BROOKLYN COHOUSING | |
| a sustainable community forming in Brooklyn, New York | |
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Who We Are
As of March 2008 we have 17 households (25 adults) in the group. We are a diverse group of people, here are some of our profiles.
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Alex Marshall, Member
Where you're originally from: Norfolk, Va. About your household: We are three, myself, my partner K. and our child Max, age three. When you joined: In the beginning, a long time ago . . . But formal membership dates to September 2007, when the group formally began. What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: My partner K. and I organized and founded the group. We did so because of a deep yearning for more community in our lives and our family. We worked for several years on the effort before the first open meeting for anyone interested was held in May 2007 at the Brooklyn Public Library. What you do with your days: I work as a journalist and wears many different hats. I edit a newsletter on urban planning for the Regional Plan Association, and write books, magazine articles and speak publicly sometimes. I worked for 10 years as a daily newspaper reporter before going out on my own to write books and such. I miss the excitement of daily newspapers, but like the possibilities of books. My speciality has become in part writing about urban planning and architecture and transportation. I have two books out, Beneath the Metropolis: The Secret Lives of Cities (Carroll and Graf 2006) and How Cities Work: Suburbs, Sprawl and The Roads Not Taken (Texas 2000). I'm currently working on a book about how governments design economic markets. Special interests and passions: I love to cook, to read, to play guitar and sing, to speak Spanish and French when I can, to travel. - - - - - - K., Member
Where you're originally from: grew up in Maryland suburbs of DC and suburban Las Vegas, then lived 11 years in Cambridge, MA before coming to NYC. About your household: Alex and I (married) are the original founders of this group, with our 3 yr old son Max When you joined: We started talking about this several years ago, but got serious about it in early 2007 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: Daily life could be so much easier, and more satisfying, living in physical proximity to community-seeking people who are involved to some extent in each others' lives. We want to live in an apartment with more of a community life around it than is typical in ordinary buildings, with the common spaces to support casual interactions and neighborly socializing. And we want our son to grow up knowing other children and adults well, to have a stable set of relationships beyond ourselves, to be able to come home and have neighbor friends to play with. We imagine creating not a social world unto itself, but rather a supportive rich home environment for people engaged with the city at large. Cohousing offers the tremendous benefits of community while still respecting the family unit and individual privacy. Since there wasn't one in NYC to move in to, we decided we'd put time and work into creating one. What you do with your days: I work as a documentary film editor, out of my edit studio in Prospect Heights which I also share with Alex. Family life plus work plus cohousing - there isn't much time these days for anything else! Special interests and passions: I love to scuba dive and windsurf when I can travel. Day-to-day I thrive on yoga, good friends, and Alex's cooking. - - - - - - Lissa, Associate
Where you're originally from: Brooklyn, New York (Fort Greene & Boerum Hill) About your household: Me and my cat, Hook (named for my current 'hood, Red Hook) When you joined: First meeting at the Brooklyn Public Library What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: I know that I have a wonderful, rich community of family and friends-but I am greedy and I want more. I especially want daily community intergrated into my life. What you do with your days: You mean other than going to cohousing meetings? I have been in the food industry for most of my professional life. I am currently looking to move into the event planning/management field. In the warmer months, I am involved in community rowing in the Hudson & East River. I have also been a member of the Lafayette Inspirational Ensemble (a Gospel Chorus) for over a decade. I am a member of Brooklyn Meeting (a Quaker). And I volunteer for an environmental organization called Wild Metro. Special interests and passions: I love pretty much all human powered boating activities, but my passion is fixed seat team rowing. The environment-especially water related issues-is a key interest. And I love the power of song. And as my favorite Mary Poppins song says "I love to laugh, ha,ha,ha,ha..." - - - - - - JoAnn, Associate Where you're originally from: Bayside, New York About your household: single When you joined: rainy night in May, 2007 at the Bklyn Library What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: I'd had interest in cohousing for a few years...the concept of living in community feels organic to me and the opportunity to participate in building one, in Brooklyn! was quite exciting. To live in community w/ people w/ shared values and sensibilities is a blessing. What you do with your days: I am trained as a social worker and currently work as an administrator in a community mental health center. I have worked w/ children and families my entire career. Special interests and passions: I took my first dance class when I was 32 and my dream is to retire and take a class every day; scuba diving; the outdoors: walking, hiking, botanical gardens, VB; live performances, jazz; the environment; baking. - - - - - - Yaquelina, Associate Where you're originally from: Argentina, Rafaela, a small city at the time I grew up, always economically prosperous even in the middle of the all the financial crisis, in the province of Santa Fe. About your household: my household was myself for a long time, then came my dog, Reina, strong in body and spirits "wild wild thing" then came Mark and just like that we became a family, with Oliver, his 17 years old son and roxy, the ferel cat, and then Mateo, our 17 month old son. who adopted and enchanted all of us (maybe he has still some work to do w/Oliver, the teenager and the ferel cat, he is constantly working on it,though! ). My household and life a full now, and we need a bigger home. When you joined: late spring of 2007 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: of course, I don't just want a bigger space for us, I want the space outside our door to be safe and inviting and welcoming, full of people we recognize beyond their faces because they are the people we commit to create a healthy community and therefore will belong . The idea of being part of Brooklyn co-housing brought back my hopes of working in something meaningfull that will impact my life, the life of the ones I love and care for and beyond, or so I expect. What you do with your days: I worked as a Social worker in Argentina, I danced as much as I could when I came to the united states, I was a baby sitter, I am now in the project of making my family, enjoying each of them as much as my nature allows it, concern about how to help Mark to support us and support this co-housing investment, finding a job that I'd really have an interest in doing, or even just a job. I am in the beginning of importing designers clothing from my country, from some really cool artisans. Special interests and passions: As some already said, I am also the most passionate about those who I love, raising Mateo w/ Mark it has been surprising and precious at every moment even when exausting and challenging, having perspective on how to be part of Oliver's life, at a time he is growing beautifully and fast and pulling away from family, working on making sure Mark knows he is the most important in the every day mess, giving Reina ( once my only true companion) still a dog's life worth living. Figuring out how to be closer to my mom, who still and always will live in Argentina.Taking the moment to take a ballet class or yoga, tango or meditate, though so rare these days. Shopping at the PS food Co-op, making foods that nurture health and good living, and reading about that. Further in the way, i'm exited about learning and exploring on how to use foods as medicine. I have a special interest in the aesthetics of living spaces, in dressing well, with little or no money (given of actual circumstances and for the good of recycling ) - - - - - - Mark, Associate
Where you're originally from: Oxford, Pennsylvania, a small farming town sort of half-way between Lancaster and Philadelphia. My two brothers, one sister and I, (all raised as Quakers) had an Amish baby-sitter named Lizzy who used to tell us stories about the young Amish teens in her community sneaking out at night to go buggy racing and carousing away from the church elders. We thought that was totally cool. About your household: Given the rather smallish size of our apartment my household seems stunningly large and overwhelming much of the time. It's made up of both human and animal species, and it consists of Yaquelina, my devoted and highly overwhelmed wife, our enthusiastic and engaging 1 1/2 year old son, Mateo, my 17 year old rock star drummer son Oliver,(from my first marriage), our life-loving staffordshire terrier / boxer mix, Reina, (her name suggests a regal and dignified bearing; but she is neither) and our rescued naughty black cat, Roxy who I found in a box as a tiny barely living kitten three and a half years ago at rockaway beach. oh, and then there's me. Yes, I'm a little overwhelmed too. When you joined: We joined sometime in the late spring or early summer of 2007? (we're both too overwhelmed to remember clearly) What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: Yaquelina, (my wife) did. She came across a writing about cohousing in the Linewaiter's Gazette at the Park-Slope Food Coop and was immediately seized with a compulsion to use all means necessary, (I won't elaborate here) to get me to the next meeting. I was hesitant. It might be more accurate to say I was terrified. Her description of cohousing sounded vaguely cultish and claustrophobic, and the idea of going into some sort of close-knit scary financial partnership with a bunch of people I didn't know made me want to run screaming in the other direction. Yaquelina complains sometimes that I'm far too insular for my own good, and I'll admit there may be some truth to that. But thankfully, I've never been one to dismiss an idea out of hand without some reasonable attempt to understand it, so Yaquelina and I went to two or maybe three meetings before I began to know with certainty that no-one would ask me to shave my head and chant. All of this to confirm (for those other insular types reading this) that after the past several months of getting to know this dynamic and interestingly mixed group of good people, I now know my misconceptions were absurd. I look forward to being part of building something meaningful and beautiful together with everyone. What you do with your days: Work: prior to this year I was making a living as both an actor and a sculptural ceramic artist. But as of the last few months I've taken on my first-ever full time job (with healthcare!) as a "classroom teaching technician" in the television studio at F.I.T, working occasional 14 hour days, and actually loving it. No one could be more surprised about that than me. Special interests and passions: I'm passionate foremost about Mateo and Oliver and Yaquelina. They show me on a daily basis how to stay grounded and to know what it means to stay connected to the world around me. When I have time,(rare these days), I find an entirely different sort of grounding surfing the waves at Rockaway Beach or (when I'm really lucky) in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico with my friends.
I also love playing hockey with those same friends, throwing frisbee and picnicking in Prospect Park with both family and friends, traveling, listening to music, reading and both having and taking the time necessary to create something new in my studio. - - - - - - MIA, Member
Where you're originally from: I came to the U.S. from Hong Kong (where I grew up) to attend college at age 18. I lived in Ithaca, NY, Chicago, Philadelphia, New Orleans before moving to NYC. About your household: Single (never married); used to have a cat When you joined: September 2007 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: I have lived in the U.S. without family members around for my entire adult life. Doing this has taught me to be self-sufficient, but it has also built in me a belief in friendship and community (community as social activism as well as being invested in physical places and the people who live there). My upbringing was all about looking inwards and protecting the family from the world, but that kind of thinking isn't for me: what gives me pleasure is being helpful, sharing (ideas, laughs, things, work), and feeling a sense of stewardship for the earth. In my mind, this is what cohousing about. What you do with your days: What I love about my workaday life is that I can do my work in cafes, and when I go to the movies, it's work! I am a professor in film studies, literature, and writing. I have traveled fairly widely (Canada, Japan, Australia, France, Italy, U.K., a tiny part of China), and I never get tired of exploring the city (cafes, movies, museums, shops, food-stores, walking tours, parks, by-ways and alleyways, watching ocean-liners going down the Hudson from the Battery Park Promenade). I also love nesting and solitude. A perfect day can be working or reading at home with something bubbling on the stove (and heaven on earth is reading by the fountain at the Palais Royale in Paris on a sunny afternoon). The most relaxing and rewarding thing I do is to prune street trees in my neighborhood (as a Citizen Pruner). Special interests and passions:anything in book-form; all things urban (street food, pocket-parks, street trees, subway maps, street furniture, the Hillside Escalator in Hong Kong); electronic gadgets; all things Japanese (especially Japanese art and Ozu); ballroom dancing (swing, salsa, cha-cha, quick-step); used to play tennis several times a week but am reluctantly "retired;" cooking and cookbooks; tea and tea culture; all things Parisian; cats; train trips; the High Line; recycling; WNYC; magazine-reading; talking-heads news programs on TV, and Congressional confirmation hearings on C-Span; amateur interest in spiritual teachings of various schools; fascinated by human psychology. - - - - - - Ken, Member
Where you're originally from: Scotland, Canada, and England. Grew up largely in Portugal and France. Then continued to grow up in Virginia, Vermont, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. About your household: There are four of us. By height it's: me, Hilary, Caden (7), and Tiger (2) When you joined: October 2007 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: Hilary, but I've now made it my own. It's part of a strategy of making both my and my family's lives bigger and bigger as I get older. What you do with your days: I spend week mornings strategizing and coordinating the packing of huge amounts of produce into small, cold, wet spaces in the basement of the park slope food coop. I take great pride in it and love my contact with my coworkers and with the coop members who show up for that early shift. Most of the rest of the time I'm involved in some way with my two children. Special interests and passions: I love photography. I'm a fantastic canoe poler (I can tell you more). I'm on a slow, methodical, course to become a great songwriter, singer, and guitar player. I love snakes and insects. I've been a rock climber, potter, carpenter, and writer. I love music, this planet, and diner food. - - - - - - Miriam Eusebio, Associate
Where you're originally from: California: Palo Alto, Davis, Chico, San Francisco About your household: My household is myself and two cats, Sophie and Illy When you joined: November, 2007 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: I was intrigued by an article in the Linewaiter's Gazette. The cohousing concept sounded familiar and exciting. What you do with your days: Some days I can be found in the Park Slope Food Coop, overseeing various kinds of member labor and unloading huge trucks of groceries. Other days I can be found in a theater, working with actors on plays. Yet other days I'll be on the couch reading detective fiction. Special interests and passions: I love arts and crafts, I love museums and brunches with friends, I love riding my funky bike, I love collective endeavors, I love libraries, I love divey bars, I love music and dancing . . . - - - - - - Michelle, Associate
Where you're originally from: Boston, Ma About your household: I'm married, we're both in our mid-thirties, with first baby on the way. When you joined: December 2007 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: We learned of it through the Linewaiter's Gazette at the Park Slope Food Coop - and became increasingly intrigued. We believe deeply in the idea of community and became convinced this group was doing something special we wanted to be a part of. What you do with your days: I split my time between 3 businesses I run independently: (1) As an art director in interactive, I design all sorts of stuff but currently have a long-term contract designing the interface for a large financial trading firm; (2) As a professional photographer I sell my work in stock & advertising industries as well as show work as a fine artist, and (3) In the past couple years I returned to school for Integrative Nutrition and now have a private practice as a nutritionist. Special interests and passions: I have a deep passion for yoga and buddhism; a deep interest in all things food (cooking or nourishment); and I'm happiest traveling to far corners of the earth with my camera. - - - - - - Silvio, Associate
Where you're originally from: a rock in the Mediterranean
About your household: soon to be 5 - me, the woman that still makes my heart skip a beat: Michelle, BabyG: (in utero), Xlendi a cute egyptian street cat from the Bronx, and Xero - a 20+ pound lounging shorthair. When you joined: December 2007 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: being from the Med and living in NYC, I have a longing for walking down a street full of the familiar faces of my surrogate families. In NY, cohousing is the closest and best way for making that happen. What you do with your days: I'm a digital publishing technologist who spends his days working on projects that deliver knowledge to people's fingertips and obsessed with bypassing hand & finger operated devices for human/machine interaction. Special interests and passions: park activities, organizing social events such as the Geek Out Summit, reading, learning, and am most passionate about those that I love. - - - - - - Cecilia, Associate
Where you're originally from: Cleveland Heights, Ohio
About your household: It's just me right now When you joined: December 2007 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: I lived in Boston for many years and witnessed the building of the JP CO-Housing Units through my cousin and a very good friend. I was very impressed with the process as well as the beautiful end result of that property. I grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland on a street that had an avid neighborhood association. Everybody knew everybody on a street with about 30 households of children and people of all ages. We looked out for each other and held events through out the year - rather it be caroling, block parties or just neighbors getting together. An experience that I've yet to find in any neighborhood that I've lived in as an adult! While you can't repeat the past - Co housing I feel should be a model for contemporary living in this new millennium. What you do with your days: I am a professional musician artist, composer, teaching artist and clinician that performs nationally and internationally. I have several incredible music projects happening at this time in my life. Including a new multi-media work that will premier in 2009! I also teach music in therapeutic settings working for a number of social service programs throughout the city of New York, where music is used to enhance the lives of people with a variety of disabilities.
Special interests and passions: Yes - I'm a music junkie - there's no question about that! To balance that passion, in the last 5 years I've become an avid cyclist. I am a member of the MAJOR TAYLOR Iron Riders (This is the Brooklyn arm of a national organization) as well as I am a member of the New York City Cycle Club. I love riding long distances! Seeing the country on a bike is quite the experience! My goal is to ride over seas! Wine country in France I hear is a wonderful experience on a bike. You just have to time cycling with the sipping of wine and drink plenty of water. I also enjoy reading. I am also an info junkie! - - - - - - Paul, Associate
Where you're originally from: Brooklyn, NY About your household: Gracie and I are engaged When you joined: March 2008 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: We both believe in trying to live out our political ideals through our personal lives and thus the idea of a planned self-governed community is very important to us. After coming to several meetings of the group, it was clear that this group was well on its way to translating such ideals into practice. What you do with your days: I am a public health professor, specializing in workplace health and safety, and I work closely with labor unions doing training and research. After work, I enjoy going out to do partner dancing (swing, tango, salsa, and zydeco). Special interests and passions: I also love playing guitar and piano, outdoor activities (bike riding, rollerblading, running, hiking, tennis, volleyball, skiing), NPR and all the cultural activities NYC has to offer. - - - - - - Gracie, Associate
Where you're originally from: New York About your household: Paul and I are engaged When you joined: March 2008 What brought you to Brooklyn cohousing: I first learned about cohousing when I lived on the West Coast, but wanted to return to my hometown to do it in an urban environment. Because Paul and I both value community so strongly, it was a natural choice to make our home and start our family in cohousing. What you do with your days: I work as marriage and family therapist with a private practice in Manhattan, and sometimes teach. When not working I enjoy partner dancing (Argentine tango, swing, salsa, Cajun and Zydeco), roaming around the city on foot or bicycle, and cooking. Special interests and passions: I practice zen Buddhism and yoga, am passionate about the environment (especially the built environment) the arts, social justice, and the power of people working together in community to bring it about. - - - - - - 3/27/08 | |
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