could never be like that and therefore not wanting to see it or rejecting it all together.”
16) Do you think it stems from society? - “In advertising sex is always squeezed into places. You see a nude body and you are automatically taught to assume it’s sexual not an art, but rather on the wave length of prostitution or something.” 17) How do you think society can define nude modeling as controversial when the media sells much of their product through the means of sex? - “Completely unjust and gives it a bad name by manipulating people. It uses nude people to lure people into their product and that is not at all what nude modeling is about. Nobody makes you draw nude models or become one, it’s a choice, but in advertising its inevitably shoved in your face and there’s no way to get rid of it.” -
18) Do you think nude models are imperative to learning how to draw the human body both realistically and accurately? -“Definitely, you can’t really learn it any other way, from a drawing, photograph or sculpture there would still be another rendition that takes away from the depth behind it. You wouldn’t be drawing from a point of view and you can study it yourself from the source, but not from secondary sources.”
19) Are the people drawing you when you’re nude grateful for the experience you enabled them to have? -“I think so; they always thank me at the end. I always get a thank you at the end of the classes so it seems like people are appreciative.”
20) Have you ever had a bad experience being a nude model in any way? - “ No I haven’t”
21) Are you an art student? Yes, I’m in the BFA program for Graphic design, but I don’t focus on figure drawing.
22) Have you ever drawn a nude model? -“ Yes”
23) If so did you find having a nude model in your class helpful to learning how to draw the naked body? - “I definitely found it helpful. A lot of times we had a bust, but I feel like I learned how to draw the human body better from a live nude figure. I improved greatly.”
24) Do you think you will continue nude modeling after college? -“I would like to. They offer it at New Paltz for people who graduate and would like to continue and I think I would definitely like to.”
25) Do you think nude modeling is good for your art career? -“Specifically I’m a graphic designer and they aren’t really looking for fine art backgrounds, but rather computer. On a resume I would say I provided atmosphere for drawing and am a classroom helper, but for what I’m doing specifically, no.”
26) Do you think nude drawing helps people to control their primal urges and become more aware of themselves and their surroundings (the world on a larger scale)? - “I agree. When I model sometimes I see myself as an animal. Animals don’t wear clothes and animals look at other animals naked. No other species are weird about looking at the other nude so why should we be?”
27) Is it an honest art? Opposed to the media that is continually sending misleading messages about their products through the means of sex? - “The way I do it can’t be manipulated. I’m not there to be tricked into anything. People are learning off of me and I’m not there to do or make anyone feel uncomfortable.”
28) Do you think it’s fair to say people who don’t support nude modeling have the right to take action to get it banned? - “No because nude modeling has been around since the renaissance like Michelangelo and Picasso and they learned from having these models. It would hinder people’s progress as artists if we took it away. It’s not affecting them so why should they care. If they don’t support it that’s fine, they should mind their own business and stay apart from it and allow others to continue. I feel the same way about prostitution. If it’s not affecting you then why care? It would become a sketchy situation because people would still need to draw nude models and people would still sneak around to do it and would exploit it and nude models would be trafficked in order to do their jobs.”
29) What effect would it have on art and figure drawing if its practice were banned?--> see last answer.
30) Why is a naked body so controversial now? When hundreds of years back you wouldn’t dream of finding a clothed statue. Specifically statues created by the Greeks and Romans that are still considered beautiful and brilliant, such as the Statue of David by Michelangelo. - “There was a time in Roman history when church officials were outrages by all the nude figures in the Vatican because they thought it was appalling and made the artists go around and put leaves on all the nude figures private parts. I feel like perhaps there is a rebirth of that today in some small way. Perhaps people only see it as taboo and the media exploits it and makes it out like its bad. America as a puritan country came here to escape the nudity in Europe and we still have that instilled in our society in some ways. I think it has to do with religion and society exploiting it in some ways.”
31) Are there just as many nude male models as female? - “No, but there still are, but there are significantly less. Probably because there are 70% more girls at New Paltz than there are boys.”
32) How do they differ? - “The poses are different. Males have more rigid stances and women and have more fluid poses because of the different ways our bodies are formed. It’s more rare to have a male model and it’s a different experience. With woman we have more circles with males we have more boxes and it’s a completely different form being drawn.”
33) How are they the same? - “They both provide an object to be drawn, functionality is the same. It’s still similar forms and is not completely and utterly different, but it’s different and the same at the same time.”
34) Do people prefer or mind one over another? - “I’ve never drawn a male model to be honest, but I’d like to. I can’t say honestly I have a preference or opinion until I have experienced it myself.
35) Do you think males who participate in nude modeling are considered homosexual by others/society? - “No, quite the opposite. They’re more like ‘oo we get to model with girls’ in New Paltz at least. I’ve only known one male model that I modeled with so I don’t have much experience or preference with it.”
36) Why do you think visitors to the Paris gallery, already quite familiar with art featuring the naked body (Painting, Olympia), so outraged by the famous painting that the gallery was forced to hire two policemen to protect the canvas? - “Perhaps it wasn’t because of the nude white figure who is luxuriously sitting there, it was probably because they found it racist having a black maid with tattered clothing looking less fortunate than her.”
37) Do you think the fact that the model in the famous painting (Olympia) was an actual prostitute has set the standard or belief that nude modeling in art is demeaning? Or is strictly done by people with a lack of respect for themselves? -“I think she was probably just readily available. During those times you couldn’t just walk up to anyone and just ask anyone to model naked for you. They were already comfortable enough with themselves to model nude for this guy and were in the trade of nudity. The fact that both nude models for art and prostitutes are already comfortable and have jobs where they have to be naked makes them similar. I think it could lead to people thinking that because people in general have and connotation with prostitution, but if something has a bad connotation in general and then they do something else I could see how nude modeling would get a bad reputation from that.”
38) Why do you think nude paintings and statues made hundreds of years ago are still famous if society has shifted its views negatively on nude modeling? Wouldn’t there taste change as society does? - “I think it’s because they see those as being classical there almost reviewed in society today as being high society, classical beauty we have it instilled. But if it happened today it wouldn’t have the same affect it would be just as effective as any other bust.”
39) If society can respect famous nude paintings from long ago then why do you think they are having trouble accepting it now? - “I think that nude paintings are respected the same way as they were back in the day. People who want to see them go to view them and people don’t want to see them, don’t. So in many ways I feel its similarly accepted”
40) Do you think any of the students in nude drawing classes are there for the wrong reasons apart from drawing you? - “Maybe in the intro classes.”
41) Do you think the media using sex or nudity as a publicity stunt is acceptable? When many would deem what you do inappropriate and yet nudity is everywhere by the means of the media. - “The media is using nudity in a different way than art uses nudity. I don’t think it’s acceptable, they’re using it to manipulate people and art is using it to express.”
Sorry this is a few days late but I was just home to do my interview. My subject also typed up answers to the questions I sent him ahead of time, so I guess that would be the best thing to post here--
Give some background information leading up to your choice in a career path? -I am one of 4 CPA’s in my family of 8 children. My father was a doctor. Since three of my brothers are CPA’s, I also chose that career path. Accounting was important to everyone especially if you were in the business world. I graduated from Siena College in 1979 with a business degree in accounting and knew that the local capital district business leaders favored hiring accounting students from Siena College. Like my seven other siblings, we are all college graduates with honors. In public accounting career path, you have two choices to select from, the big 4 national firms or the local smaller size CPA firms. I knew people who worked at the big 4 who were either all audit or all tax accountants but not both. I made the decision to obtain employment at a local firm so that I would obtain practical experience in all aspects of public accounting. I grew up in a family environment of striving to do your best in whatever profession you chose and I had my parent’s full support throughout my job search.
What service does your company provide for the public? -My firm is a public accounting firm providing both accounting and tax services to the general public in upstate New York.
When did you begin working at your current firm? What jobs did you hold before this one? Did you work at any accounting firms before TBC? -I began working at Teal Becker on July 27, 1983. Prior to that I worked at a another local CPA firm called Stulmaker Roach & Co. from 1979 thru July 1983.. My uncle owned a liquor store in downtown Albany that I worked part time at from 1973 thru 1979 as an assistant store manager which was invaluable working experience with the general public on a daily basis.
What position(s) did you have before managing partner? -My positions were as follows: 1979-1981- Junior Accountant 1981-1985-Senior accountant 1986 -1992-Manager 1992-2012-Shareholder
How long/what did it take to earn your current position? -I became a CPA on February 19 1982 . I became a shareholder on January 1, 1992.
Briefly describe the experience you have that qualifies you for your position. -I have worked in private industry for 6 years and now have completed 33 years in public accounting working for a diversified client base including retail stores , contractors, physicians, government, clients such as school districts and colleges as well as auto dealers.
Briefly describe what you personally do on a daily basis at work? -I review all open jobs assigned to me on a daily basis. I sit with each employee to gather what needs to be done to complete those open jobs. I review administrative paperwork from my controller each day such as income statements, cash balances, health insurance, employee issues etc.
How to you build a trusting relationship with your clients? -Being honest with each one of them upfront and telling them when you do not know the answer. Getting help when you need it from others in the firm as needed to answer their individual concerns
TBC’s website ensures excellence in customer satisfaction, give some examples of how you go above and beyond to ensure this. -When we promise the client we will have the tax return and financial statement due by a certain date, we make sure the right staff is assigned and deadlines are met especially within a set dollar amount we quoted the client ahead of time in an “engagement letter” which details what services to be expected.
The company’s website also notes how it has “developed longstanding associations with attorneys, bankers, bonding agents and other professionals that play an instrumental role in developing and implementing comprehensive financial strategies.” Please briefly describe the importance of building these relations. -They are our number one referral sources that provided us with new clients each month. In the business community, businesses place a lot of trust in their banker and attorney on giving them sound financial advise. Part of that team should be a quality CPA firm to help guide them thru both the upturns and downturns in the economy such as we are experiencing currently.
Would you say you have a good relationship with your employees? In your opinion how do you maintain one? -Yes I have an overall good relationship with the majority of my employees. This is a result of being a good listener as well as being fair and open minded in my daily business dealings with each one of them.
Give an example of how you’ve contributed to the business’ development. -I have developed strong business relationships with 4 local bank presidents of the major banks in our area. In this way, I have put on educational seminars for their bankers on accounting rules as well as joint projects for their customers and ours by providing speakers and valuable handouts. This leads to these banks providing business leads to us in the future when a new customer comes into the bank looking for advice.
Has the business achieved any awards or recognitions while you were a manager? If so please describe them. -My firm has won top places to work in local businesses 3 out of the last 4 years. In addition , we have been recognized by multiple charities for our volunteers and financial support in the newspaper and on television
What was your proudest moment in regards to the company? -It would be my fellow shareholders voting me the new managing partner for the next 5 years at our firm. In addition, it was my wife being named partner at the firm in 2012.
What are your future (long or short term) goals for the company? -Short-term goal is to transition my client base to younger CPAs in the firm as I prepare to manage the day to day operations of the firm. Long-term goals are to improve cash flow in the firm as well as oversee the growth of other services that we provide our clients and ensure job stability for all of the employees both present and in the future
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10? -In 5 years, I see myself spending over 75% of my time in the office working on my administrative duties overseeing hopefully a 100 employee CPA firm. In 10 years, I hope to be semi retired helping out on the bigger issues at the firm based upon my extensive work experience
Is there anything you would change about the work you are currently doing or your position in general?. -Yes, I wish deadlines were not mandated on us as to when tax returns are due by a certain date so that we could enjoy more time off with our families around those deadlines.
Any other information you would like to share. -Our reputation in the business community is a high integrity outstanding CPA firm that professionals and the public trust that consistently has provided high quality services since 1971.
1-How long have you owned Rhino Records? I bought it in 2009.
2-How did you come to own Rhino Records? The old owner, Steve Ferber was getting tired of the grind. I loved the place, so when I heard he was selling, I knew I had to buy it.
3-What would you say your CD to Vinyl ratio is? As far as CD to Vinyl, I'd say 8 out of every 10 units we sell are vinyls. But we also sell books and local art.
4-What kind of music do you find you sell more of, old classics or new music? Well, old music simply because there's more of it out there. An original run for even a big band is usually 200,000, which sounds like a lot but really isn't.
5-Rhino has had several owners since its inception in the mid 70's. What do you think makes you unique as the latest? I don't think I'm unique as an owner. I just want to bring music to people who might otherwise not hear it.
6-Do you think that being located in a town like New Paltz is a help to business? I think so. There's a reason there's no Rhino across from Marist anymore. There has to be a market.
7-Coming out of college, where did you see yourself working in 5 years? DNA
8-Do you feel that you've learned more about music or business in your time at Rhino? That's a good one. From a practical side, I've learned more about business, but I really value the time I get with customers who just come in to shoot the shit.
9-What first attracted you to owning a business, much less a used record store? It was just a combination of right time right store. I had just come into a little bit of money, and Steve said if I bought out his stock, I could buy the store for a dollar. So I did.
10-Figures show that in 2009, record sales more than doubled after years of stagnation. Why do you think this is? There's a level of compression that comes with putting music on a medium. As we've gotten further down the line, from vinyl to tape to CD to digital, the dynamic range has been squeezed. I like to think that people had enough of crappy sounding music.
11-With the proliferation of first CD's and now digital download, to what do you attribute the undying love for Vinyl? DNA
12-What have you done personally to keep records in the limelight? I own a record store!
13-Have you found the focus of the store changing at all? (eg: More of a certain genre, more gimmick discs) Not at all. We've known that there's always a niche for us, but we did make a conscious decision a few years ago to start carrying more books for example. It helps us draw in a type that may have just tagged along with a friend.
14-Do you see a spike in business when the students return in the fall? Not really. Our sales figures stay pretty steady, with a holiday spike. By asking about fall, you're implying it's the non-commuter students that buy here, and typically it's not. I see the same faces year round.
15-What else do you sell here in the store? DNA
16-The history regarding the Rhino Records label and the Rhino Records store is well documented. How does carrying on the tradition of making otherwise inaccessible music available to the masses make you feel? Even if this music was inaccessible, which in the age of the internet is just ridiculous, it makes me proud to bear this flag of ours. I've got Jim Jarmusch on my side, that's good enough for me.
17-How does it feel to know that Rhino Records is considered to be a bastion of "cool music" as quoted by noted cool person Jim Jarmusch? I love it. Hi, Jim.
18-Looking at Rhino's Yelp! page, you get the distinct feeling that Rhino strikes a great balance: huge selection and great prices. If you had to choose one of those two to be known for, which would it be and why? Great selection. You can buy a copy of ZOSO anywhere, we have things that people search high and low for. When people find what they've been looking for to complete their collection, I get a real thrill out of it. It doesn't hurt that they'll usually pay for it, no matter the price.
19-Where would you like to see the record industry go in the future? I would like to see production runs ramped up. Beyond just hearing music, buying a record meant you had a piece of art. From the liner notes to the art and inserts, it's more than just clicking a button and having it instantly. The detail on the cover of Santana's Abraxas just can't be replicated in a 2x2 JPEG.
20-Desert Island question: Which 5 albums do you bring? If you ask me again later, it will change, but right now it's: The Feelies - Crazy Rhythym, Radiohead - The Bends, Jorma Kaukonen - Quah, Edith Piaf - Ses Plus Belle Chansons and Dap Dippin with Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings.
Why did you decide to go into documentary film making?
I was raised by my grandmother who was extremely old, born in 1898 and past was always part of my present. She ran a speak easy during the prohibition, she had an identical twin and many stories. I never interviewed her however and her stories died with her so I got really into preserving oral history, it was kind of innovative at the time.
How did you get your start? I took any job that I could get, I grew up poor in Boston and couldnt afford to go to college so I took a job telemarketing at PBS and eventually went to college and worked my way up to development in PBS.
Do you strive to make a difference with your films?
Yes. All my films are involved with some kind of activism. Such as prison reform, identity, gender and sexuality. Gender and sexuality has been my most nationally recognized work, I had many friends die of AIDS and people didnt really talk about these issues. I fought for PBS to produce Stonewall, the first documentary on gay history nothing had been yet covered on it.
What draws you to certain topics ? For instanc "cruel and unusual: Transgender Women in Prison" is an unusual topic.
Little or nothing had been done about this topic; it was foreign. I used to live in the meat packing district and the culture was so different. I tried to look at class issues and it turned into a prison film.
Is it difficult to get funding for projects/films?
YES. Very. For each film I raise anywhere from 2,000 to 500,000 dollars. It is very hard and has become more competitive because tools are more accessible. I typically fundraise by going to individuals, family foundations, state foundations, NYSCA, broadcasters, and I also apply for grants. I think I would say I spend the most time fundraising.
What do you think is the biggest challenge you face while working as a filmmaker?
-Getting the funds!- It is also hard to get access but I also love it, earning trust from people for example it was hard to gain trust from the transgender woman in prison that I interviewed.
What is the most remote or obscure location you have ever shot at?
Cambodia, Cairo, Egypt, Alaska, Thailand
Have you ever had to put yourself or anyone else in danger while making a film?
I was shot at in Egypt but I have never been harmed luckily.
What is your favorite piece you've ever worked on?
Womens history called "Her Place in History" it was a docu-drama challenging but it was my favorite I loved how it came out well.
What kind of skills do you feel are vital to have as a filmmaker?
Storytelling. You have to be able to tell a good story, you also need to be passionate about the story you are telling. Raising money takes a long time. "You have to either be insane or passionate", you need tremendous perserverance.
Do you plan on continuing in your field?
Yes. Right now im teaching and programming but I'm still making films just less of them. I am trying for one every six years. I love helping people make work and getting it seen. I am working as a programmer for a Tribeca and still working for PBS.
favorite quote: "Make sure you really want to tell the story your going to tell, you need passion"
How long have you been teaching? Started in 1971
ReplyDeleteHow long at New Paltz? 10 years
How did it feel to win teacher of the year in 2008? Good because I was recognized for liking what I do; got $1,000
Why did you decide to become a history professor? Loved teaching; majored in english and philosophy, wife got pregnant, switched to history and included literature to leach
Where do you think you would’ve been if you didn’t lose your football scholarship? It was a good thing, got me out of the Midwest and back to NY. Put me in the center of everything, irony and contingency”
Do you thiknk being an older professor gives you an upperhand in teaching history? Oldest in the department, I don’t like it experience counts, but I don’t have any great wisdom over anyone else
Have you ever looked at ratemyprofessor? Yes, I was embarrassed because they were all nice things. Im glad I reached a lot of students; students are the number one important thing, and im glad new paltz let’s me do that. Students > material
How has reaching at NP changed you? Keeps me in touch with young people my first time here was teaching, I love academic freeom and openness. State education is important, I don’t like private schools even though I went to NYU
What was the most exciting point in your life? Birth of my children; I passed out when my son was born
What are some other interesting life experiences you’ve had? Too many; Woodstock, march on Washington, breaking my nose 5x, first time in paris I was 19 and I felt more at home there than in the US. The right place at the right time
If you could give your students on piece of advice what would it be? “it’s ok to build castles in the air because that’s where they should be. Now go out and build a foundation under them: - Henry David Thoreau. Dream, but do things to make them happen
What was the greastest moment of your teaching career? Idk, that’s a great question. My greatest thrill is when students call me up years later and say they remember something from my class it’s a collection of moments. Student teaching in the Bronx I got hit in the head with a rock by 7th graders
What is your favorite part of history to teach? History of ideas; ideas move the past and it’s the job of a historian to take ideas for students to put them in historical context. I’m a history professor who doesn’t like dates.
If you could run our country what is the fisrt thing you would change? Make an honest, 100% effort to make sure everyone understood that poverty is real-if we make that the number one priority to improve 24 million Americans in poverty; also, big macs for everyone
Is there anything else? “It’s hard work staying 10 years old”
Part 1
ReplyDelete- What would you say was the reason that made the owner wanted to open the store?
- Always had a love for vintage things, so much so that she lives in a Victorian house now
- What did she do before she opened the store?
- She was a designer actually. She designed hats and all different types of accessories in new York
- What made her want to leave all of that to open Aphrodite’s?
- While designing was her passion, antiquing was her love even more. It’s not that she didn’t love designing or anything it’s just that antiquing was something that had always been fun for her and was something that she loved to do. So it was really an easy choice.
- What was your involvement with all of that and her opening of the store?
- Well we are best friends and it was something I am interested in as well so it just seemed natural that I would help her with it
- Did you work with her when she was designing as well?
- The most help I really did with that was telling her what I thought was pretty and what I would wear. Before I was helping her with the store I worked for SUNY actually
- Ohh that’s interesting, what did you do exactly?
- I worked at Hasbrouck dining hall, I loved it there. Everyone called me mom, and the little Hasbrouck angel
- Another thing I was wondering was where do you find the things that you sell here?
- Everywhere! Estate sales, yard sales, all over the world actually
- All over the world, what do you mean by that?
- The owner, my friends loves to travel. So when she is vacationing in all these tropical and foreign places she finds all different types of jewelry and furniture that she brings back and sells.
- Can you tell me more about your involvement in finding things to sell here?
- I’m not really too involved in that aspect of things. I mean sometimes I will go with her to these garage and estate sales but that’s more her thing. While I like doing that sort of thing I am not as in love with it as she is. You know she opened the store so she would be able to do that.
- In your opinion what makes Aphrodite’s different from other thrift/antique stores in the area?
- Mostly the diversity of our products, we have a very different selection from the other stores that are here in town. That’s one of the nice things about being in a small town, all the different business’ and business owners want to stay in business while at the same time see the other stores be successful as well. Everyone here generally tries to carry as different products as possible. And if someone here in New Paltz has something similar to what is carried at Aphrodite’s my friend just takes it out of here and moves it to the other store.
Part 2
ReplyDelete- There is another location of Aphrodite’s?
- Yes! It just opened recently, about a year or two ago over in highland
- Clearly the store is very successful seeing that it has a second location. Has it always been as successful as it is today?
o -I would say so. There was never really any big hit that the store took, even when everything was happening with the economy.
- How has the store managed to remain in business for as long as it has?
- Well we are always getting new customers who come in. There are new students every year and from that we get all of the new students and all of their parents and if they have friends who visit. And of course all of the tourists who stop through here on their way to the mountain house.
- What made her pick New Paltz for the location, did she go to school here?
o -No, when she was looking for her house she looked around the area and had just fell in love with New Paltz. And when she had first wanted to open up the store here was close to her home and she thought that New Paltz would be just the perfect place for the type of store she wanted to open. Also being in a location where antiquing is a big thing has definitely helped her stay in business.
- How did she come up with the name?
- Well Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty. And that what her store is, her love for antiquing is the love part and just the beauty of all of the different items in the store.
- How is the pricing for your items decided?
- Just really how any business decides their pricing. Mostly what we take into account is how much the item we are selling actually cost us. It’s not as complex as you would think
Interview with general manager of Gadaleto’s, Steve Kraus, accompanied with chef, Shannon Hart
ReplyDeletePart 1
1. Q: Tell me how you got involved with this business.
A: I started in ’96 as a student at SUNY and at that time it was the only place that would hire me so I ended up here. I cam and left a couple of times and worked my way up
2. Q: What did you do?
A: I primarily worked in the market and I did little bits in the kitchen.
3. Q: Are there any other Gadaleto’s locations or restaurants owned by the same owners?
A: No, this is the only one.
4. Q: Gadaleto’s was originally in Highland. Why did it move here?
A: I think it actually burned down. So were in the process of compiling the history because we don’t actually have that.There were multiple locations in highland and Poughkeepsie in previous years but I believe they both burned down and this location was already running so they just made the switch over. Now there’s just us.
5: Q: So you handpick the seafood at New Fulton’s Fish Market?
A: Correct, I am the fish buyer.
6. Q: Where does that seasfood come from?
A: It’s a large market in the United States and it gets fish shipped from around the world daily. There are auctions to determine the price and big houses would buy from there. Some come directly from their own boats.
7. Q: What else do you do for Gadaleto’s?
A: I’m the general manager so I deal with everything from staff and customers to back to the house stuff; pricing, inventory. Since I have Shannon, my partner, Stacie, and I don’t have to spend so much time in the kitchen. We work together and all the decisions come across our desks.
8: Q: I see on Facebook the specials come up every so often.
A: Every Friday we have new specials. We actually used to accept Hawk dollars and then they got so expensive we had to stop doing it.
9. Q: How did the transition from market to market and restaurant happen?
A: A car actually drove through the window. The owner at the time, Steve, was toying with the idea of putting in a restaurant there. When they had to rebuild they decided to put the kitchen in. Everything it seems has came about through disasters. Then they put this extension on a couple years later; the dining room came in and the cuisine started to get elevated to fine dining. Family friendly fine dining.
10. Q: The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesday. How was that decided?
A: There wasn’t enough business to cover the costs for those days. Mondays and Tuesday in most restaurants are the slowest days of the week. It gives [the cooks] and automatic break from the kitchen. It gives a day for inventory, to create and just catch up.
11. Q: What is busier, the market or the retsurant?
A: The restaurant is about 30% of the revenues. The market is the bigger revenue center. They work together. We can’t cut one part.
12. Q: Tell me about your market sales. What is the most popular item there.
A: Wild King Salmon. Shrimp, scallops and clams. Tilapian flounder. Those are the most popular fish. They would be consistent with most markets I would think.
13. Q: Do you have any exotic products right now?
A: We’re doing Langoustines tonight on the specials. We’re doing Ipswich clams. We come up with a lot of fun and rare things. We’re a wholesaler for a lot of restaurants in the area and schools so we only keep high quality foods. We have only 30 – 40 varieties but the choice is endless.
14. Q: What kind of crowd do you get at the restaurant since it is a college town?
A: Generally the baby boomers is our biggest demographic. We also get a lot of familys. We have children’s night on Wednesdays. We have a specialized children’s menu which offers general chicken fingers and French fries but also like a salmon piece and salad. Chicken or fish skewers with vegetables. I have children so I promote healthy eating and they’re all included on the free menu. We get a lot of couples for dates. We have a lot of city repeat people.
Part 2
ReplyDelete15. Q: I didn’t realize that New Paltz was a big place for people to come visit from the city.
A: That’s only grown after 9/11. It’s smaller vacations people take. It’s definitely helped our area.
16. Q: Do you think being located in a college town helps or hinders your business?
A: When college kids come here the parents come to eat here. There are a lot of potential employees. Professors come to eat here. It is definitely a plus.
17. Q: The Jooba Doobie is Hudson Valley Magazine’s favorite sandwich from here.
A: We use a local bakery called Torino. One of our breads is baked through them. I really try to tap in to local purveyors. We use Taliaferro farms for most of our greens and vegetables, fruits, whatever we can. The sandwich was names after the dean of the jazz program at SUNY. We used to do live music a long time ago and he was one of our originals.
18. Q: What is it about Gadaleto’s that sustains these awards.
A: I don’t imagine you could get fresher. We have a unique setting, I don’t imagine other restaurants around here have a fish market to pull from. One of our strongest things have been any fish dish you wish. All of the fish in our market is available and that has got to be the primary difference. “Fish is generally viewed as healthier and people are definitely trying to take care of themselves” – Shannon. We only use high quality ingredients and we don’t turn staff over very quickly. My partner Stacie is the 3rd generation running the business. Very family oriented.
19. Q: What would you say is the most popular dish in the restaurant?
A: English fish & chips, House fish n chips., fried calamari, then the Lobster roll.
20. Q: What makes these dishes different from any other place?
A: We give a huge portion of fish. The lobster meat is fresh and we give a huge portion. When people come here they know they’re going to get a better product and a bigger portion than anywhere else. We can’t do all you can eat because we don’t have a product that is that cheap. To us the product is expensive. “It’s a major plus to have awesome 40 different proteins to work with but those proteins are some of the highest proteins of the market” –Shannon.
Part 3
ReplyDelete21. Q: Do you have any different plans with Gadaleto’s for the future?
A: We’re always planning. In the future we’re going to start brewing beer. 10 years ago we won the largest single serving of Fish & Chips. A British company took it away from us by putting less fish and more fries in the basket, which I think is bullshit. I’d like to take it back. “We are always thinking, we are always trying to reinvent, we are always working on the best experience we can bring people. We believe in growth. We want to grow with the area, we want to grow with the families, we want to keep Gadaleto’s as a main stay in people’s names and where to get your fish.
22. Q: Is there anything you’d like to specially improve on?
A: Communication with your staff is something you can always build on. Your staff is sometimes better than you so be able to get the ideas from them is something we can all do better. And of course make more money.
23. Q: Is there anything you’d like to say to potential customers that haven’t been here yet to get them to come, anything they should know?
A: About 6 years ago was the high point for the restaurant and we lost our chef who had helped build it up from the window take out to fine dining and you can’t just hire a chef and think things are going to work out. It’s hard to find someone you can trust to fun a million dollars of your business, to find the right person was the hard part. And now that she’s here we’d like to keep her here. And build the trust back up. “Change is always rough, even if it’s better change people may not trust it, people may not understand it. We’re in the process of rebuilding that kind of trust and I think we’re finally starting to really get somewhere with it” – Shannon. I’d like to let people to know that things are looking good here and they’re looking better and if you haven’t been here, now would be a good time to try it.
Tichakunda pt 1
ReplyDeleteTicha: Tell me about your formative years in Mexico.
Lara: My childhood was a very quite one,we were raised in Juarez a city right next to the border of the U.S.I used to play outside a lot with my siblings.
T:At what age did you realize that you wanted to become a teacher?
L: (Laughs) I don't remember the exact age but when I was younger I would always help my younger siblings with their homework.
T:Most teachers earn peanuts, did this put you off a bit?
L:Not at all because I always had a passion for it, my decision was not influenced by how much monhey I would make.
T:How much do teachers earn in Mexico?
L: I can't tell you the exact amount but they are "relatively well paid" at the end of the year teachers get a bonus to spend for the festive holidays.
T:Why did you decide to leave your homeland?
L:I was pursuing a masters degree in El Paso, which is next to Juarez.
T:You chose to teach in the U.S.A, why?
L:I was starting to get settled here I have two kids so staying here to teach was logical. Also my daughter Ana is not a Mexican citizen so before thinking about going back I need to sort out her papers.
T: Did the fact that its right next to your homeland help make your decision?
L:Yes it was the closest place from home.
Tichakunda pt 2
ReplyDeleteT:There is a large population of Spanish speakers in this country, did the overwhelming presence of your mother tongue help you settle?
L:No, there are many people who come from the South, Central parts of Mexico and their culture is slightly different from those of us who stay in the North.We are catholic but not as strict as the other parts of the country.
T:Was it difficult learning English as a second language?
L:Very difficult, I started learning Mexico and still have a few problems with pronounciation of some words.
T:Do you feel that being bilingual gives the individual a better chance of succeeding academically and beyond?
L:Yes, we are all connected with other people and language is the medium to communicate with them. It is also good for "abstract thinking."
T:You chose to come to SUNY New Paltz, why?
L:It was destiny. Before I was teaching in Florence, South Carolina at Francis Marion University, it was very conservative and racist and I had a lot of problems with my female colleagues.New Paltz is very liberal so when I got the job I could not refuse.
T:Did you consider teaching at a private school?
L:No, Francis Marion was run like a private school, professors there were too religious and would judge your every move.
T:How do you find the classroom atmosphere in your courses?
L:In general I like it, it is more diverse and liberal than Francis Marion.
T:I noticed that American students in class can't role their r's, do you think that this could hinder their learning of Spanish in the long term?
L:No,"Your accent is part of you your personal history." It is difficult to change that. I put more emphasis on reading and understanding instead of making the right sounds.
T:Do you subscribe to the notion that students from developing countries are more motivated than students from developed countries?
L:Through my experience, foreign students always perform well in my class. I have had French, Turkish students and they have all been good.First generation American students especially from Mexico are hard workers but not as good as the foreigners because of their social economic background.Which is bad in most cases. The parents are insecure and this transmits to the pupil. their background reflects a lot in their performance.
T:Have you suffered from culture shock inside the classroom?
L:Yes!(laughs) the style Ideology of teaching in Mexico is different. Here the chairwoman of the department told me three things:
1.You need to treat your students like little kids
2.Client always has the right.
3.Don't complain about the students
Which is the opposite back home. Students discuss more in class but here they don't like discussing too much, sometimes they are afraid to discuss or not sure about themselves.
T:I remember one class where you said that you preferred assigning homework from the book as opposed to online, do you feel that technology is adversely affecting learning?
L:It devalues the dialogical process which "helps you put all your mind and body into your studies."
T:Have you had difficulties adapting to this new method of teaching?
L:It has been good, helps me put texts on the screen so that everyone is learning even those that forgot their books at home.
T:Outside the classroom, what activities do you enjoy?
L:I like walking on Mainstreet or any sidewalk with my children. I also enjoy sitting outside coffee shops. Also in my spare time I read and research on a lot of things
T:Will you return to live in Mexico one day, perhaps after you retire?
L:For sure! Can't now because of my daughters legal situation but when I sort that out I will go back.
Kaycia pt 1
ReplyDelete1. What are the duties of a Resident Director?
Duties of a Resident Director are vast. I’ll do my best to name a few of the more important ones but the list goes on and on;
Mediator
Staff Supervisor (RA’s, CDA, and Night Hosts)
Physical manager of residence hall
Work closely with multiple departments here on campus (Athletics, University Police, Campus Auxiliary Services, Academic Advising, Admissions, Facilities Operations, etc).
Promote health and safety policies/procedures/education
Hall government advisor
Provide direction for hall programming
Judicial Process Administrator
Assist residents in personal growth
To grow professionally
2. Are you trained to handle natural disasters? By who?
Yes, by the Red Cross as well as by reading and being familiar with the emergency response plan that’s found on the New Paltz website.]
3. Who is your main form of contact before, during, and after a natural disaster?
We utilize an emergency phone tree in Residence Life where one director contacts the next and so on to relay important information that comes from our Director of Residence Life.
4.What are the RA's responsibilities during a natural disaster?
They are to meet at the RA office and wait for instruction from the RD. They are to keep the RA office open to answer questions from residents, do rounds of the building to make sure everyone is okay/safe as well as look for any emergency conditions such as broken windows, flooding, fire, etc.
5. Do you receive training to become an RD? Is it similar to the training of an RA, what are the similarities/differences?
Yes, there is training every semester for RD’s. People who are considered for RD positions must show some sort of previous Residence Life experience, whether RA, CDA, graduate assistant RD, etc. RD training is a lot more in depth of the training that RA’s get as well as covers more relating to managing our buildings, staffs, counseling, mediation, etc.
6. Have you ever been through a natural disaster before as an RD? What's the experience like?
Yes, last year at the beginning of the academic year during Hurricane Irene. The experience for me is normal. You just have to remain calm, relay information, check on everyone, get food/drink/supplies to those who need them and then wait out the storm.
7. Have you had any prior experience that you can use in times of natural disasters as an RD?
My training as a firefighter has prepared me well for natural disasters. I constantly go through training that prepares me to handle most situations. There are also online workshops that have prepared me such as NIMS (national incident management system) and ICS (Incident command systems).
8. Does the RA's have little or more experience in natural disaster relief? CPR, First Aid, Etc.
RA’s also go through the training that RD’s receive from the Red Cross for disaster relief, as well as occasionally we offer CPR through the Red Cross as well. We do not offer first aid to anyone for liability reasons.
9. How did you react to the power outage in Crispell the night of the storm?
The same way as any other incident. I went to the RA office, met up with my RA’s who were there and had them go around the building knocking on doors and making sure everyone was okay, and then hung out in the lobby area to answer questions/concerns of passing residents.
Kaycia pt 2
ReplyDelete10. What kind of safety precautions you run/check in the building during a storm?
Checking areas for leaks, broken windows, smoke/fire, people who need refrigeration for medication, advise residents to stay away from windows, to name a few.
11. Is the dorm equipped with a shelter in the lower level of the building?
No, there is no shelter other than advising residents to go to the lower levels of the building if necessary, or in their suite areas/hallways during damaging winds such as hurricanes or tornados so that they are not injured by broken windows.
12. Does the Town of New Paltz have a national whether service location in the area?
Not that I’m aware of. We just listen to radio/tv news/internet for information/np alert.
13. What is the evacuation plan for Crispell if any storm may come worst than it did weeks prior?
If for whatever reason Crispell had to be evacuated residents would leave the building (residents should be aware of all 3 exits and use them regularly) and go to a neighboring residence hall, either Lefevre or Dubois.
14. What's the most serious storm you have ever witnesses?
Probably the most serious storm I’ve ever witnessed was about 3 years ago. It was a massive ice/snow storm that knocked down hundreds of trees, numerous power lines, roads were impassable, power went out for most of the town for upwards of 8 hours, strong winds and blinding snowfall.
15. For residents what do you think is the safest thing for them to d during a storm?
The safest thing they can do is to listen to the RD/RA staff’s instructions of what they can/cannot do.
16. How long are the back-up generators programmed to run?
Not sure (that’s a question for the facilities management office).
17. Is there a chance to for the back-up generators to run out of power?
See answer to question 16.
18. How much power does the generators exert throughout the building? Full power? Half power?
Generators only power emergency lighting (suite lights, bathroom lights as well as lounges and hallway lights).
19. Since Crispell is the only newly renovated suite style dorm in the Hasbrouck complex is there anything special that Crispell has that the other surrounding dorms around Hasbrouck does not have that helps during stormy whether?
Not that I’m aware of.
20. How experienced are you as a Resident Director? Are you comfortable taking charge in any given situation when needed?
I have lots of experience. Yes, I’m very comfortable taking charge in any situation because I take pride in preparing for anything. I read up on policies/procedures constantly and have learned through experience over the years.
Why did you choose not to go to college?
ReplyDeleteIt wasn’t that I wasn’t offered to go to college, I was. I was offered scholarships for wrestling, but I didn’t have the grades to back it up. Plus, marrying Arlene (his wife) was my focus at that time.
What schools offered you a scholarship?
NYU, CW Post, Ithica, Hofstra, Ferman
Do you think not going to college pushed you harder?
No because in those days you didn’t have to go to college. What pushed me harder was being married and having kids at the age of 21. But if I could add to that, because sports played such a large role in my life, what my coaches taught me about winning and losing was that I could compete against anybody and outwork them. I had that instilled in me throughout my life.
What was Yohoo like when you first started working there?
When I got to Yohoo they were selling less than a million cases a year. I got offered the job of general sales manager and I fought him saying that Yahoo had seen it’s best days and he reminded me of how successful he’s been and that’s what made me change my mind. In 6 years we drove it to 15 million cases.
What kinds of jobs did you have prior to Yohoo?
I started driving a soda truck then become a district manager at Nocal soda. I was the youngest manager there at age 26.
Yogi Berra was the spokesperson for Yohoo and then suddenly stopped. Why did this happen?
Yogi Berra met the original owner of Yohoo on a golf course and they hit it off real well. They got him to be the spokesperson. For that he would get the vice presidency of yohoo and get stocks and be part owner of it. Unfortunatly the original owner sold the business and the new ownership used Yogi and the Yankees and never lived up to the commitment and Yogi basically left with nothing. He helped make it a success and walked out with no money at all and that’s why he was so negative and left the company.
He later returned to Yohoo. Was he still bitter?
I bought him back in 1991 and used him in a promotion. He was very bitter, but I told him no matter where I went in the country whoever I met, they would refer to Yohoo as “Yogi Bera’s” drink. I told Yogi, “You’re sitting home pouting and you’re not getting anything. I’m willing to pay you to use your name; I’m going to use your name anyway because people will always associate you with the drink.
Do you think if you were a teenager today you would have went to college?
No, because I didn’t know I was going into soft drinks. I had enough getting through high school. I worked very hard.
When you started working after you graduated high school, did you think you would end up being president of a company?
No, the only thing I knew was that I would not drive a truck for the rest of my life. My father was a beer truck driver and I promised him when I took the job that I wouldn’t be on that truck for 40 years like he was. I was driven enough that I knew I wanted to get into management and didn’t think it would take me as far as it did.
What would you say to college students who are just getting out into the work force?
I think the toughest part is starting at the bottom. I think everyone is fed that your start at the top and you really don’t. You got to put your do’s in somewhere and to me if you work hard, the do’s you put in has to pay off because there are too many phonies out there who want things handed to them. You have to earn what you get.
Part 1
ReplyDelete1. Why did you decide to come to New platz?
- I wanted to Study Abroad in the United States and New Paltz was closer to the city and I got a scholarship to come to New Paltz
2. How did you find out about New Paltz?
-My college in Brazil has some kind of partnership with New Paltz and I went to the international office to learn more about this school.
3. How is the school system in Brazil different from here?
- In Brazil there is no such thing as Majors or Minors. There are only courses. In Brazil you do not need to take unnecessary courses that do not apply to your major. All the classes you take are for the course you are studying. Instead of asking them what is your major? They ask what is your course? Also we do not have an advisor like students in New Paltz have.
4. Is New Paltz harder than the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro?
- I have to see my grades in order for me to know if it is harder or not, but I don’t think so.
5. How is the process of entering college in Brazil?
- First you will have to do a national exam after high school and after people will have to do a specific exam for the university they want to go to.
6- I heard in an article that the president of brazil wants to accept more black people in college, what is that about.? Can you explain that?
-in brazil public schools are free and have worse education until high school. Private schools are expensive and have a better education system. It is not that black people aren’t accepted in college it is that most black people in brazil are poor and they do not have the best knowledge because they could not afford going to a good school. However the president, Dilma Rousseff, wants to give an opportunity to everyone and wants to accept 50 percent of people that went to public schools and the other 50 percent are people who come from any school. The percentages of people accepted have to have had a good exam grade in order to be accepted. Most black people don’t have the right knowledge to pass because most can’t afford a good education.
7. Do you think there are more opportunities here in New York rather than in Brazil? why or why not?
-yes, because in New York there are more flexible with work schedules and it is easier to work and study at the same time. In Brazil you have to choose one or the other because the minimum of hours you can work is about 40 hours per week. Also, there are a lot of big companies and non-governmental organizations than in Brazil and because of this opportunity I got an internship in the city for “Earth child institute.”
Part 2
ReplyDelete8. How did you get the internship for “Earth child institute?”
- My professor told me about this internship and told me to send them my resume. I did, they interviewed me and I got the job.
9. Do you think that the internship in Earth child institute will help you towards your goal in working for “Doctors without borders?”
-yes, because I am learning how to develop projects with humanitarian issues about children.
10. Describe the job tasks for “Doctors without borders?”
- you spend a couple of months in a place where there is a humanitarian crisis like people who are starving or have diseases and you stay there and with the team, you try to help them by providing food, shelter or medical assistance
11. What is the main reason why you would like to work for “Doctors without borders?”
- I love helping people and I don’t imagine seeing myself working in a place where I earn money for myself without making a difference. There are many issues in the world and I want to help people to improve the world.
12. How supportive were your parents when you left?
-my mother supported me and wanted me to do anything that would help me succeed. My father did not support me and wanted me to stay.
13. What have you learned while your time here at New Paltz?
-it gave me different views of international relations that in my college in brazil. In Brazil we are more critical and in new Paltz they are more idealistic and do see things in different aspects.
14. What are your plans after you leave New Paltz?
-I plan to find a job in brazil as soon as I get back in a non-governmental organization.
15. What are your plans after you graduate college?
-I want to do a master in international humanitarian issues. I would like to do my masters in Europe or New York. But if I don’t get it I would stay in Brazil
16. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
- by then I hope to have my masters and hopefully working somewhere in Africa helping people who are in need.
17. Are you planning on coming back to the United States?
-yes. I would like to do my masters in New York and find a job.
1) How long have you worked in the mail room? 8 years
ReplyDelete2) Have you noticed over the course of 8 years, any drastic changes in the mail you’ve seen going through? Yes, there are a lot more incoming packages.
3) What do you think can be attributed as the cause? There’s an increase in students on campus and online shopping.
4) Do you think the internet had some effect? Yes, online shopping is definitely a new, popular trend.
5) Have you noticed any specific mail corporations dominating? I see a lot of Amazon, Chegg, Ebay.
6) How has your job changed? In the beginning of most semesters, the amount of students has become ridiculous with the amount of books coming in.
8) Do you think things have gotten easier or harder for you? Both
9) (If more difficult) Why do you think this is? When the system goes down, everything is ten folds more difficult. Takes a full day to resink the hand-held. Caused all packages to be marked delivered when they were not.
10) (If easier) Why? The system used to consist of 2 halves of sheets and the sorting of actual physical sheets through an organizer.
11) Have you noticed the line for the mailroom has gotten longer over the years? Yes, especially in the beginning of the semester.
12) Has there been more activity? Activity and students picking up mail has remained level, however, more packaging as opposed to paper mail.
13) How do you feel about the internet and it’s change on mail? I personally find it very helpful with work. Tracking numbers make everything much less complicated and less time consuming.
14) Do you think things have gotten less personal? Things have shifted from paper to digital. Instead of letters, people send emails. A lot of mail itself is no longer physical.
15) If you were to mail something, what company would you choose? This answer depends on what I would be mailing. I think the tracking number is definitely very helpful. UPS next-day shifting is a reliable company.
16) Would you do this through the internet? Also depends on the specific thing I’m buying. There are plenty of online sales.
17) What are the advantages of the internet’s changes in the industry? This has definitely helped our system to become a lot more organized.
18) Disadvantages? A lot more packages all at once can often create a backup in the beginning of semesters.
19) Has the internet made the mailing process quicker? Tracking numbers and the hand-held system.
20) How do you think it will further change the industry? I can see things being completely technological. We could always use some funding to help our system be updated.
Part 1:
ReplyDelete1) What initially got you interested in such a candid form of modeling?
-“I found out from a model in my drawing class. I’m a BFA graphic design major and needed a job that could make me good money. I got good feedback too. Lots of my dance moves applied to the nude poses.
1A) How often?
- “I model twice a week for three hours at the school and also at Unison Art Center a mile up the mountain once a month. I get paid school $ 15.85 through the school and, $20 an hour through Unison. Professor Sheryl Wheat influenced me to start and made me feel so comfortable and gave me the courage to do it.”
2) Why do you think nude modeling is frowned upon?
- “Some people don’t see it as art. They don’t realize I’m a figure that is here to be drawn and nothing more. They see it as a sexual act. Once a guy asked ‘what do you do in this class? And I told him it’s a nude figure drawing class and he responded saying he wanted to be in the class to go to look at naked girls. It was very sexual I’m a form not a sex object.”
3) Was everyone accepting of your choice to be a nude model or did you lack support?
-“My parents were iffy; growing up I wasn’t a kid who was comfortable being naked. My parents said, ‘Why can you be naked in front of all those people and not in front of us?’ But then again I also have a little brother and can’t really walk around naked.”
4) Is it uncomfortable or awkward? Especially if someone you know is in the class.
- “It was initially when I started and my friend was in the class, but she made me comfortable when she said, ‘Kristen I have the same parts as you. I’ m not going to see you any differently.’ I actually hang out with a lot of the students and other models in the classes I model for.”
5) In what way and why?
- “I modeled for an intro class and when I would see one of the students outside of class she would yell out, ‘nude model, I’ve seen you naked, nude model!’ every time I’d see her it was demeaning. So one day I went right up to her and said, ‘Don’t call me by my profession. It’s not like you’d walk up to a plumber and say ‘hey plumber,’ it’s degrading, I have a name.”
Part 2:
ReplyDelete6) What do you think it would’ve been like nude modeling in another country and why?
-“In France the education system was set up different and the classroom set up itself was different. Students weren’t forced to go to class like we are in America and teachers show more concern for their students. It would be a larger audience with the same people in every class. It might be less direction I don’t know if it would’ve been as informative for poses and what not, but I wouldn’t have modeled because of the language barrier, although I can understand and navigate French I still have to think about what people are saying and how to reply to what they are saying.”
7) Are other countries more accepting of the practice?
- “People weren’t as accepting of my pink hair in France as they were in Germany, but pretty much the same as our country, some people would feel awkward and others would be okay with it.”
8) Did you hear about the 9th grade Middletown teacher who was suspended for recommending his more advanced art students take up a figure (nude) drawing class?
- “No, I’m personally not interested in drawing nude models. I’m a graphic designer and I don’t focus on drawing figures. Dance and yoga helped me a lot with poses. I can pick my own music while I model, some professors say only classical and others don’t care what kind of music. I choose music that helps students focus.”
9) Do you think it was justified?
- “No I don’t think it’s justified. I feel drawing the nude figure is an essential part for drawing students to learn how to draw from a live figure. You lose a lot of depth from trying to draw a flat figure. He was just trying to help his students improve. People give it negative connotation and sexualize it, but that doesn’t make that teacher a creep by asking his students to advance their skills and try nude drawing.
10) Do you think being proud of your body something to be ashamed of?
-“No, I think people need to be more proud of themselves. A new style is girls showing their undergarments mainly skinny girls. People prefer to draw heavier models because they create more depth to the object being drawn. People need to draw both skinny and heavy set models to fully understand the human form. We aren’t taught how to eat healthy and be healthy. Regardless your body image is something to be proud of. People should say ‘ok this is me this is who I am, take me as I am’. If you are bigger own it and be proud of it. If you can help it, be the best form you can be.”
Part 3:
ReplyDelete11) Do you think taking off your clothes for the sake for money is acceptable in general?
- “It depends on if the model or whatever they are wants to do it. Are they just doing it for money or do they actually like what they do? If they’re only doing it for money not a cause then they should respect themselves and not exploit themselves. They should do it because they find some interest in it.”
12) Do you think taking off your clothes for the sake of art, which you happen to get paid to do can be put on the same wave length as per say an exotic dancer?
-“No, because I’m not there to turn people on, but I have seen males with canvases over their laps at times (haha). I don’t have anything against them, but they are there for entertainment and I am there for atmospheric purposes as a reference to the human body. I’m there as a study object. People don’t draw me to unwind for entertainment they draw me to learn.”
12B) Has it made you more comfortable with your body?
- “It has definitely made me more comfortable with my body. Before nude modeling I would never let anyone take nude pictures of me and now I would. I think because a drawing is a replica of what happened and a photograph is what happened.”
-
13) Do you think exotic dancing is an art?
- “Yes, it’s different from nude modeling but is an art. Its self-expression and a skill. They have to learn how to move their body accordingly.”
14) Why do you think people are so shocked to see a nude body? After all we all have one.
- “I think it has to do with the association, ‘oh nude person, sex.’ We see it as taboo.”
15) Do you think it stems from people’s personal discomfort with their body image?
-“It could definitely, if you aren’t comfortable with yourself and then you see someone who is beautiful it could definitely cause some jealous animosity. To look at someone and say I could never be like that and therefore not wanting to see it or rejecting it all together.”
16) Do you think it stems from society?
- “In advertising sex is always squeezed into places. You see a nude body and you are automatically taught to assume it’s sexual not an art, but rather on the wave length of prostitution or something.”
17) How do you think society can define nude modeling as controversial when the media sells much of their product through the means of sex?
- “Completely unjust and gives it a bad name by manipulating people. It uses nude people to lure people into their product and that is not at all what nude modeling is about. Nobody makes you draw nude models or become one, it’s a choice, but in advertising its inevitably shoved in your face and there’s no way to get rid of it.”
-
Part 4:
ReplyDelete18) Do you think nude models are imperative to learning how to draw the human body both realistically and accurately?
-“Definitely, you can’t really learn it any other way, from a drawing, photograph or sculpture there would still be another rendition that takes away from the depth behind it. You wouldn’t be drawing from a point of view and you can study it yourself from the source, but not from secondary sources.”
19) Are the people drawing you when you’re nude grateful for the experience you enabled them to have?
-“I think so; they always thank me at the end. I always get a thank you at the end of the classes so it seems like people are appreciative.”
20) Have you ever had a bad experience being a nude model in any way?
- “ No I haven’t”
21) Are you an art student?
Yes, I’m in the BFA program for Graphic design, but I don’t focus on figure drawing.
22) Have you ever drawn a nude model?
-“ Yes”
23) If so did you find having a nude model in your class helpful to learning how to draw the naked body?
- “I definitely found it helpful. A lot of times we had a bust, but I feel like I learned how to draw the human body better from a live nude figure. I improved greatly.”
24) Do you think you will continue nude modeling after college?
-“I would like to. They offer it at New Paltz for people who graduate and would like to continue and I think I would definitely like to.”
25) Do you think nude modeling is good for your art career?
-“Specifically I’m a graphic designer and they aren’t really looking for fine art backgrounds, but rather computer. On a resume I would say I provided atmosphere for drawing and am a classroom helper, but for what I’m doing specifically, no.”
26) Do you think nude drawing helps people to control their primal urges and become more aware of themselves and their surroundings (the world on a larger scale)?
- “I agree. When I model sometimes I see myself as an animal. Animals don’t wear clothes and animals look at other animals naked. No other species are weird about looking at the other nude so why should we be?”
Part 5:
ReplyDelete27) Is it an honest art? Opposed to the media that is continually sending misleading messages about their products through the means of sex?
- “The way I do it can’t be manipulated. I’m not there to be tricked into anything. People are learning off of me and I’m not there to do or make anyone feel uncomfortable.”
28) Do you think it’s fair to say people who don’t support nude modeling have the right to take action to get it banned?
- “No because nude modeling has been around since the renaissance like Michelangelo and Picasso and they learned from having these models. It would hinder people’s progress as artists if we took it away. It’s not affecting them so why should they care. If they don’t support it that’s fine, they should mind their own business and stay apart from it and allow others to continue. I feel the same way about prostitution. If it’s not affecting you then why care? It would become a sketchy situation because people would still need to draw nude models and people would still sneak around to do it and would exploit it and nude models would be trafficked in order to do their jobs.”
29) What effect would it have on art and figure drawing if its practice were banned?--> see last answer.
30) Why is a naked body so controversial now? When hundreds of years back you wouldn’t dream of finding a clothed statue. Specifically statues created by the Greeks and Romans that are still considered beautiful and brilliant, such as the Statue of David by Michelangelo.
- “There was a time in Roman history when church officials were outrages by all the nude figures in the Vatican because they thought it was appalling and made the artists go around and put leaves on all the nude figures private parts. I feel like perhaps there is a rebirth of that today in some small way. Perhaps people only see it as taboo and the media exploits it and makes it out like its bad. America as a puritan country came here to escape the nudity in Europe and we still have that instilled in our society in some ways. I think it has to do with religion and society exploiting it in some ways.”
31) Are there just as many nude male models as female?
- “No, but there still are, but there are significantly less. Probably because there are 70% more girls at New Paltz than there are boys.”
32) How do they differ?
- “The poses are different. Males have more rigid stances and women and have more fluid poses because of the different ways our bodies are formed. It’s more rare to have a male model and it’s a different experience. With woman we have more circles with males we have more boxes and it’s a completely different form being drawn.”
33) How are they the same?
- “They both provide an object to be drawn, functionality is the same. It’s still similar forms and is not completely and utterly different, but it’s different and the same at the same time.”
34) Do people prefer or mind one over another?
- “I’ve never drawn a male model to be honest, but I’d like to. I can’t say honestly I have a preference or opinion until I have experienced it myself.
35) Do you think males who participate in nude modeling are considered homosexual by others/society?
- “No, quite the opposite. They’re more like ‘oo we get to model with girls’ in New Paltz at least. I’ve only known one male model that I modeled with so I don’t have much experience or preference with it.”
36) Why do you think visitors to the Paris gallery, already quite familiar with art featuring the naked body (Painting, Olympia), so outraged by the famous painting that the gallery was forced to hire two policemen to protect the canvas?
- “Perhaps it wasn’t because of the nude white figure who is luxuriously sitting there, it was probably because they found it racist having a black maid with tattered clothing looking less fortunate than her.”
Part 6:
ReplyDelete37) Do you think the fact that the model in the famous painting (Olympia) was an actual prostitute has set the standard or belief that nude modeling in art is demeaning? Or is strictly done by people with a lack of respect for themselves?
-“I think she was probably just readily available. During those times you couldn’t just walk up to anyone and just ask anyone to model naked for you. They were already comfortable enough with themselves to model nude for this guy and were in the trade of nudity. The fact that both nude models for art and prostitutes are already comfortable and have jobs where they have to be naked makes them similar. I think it could lead to people thinking that because people in general have and connotation with prostitution, but if something has a bad connotation in general and then they do something else I could see how nude modeling would get a bad reputation from that.”
38) Why do you think nude paintings and statues made hundreds of years ago are still famous if society has shifted its views negatively on nude modeling? Wouldn’t there taste change as society does?
- “I think it’s because they see those as being classical there almost reviewed in society today as being high society, classical beauty we have it instilled. But if it happened today it wouldn’t have the same affect it would be just as effective as any other bust.”
39) If society can respect famous nude paintings from long ago then why do you think they are having trouble accepting it now?
- “I think that nude paintings are respected the same way as they were back in the day. People who want to see them go to view them and people don’t want to see them, don’t. So in many ways I feel its similarly accepted”
40) Do you think any of the students in nude drawing classes are there for the wrong reasons apart from drawing you?
- “Maybe in the intro classes.”
41) Do you think the media using sex or nudity as a publicity stunt is acceptable? When many would deem what you do inappropriate and yet nudity is everywhere by the means of the media.
- “The media is using nudity in a different way than art uses nudity. I don’t think it’s acceptable, they’re using it to manipulate people and art is using it to express.”
PART 1:
ReplyDeleteSorry this is a few days late but I was just home to do my interview. My subject also typed up answers to the questions I sent him ahead of time, so I guess that would be the best thing to post here--
Give some background information leading up to your choice in a career path?
-I am one of 4 CPA’s in my family of 8 children. My father was a doctor. Since three of my brothers are CPA’s, I also chose that career path. Accounting was important to everyone especially if you were in the business world. I graduated from Siena College in 1979 with a business degree in accounting and knew that the local capital district business leaders favored hiring accounting students from Siena College. Like my seven other siblings, we are all college graduates with honors. In public accounting career path, you have two choices to select from, the big 4 national firms or the local smaller size CPA firms. I knew people who worked at the big 4 who were either all audit or all tax accountants but not both. I made the decision to obtain employment at a local firm so that I would obtain practical experience in all aspects of public accounting. I grew up in a family environment of striving to do your best in whatever profession you chose and I had my parent’s full support throughout my job search.
What service does your company provide for the public?
-My firm is a public accounting firm providing both accounting and tax services to the general public in upstate New York.
When did you begin working at your current firm? What jobs did you hold before this one? Did you work at any accounting firms before TBC?
-I began working at Teal Becker on July 27, 1983. Prior to that I worked at a another local CPA firm called Stulmaker Roach & Co. from 1979 thru July 1983.. My uncle owned a liquor store in downtown Albany that I worked part time at from 1973 thru 1979 as an assistant store manager which was invaluable working experience with the general public on a daily basis.
What position(s) did you have before managing partner?
-My positions were as follows:
1979-1981- Junior Accountant
1981-1985-Senior accountant
1986 -1992-Manager
1992-2012-Shareholder
How long/what did it take to earn your current position?
-I became a CPA on February 19 1982 . I became a shareholder on January 1, 1992.
Briefly describe the experience you have that qualifies you for your position.
-I have worked in private industry for 6 years and now have completed 33 years in public accounting working for a diversified client base including retail stores , contractors, physicians, government, clients such as school districts and colleges as well as auto dealers.
Briefly describe what you personally do on a daily basis at work?
-I review all open jobs assigned to me on a daily basis. I sit with each employee to gather what needs to be done to complete those open jobs. I review administrative paperwork from my controller each day such as income statements, cash balances, health insurance, employee issues etc.
How to you build a trusting relationship with your clients?
-Being honest with each one of them upfront and telling them when you do not know the answer. Getting help when you need it from others in the firm as needed to answer their individual concerns
PART 2:
ReplyDeleteTBC’s website ensures excellence in customer satisfaction, give some examples of how you go above and beyond to ensure this.
-When we promise the client we will have the tax return and financial statement due by a certain date, we make sure the right staff is assigned and deadlines are met especially within a set dollar amount we quoted the client ahead of time in an “engagement letter” which details what services to be expected.
The company’s website also notes how it has “developed longstanding associations with attorneys, bankers, bonding agents and other professionals that play an instrumental role in developing and implementing comprehensive financial strategies.” Please briefly describe the importance of building these relations.
-They are our number one referral sources that provided us with new clients each month. In the business community, businesses place a lot of trust in their banker and attorney on giving them sound financial advise. Part of that team should be a quality CPA firm to help guide them thru both the upturns and downturns in the economy such as we are experiencing currently.
Would you say you have a good relationship with your employees? In your opinion how do you maintain one?
-Yes I have an overall good relationship with the majority of my employees. This is a result of being a good listener as well as being fair and open minded in my daily business dealings with each one of them.
Give an example of how you’ve contributed to the business’ development.
-I have developed strong business relationships with 4 local bank presidents of the major banks in our area. In this way, I have put on educational seminars for their bankers on accounting rules as well as joint projects for their customers and ours by providing speakers and valuable handouts. This leads to these banks providing business leads to us in the future when a new customer comes into the bank looking for advice.
Has the business achieved any awards or recognitions while you were a manager?
If so please describe them.
-My firm has won top places to work in local businesses 3 out of the last 4 years. In addition , we have been recognized by multiple charities for our volunteers and financial support in the newspaper and on television
What was your proudest moment in regards to the company?
-It would be my fellow shareholders voting me the new managing partner for the next 5 years at our firm. In addition, it was my wife being named partner at the firm in 2012.
What are your future (long or short term) goals for the company?
-Short-term goal is to transition my client base to younger CPAs in the firm as I prepare to manage the day to day operations of the firm. Long-term goals are to improve cash flow in the firm as well as oversee the growth of other services that we provide our clients and ensure job stability for all of the employees both present and in the future
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10?
-In 5 years, I see myself spending over 75% of my time in the office working on my administrative duties overseeing hopefully a 100 employee CPA firm. In 10 years, I hope to be semi retired helping out on the bigger issues at the firm based upon my extensive work experience
Is there anything you would change about the work you are currently doing or your position in general?.
-Yes, I wish deadlines were not mandated on us as to when tax returns are due by a certain date so that we could enjoy more time off with our families
around those deadlines.
Any other information you would like to share.
-Our reputation in the business community is a high integrity outstanding CPA firm that professionals and the public trust that consistently has provided high quality services since 1971.
1-How long have you owned Rhino Records?
ReplyDeleteI bought it in 2009.
2-How did you come to own Rhino Records?
The old owner, Steve Ferber was getting tired of the grind. I loved the place, so when I heard he was selling, I knew I had to buy it.
3-What would you say your CD to Vinyl ratio is?
As far as CD to Vinyl, I'd say 8 out of every 10 units we sell are vinyls. But we also sell books and local art.
4-What kind of music do you find you sell more of, old classics or new music?
Well, old music simply because there's more of it out there. An original run for even a big band is usually 200,000, which sounds like a lot but really isn't.
5-Rhino has had several owners since its inception in the mid 70's. What do you think makes you unique as the latest?
I don't think I'm unique as an owner. I just want to bring music to people who might otherwise not hear it.
6-Do you think that being located in a town like New Paltz is a help to business?
I think so. There's a reason there's no Rhino across from Marist anymore. There has to be a market.
7-Coming out of college, where did you see yourself working in 5 years?
DNA
8-Do you feel that you've learned more about music or business in your time at Rhino?
That's a good one. From a practical side, I've learned more about business, but I really value the time I get with customers who just come in to shoot the shit.
9-What first attracted you to owning a business, much less a used record store?
It was just a combination of right time right store. I had just come into a little bit of money, and Steve said if I bought out his stock, I could buy the store for a dollar. So I did.
10-Figures show that in 2009, record sales more than doubled after years of stagnation. Why do you think this is?
There's a level of compression that comes with putting music on a medium. As we've gotten further down the line, from vinyl to tape to CD to digital, the dynamic range has been squeezed. I like to think that people had enough of crappy sounding music.
11-With the proliferation of first CD's and now digital download, to what do you attribute the undying love for Vinyl?
ReplyDeleteDNA
12-What have you done personally to keep records in the limelight?
I own a record store!
13-Have you found the focus of the store changing at all? (eg: More of a certain genre, more gimmick discs)
Not at all. We've known that there's always a niche for us, but we did make a conscious decision a few years ago to start carrying more books for example. It helps us draw in a type that may have just tagged along with a friend.
14-Do you see a spike in business when the students return in the fall?
Not really. Our sales figures stay pretty steady, with a holiday spike. By asking about fall, you're implying it's the non-commuter students that buy here, and typically it's not. I see the same faces year round.
15-What else do you sell here in the store?
DNA
16-The history regarding the Rhino Records label and the Rhino Records store is well documented. How does carrying on the tradition of making otherwise inaccessible music available to the masses make you feel?
Even if this music was inaccessible, which in the age of the internet is just ridiculous, it makes me proud to bear this flag of ours. I've got Jim Jarmusch on my side, that's good enough for me.
17-How does it feel to know that Rhino Records is considered to be a bastion of "cool music" as quoted by noted cool person Jim Jarmusch?
I love it. Hi, Jim.
18-Looking at Rhino's Yelp! page, you get the distinct feeling that Rhino strikes a great balance: huge selection and great prices. If you had to choose one of those two to be known for, which would it be and why?
Great selection. You can buy a copy of ZOSO anywhere, we have things that people search high and low for. When people find what they've been looking for to complete their collection, I get a real thrill out of it. It doesn't hurt that they'll usually pay for it, no matter the price.
19-Where would you like to see the record industry go in the future?
I would like to see production runs ramped up. Beyond just hearing music, buying a record meant you had a piece of art. From the liner notes to the art and inserts, it's more than just clicking a button and having it instantly. The detail on the cover of Santana's Abraxas just can't be replicated in a 2x2 JPEG.
20-Desert Island question: Which 5 albums do you bring?
If you ask me again later, it will change, but right now it's: The Feelies - Crazy Rhythym, Radiohead - The Bends, Jorma Kaukonen - Quah, Edith Piaf - Ses Plus Belle Chansons and Dap Dippin with Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings.
Why did you decide to go into documentary film making?
ReplyDeleteI was raised by my grandmother who was extremely old, born in 1898 and past was always part of my present. She ran a speak easy during the prohibition, she had an identical twin and many stories. I never interviewed her however and her stories died with her so I got really into preserving oral history, it was kind of innovative at the time.
How did you get your start?
I took any job that I could get, I grew up poor in Boston and couldnt afford to go to college so I took a job telemarketing at PBS and eventually went to college and worked my way up to development in PBS.
Do you strive to make a difference with your films?
Yes. All my films are involved with some kind of activism. Such as prison reform, identity, gender and sexuality. Gender and sexuality has been my most nationally recognized work, I had many friends die of AIDS and people didnt really talk about these issues. I fought for PBS to produce Stonewall, the first documentary on gay history nothing had been yet covered on it.
What draws you to certain topics ? For instanc "cruel and unusual: Transgender Women in Prison" is an unusual topic.
Little or nothing had been done about this topic; it was foreign. I used to live in the meat packing district and the culture was so different. I tried to look at class issues and it turned into a prison film.
Is it difficult to get funding for projects/films?
YES. Very. For each film I raise anywhere from 2,000 to 500,000 dollars. It is very hard and has become more competitive because tools are more accessible. I typically fundraise by going to individuals, family foundations, state foundations, NYSCA, broadcasters, and I also apply for grants. I think I would say I spend the most time fundraising.
What do you think is the biggest challenge you face while working as a filmmaker?
-Getting the funds!-
It is also hard to get access but I also love it, earning trust from people for example it was hard to gain trust from the transgender woman in prison that I interviewed.
What is the most remote or obscure location you have ever shot at?
Cambodia, Cairo, Egypt, Alaska, Thailand
Have you ever had to put yourself or anyone else in danger while making a film?
I was shot at in Egypt but I have never been harmed luckily.
What is your favorite piece you've ever worked on?
Womens history called "Her Place in History" it was a docu-drama challenging but it was my favorite I loved how it came out well.
What kind of skills do you feel are vital to have as a filmmaker?
Storytelling. You have to be able to tell a good story, you also need to be passionate about the story you are telling. Raising money takes a long time. "You have to either be insane or passionate", you need tremendous perserverance.
Do you plan on continuing in your field?
Yes. Right now im teaching and programming but I'm still making films just less of them. I am trying for one every six years. I love helping people make work and getting it seen. I am working as a programmer for a Tribeca and still working for PBS.
favorite quote: "Make sure you really want to tell the story your going to tell, you need passion"