http://www.curtisbay.com/vintagenews/index.html


The social mission of AMST 422/680 class’ project is to advocate the cultural/historical importance of the community of Baybrook which is “the two adjacent neighborhoods, Curtis Bay and Brooklyn,” to understand the significance of preserving places of the past, and to raise awareness on social-environmental justice.

The goal of the project is to raise money for the community garden called Filbert St. Garden in Baybrook. The purpose of AMST 422/680 is to learn the steps to make a successful fundraiser. The steps are to develop skills in collaborative work (teamwork), cultural documentation research (for example, using oral histories), and professional development (using skills for future work) to reach the goal. Social entrepreneurship is one of the steps to recognizing new opportunities or using innovation. Another step is “Learning to Do Historical Research” by William Cronon which offers an opportunity to use the history, stories, and memories of people who lived in Baybrook’s lost neighborhoods to create a piece of the history to help remember the past and its importance. The coming fundraiser caused me to think of different kinds of ideas to contribute to the project. For example, the class can build a relationship with the people of the community during the semester to create a positive surrounding the fundraiser. Another idea is to create a fun event for everybody especially the children such as eating contests or set a concert.

The whole idea of the fundraiser with a goal to raise $10,000 has caused me to pause.  I was wondering how we, as in several groups plus a certain professor, would be able to raise such a large amount. However, after listening Dr. King’s past unsuccessful projects I want to work hard to try and ensure that this year’s project will be a success. No matter the outcome, I will have a good learning experience.