Steelbands in NYC deserve competitive access to real-estate dedicated solely to preservation and advocacy of their culture and art-form. places to rehearse. places to store instruments. places for tuners to tune those instruments. places for teachers to teach and students to learn.


This could also serve as a place to come and learn about the culture and the art-form in the United States. As a "foreigner" to the art-form, I have to say, my time in the NYC pan scene has changed my life in ways I cannot properly express.


If Pinkberry gets real-estate, so should Casym, Peso, Crossfire, Despers, Radoes, Pan Stars, and the list continues.


It's a complicated issue, especially in NYC, but I don't see any other option than to shoot for the moon, here. As far as I can count, there are literally 100's of thousands of people who are by one degree removed, associated with the steel pan scene in NYC. Anyone in government should see that as a very large demographic to speak to and serve.


#changemymind
hugs and stay healthy.
JQ

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  • Who or what is PINKBERRY?

  •  Well, it’s more than time to "make some noise!" if we really mean business.  Why for the many decades (for me its 50 years now and it’s the same old tune) that the steel pan movement in NYC is being totally ignored, ostracized, and humiliated despite the years of revenues our movement has brought to NYS/NYC and for it to be looked upon as NOTHING by our elected officials who only know we exists when elections come around. 

    How much longer are we going to take the insults, the highly unreachable rents, the expenses incurred by steel band groups for practice space, steel band arrangers, pan tuners, uniforms, food and refreshments, transportation, etc.  The LOVE the PAN instrument evokes, while still reaching out to maintain the culture that provides an escape for community youngsters who enjoy and look forward to the opportunity of playing pan for the season which produces future pan arrangers, pan tuners, pan leaders, musicians, teachers, composers of this beautiful instrument we call the Steel Pan which gives such joy, peace and love for generations and those to come and still being able to survive it all with no serious objectives while looking upon the many sad faces of steel pan leaders and players after the Panorama Competition and after all the hard work making it work there's nothing, absolutely nothing to get - not even survival money - there's none! 

    So, before we go along with the same old cry, lets BAND TOGETHER and attend important meetings among ourselves, and see how we must approach this lack of.  Yet, what we are seeing is progress taking place around us that we are not part of.  We must be part of the culture of NYC - ATTEND PLANNING BOARD MEETINGS AS A BODY - that's where discussions, proposals and fundings are presented to have communities dissected, refaced, renamed and out-valued and gentrified that we are not part of so other programs can happen – ATTEND COMMUNITY BOARD MEETINGS AS A BODY– who decides on zonings, etc. ATTEND ELECTED OFFICIALS’ CONSTITUENT MEETINGS so they know who you are and know you play an important role in your community.  ATTEND YOUR LOCAL PRECINCT MONTHLY MEETINGS – where you learn a lot and meet public officials and their representatives and learn what’s happening in your community and how you can become involved. Get to know the culture of NYC – but at the same time we are occupied and inundated with court appearances, evictions, gentrification, replacements - we are faced now with moving out, many having to live below their means and/or leaving for another state or just totally leaving the U.S. because WE have not stood up and worked together to REINVENT our lives for the good of the future of ourselves and the many millennials who cannot understand how come this is happening to us - along with generations x, y and z -the future leaders of PAN.  WE MUST STAND UP and take responsibility for ourselves, our PAN COMMUNITY.  How? We can start by working together as one UNIT, ONE BODY. We have worked too hard in NYC, paid taxes, see our children grow up and yet have absolutely NOTHING to SHOW.  When will we get REAL!

    We are being diminished daily with the land grab, land buy that has been occurring for years now that there’s nothing left guys.  Bands are totally disbanded and non-functional, no practice spaces – IT’S A NEW ERA – how are we going to direct ourselves as a PAN COMMUNITY.  USSA has been holding meetings with steel band groups and is finally getting responses from groups that has shown a willingness to finally work together to pursue ONE AIM - it’s a new season so are we going to just look at CHANGE in the face or do something about the CHANGE – keep on looking out for ourselves – just keep fighting among ourselves, which produces nothing or WE CAN GET TOGETHER TO GET WITH IT!  Thank You.    

      

    • WOW HAZEL!!! YOU TOLD THEM -- but will they listen.

      I have been reading about that conversation in NEW YORK for decades but what I think is lacking is UNITY (very hard to get AMONG US) and long term planning. Given the demographic changes and the economic stress and the competition for space, this is an UP HILL BATTLE in this climate. But it is never too late because there are people who are going to be coming from AFGHANISTAN today with nothing and they will own land and houses in that same competitive in the next 5 to 10 years.

      Put a team of about three young people together and point them in the RIGHT DIRECTION -- if they have the will and the passion and the vision they could at least save the day for 5 or 10 steelbands.

      How is the PLAY COMING?

  • Very true, but you know that the local government is not going to take the initiative to speak to our demographic; we have to make the government "see" us by being properly organized, which sadly we are not, and approach the powers that be with one voice and be able to explain with that one voice why we deserve the consideration and assistance we are requesting and what does the steelband art form contribute to NYC to warrant such consideration....

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