By Katie Russo

The Cosi chain of restaurants is known for quick, hot food in the line of soups, sandwiches and coffee. Like many restaurants, they have small eateries on college campuses, and Fordham University’s Cosi is a favorite of students looking for non-traditional campus food. The friendly but busy cashiers at the front entrance make quick work of an always-growing line, and Aaries is no exception. When observed from a table in the establishment, she made brief connections with the students, recognizing and interacting with some, as well as talking and laughing with her coworkers. She was just as friendly and helpful when approached to be interviewed, and enthusiastically answered all questions.

Aaries was born at the very beginning of March in 1994, in Harlem. She has lived there her whole life, currently at 155th Street and 8th Avenue. The Polo Grounds and Sugar Hill are still a favorite neighborhood, and she remembers a childhood there fondly, with a close-knit community of neighbors. She attended public school at PS 9 (also known as the Sarah Anderson School, located on 84th Street), then attended High School for the Humanities (Bayard Rustin Education Complex) in Chelsea, on West 18th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. After graduating high school, Aaries completed a year of college at the New York Film Academy, studying producing.

Her first job was a retail sales associate at Banana Republic, with the follow-up observation that “they don’t pay enough.” The $9.00 an hour in retail makes her appreciate the higher $12.00 wage at Cosi, which helps her Continue reading →

By Katie Russo

The ubiquitous white vehicles with maroon details and blue uniforms with red embroidery sometimes fade into the background for Fordham students, who become accustomed to the presence of maintenance workers with far longer tenures than them. In the shadowy doorway of Larkin Hall at night, Jose is hidden from most angles except for the glow of his cigarette and the glint of light on his glasses.

Jose was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, in 1954. He grew up there, and met his wife in school. They were engaged and married shortly after completing their educations. They had three children, whom Jose describes as joys of his life. When in the Dominican Republic, Jose was a tailor. He enjoyed the craftsmanship involved with the job, but said that the most important thing was that it put food on the table.

In 1984, Jose and his family moved from the Dominican Republic to the United States. They first settled in Spanish Harlem, but later moved up to the Bronx. When asked what his first job in New York City was, Jose said he could not even remember with a laugh. He said he had many jobs, the most memorable being a factory in Brooklyn when there was still manufacturing, and a taxi driver. Around age 40, Jose began to work at Fordham in maintenance.

Jose cleans the lab building for the biological sciences, Continue reading →

By Lisbeth Brosnan

Judy West, 94, who has pursued issues of inequality for decades from her Upper West Side Manhattan home, describes herself as an optimistic jazz singer, avid reader — and political activist who is very sensitive to social injustices.

She said in an interview that her parents had been very progressive and raised her to be an independent, assertive woman. Judy has lived in New York all of her life. Although her husband died at the age of 42, Judy speaks proudly of her family. She has raised two sons, with grandchildren and one grandchild.

Judy’s very interesting and rewarding life prompted a decision to give her the Clara Lemlich Award in 2013. The Clara Lemlich Award, named for one of the leaders of the union organizing response to the death of 147 workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in lower Manhattan in 1911, recognizes women in their 80s, 90s and 100s who have worked for the greater good for their entire lives. That defines Judy West.

Judy worked in many different positions throughout her life, including working in public relations for the musician’s union, working as a CEO at Neighborhood Development Corp. in the Bronx, partnering with the Black Panthers to open a bookstore called “Seize the Time,” and working as the Labor Coordinator for Tenants and Neighbors. Judy had wanted social activism to be a central part of her career. She explained she would have stayed working in the Musician’s Union forever if she had not grown old. She loved her job at the union and described both the work they did and her staff as extraordinary.

As a jazz singer herself, Judy West has always been fond of music. She cannot pinpoint a favorite musician, but describes all musicians as the best type of people. Her husband had also been a musician, a violinist.

One of her sons is also considered the most important fiddle teacher in the world. She considers musicians to be the nicest and smartest of all people, describing their relationship with the audience as organic. She stated that musicians are “more emotional than males are allowed to be.” Even her great granddaughter, aged 11, can sing many songs from the musical “Hamilton.”

Judy West has lived a long and exciting life, always working for the greater good of society. Her work lead to many great changes and both her passion and excitement about all of her accomplishments is clear to all who are able to speak with her.

By Carly Loy

As James Manning, aged 86, sat in his chair in the Bronx Documentary Center on Courtlandt Avenue in the South Bronx, he was surrounded by “what was.”

As a child, he had lived not too far away from this non-profit gallery. When his parents immigrated from Ireland in the early 1900s, the neighborhood was a collection of people whose homes were across the ocean. His mother immigrated when she was 14 years old. As a new resident of New York City and the United States in general, her first task was to find her way to Brooklyn to see her uncle who was to assist her in finding a job. His father was in the army. His parents met on Governors Island and later resided in the South Bronx. Manning spoke of his neighborhood being on the poorer side, but everyone just thought that’s the way it was. Since everyone was in the same situation, they did not view themselves as lesser. Everyone was poor so no one was poor.

With a background of education at Manhattan college, Fordham Law, and 14 years in the National Guard, Manning became a lawyer. He first represented management, but in 1971 found that his passion lay with representing unions.

Through the eyes of a labor lawyer, he experienced the rise and cresting of the American union movement. In the height of unions, Continue reading →

By Carly Loy

Daniel Batista enjoys playing poker, listens to Nicki Minaj, and has met the Jonas Brothers. When asked what his specialty would be if he were in the talent show, he said that he would jump backstage and take over the show instead.

You may know Daniel by his popular nickname — “the guard at the gym”.

Daniel immigrated from the Dominican Republic in search of a better economic situation. In the DR, he worked as a television producer after earning the degree to do such work at a school in Moscow, Russia.  He used the word ‘professional’ often when speaking of his career in his past life. He said that he met many famous people during that time, including the Jonas Brothers. He had the great pleasure of recording their concert and interviewing them, making the 13-year-old in me very envious. However, following a death in the family, his economic situation took a turn. His wife had already immigrated to the United States and his daughter was in the process of joining her so he decided to start anew in the United States as well, emphasizing that families must stick together.

They were drawn to New York City in 2010 because of its vast Continue reading →

By Lisbeth Brosnan

Bernard Baptiste, one of the many security guards working at Fordham University, can be found in freshmen residence hall, Alumni Court South. Having worked at Fordham for 22 years, Bernard is well-known and well-liked by many Fordham students.

Bernard moved to America in 1978 from Antigua in the Caribbean. Bernard came to the United States as a child, without his family. He has lived in the Bronx ever since.  He has four children, two sons and two daughters. His eldest son is 36 and his youngest son is 24 and attending medical school at the University of Miami. His oldest daughter is studying at Hunter College and his youngestuHun, aged 18, has not yet decided what she would like to do.

Before working at Fordham, Bernard worked as a police officer in the Bronx. In addition to his nightly hours as a security guard, Bernard also held a job helping people with cerebral palsy. He enjoyed the work but gave it up two years ago because of the intense demands of the job.

Bernard truly enjoys working at Fordham. He explained that he has met many good people in the security department. However, he most enjoys the bonds he can form with the students of Fordham. Bernard believes that community is extremely important and enjoys making these necessary connections.