{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/cj87h1gf3z/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Keshia Desmarattes Oral History"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/010/original/Aviary_QPLlogo_192x192.png?1578574261","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSummary of Full Interview\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eKeshia Desmarattes is a 30-year-old special education teacher in New York City. Desmarattes shares fond memories of growing up in Queens in the area of Hollis and Queens Village, including how the local Queens Public Library branch was a gathering place for area schoolchildren. Desmarattes, who earned a master's degree in social work, expresses passion for and commitment to supporting local youth, having previously worked as a case manager in the foster care system and as a school social worker. Desmarattes also describes future goals of creating a remote-access discussion forum for youth as well as a youth center that provides a safe space for young girls.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eDesmarattes reflects on the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, parents, and teachers, while also recognizing that the pandemic has increased appreciation for the teaching profession. Desmarattes also expresses safety concerns regarding plans for schools to re-open for in-person learning in Fall 2020 despite the ongoing pandemic. Additionally, Desmarattes offers reflections on growing up in a diverse borough and expresses hope that the Queens community will become more united after the pandemic.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCC BY-NC-SA Contact digitalarchives@queenslibrary.org for research and reproduction requests.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source Metadata URI"]},"value":{"en":["http://digitalarchives.queenslibrary.org/search/browse/43735"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2020-08-05 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Audio"]}},{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Keshia Desmarattes (Interviewee)","Syreeta Gates (Interviewer)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source"]},"value":{"en":["Interview conducted as part of the Queens Memory COVID-19 Project."]}},{"label":{"en":["Coverage"]},"value":{"en":["1990s-2020 (temporal)","Hollis and Queens Village, Queens, NY; Brooklyn, NY (spatial)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["English"]}}],"summary":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSummary of Full Interview\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eKeshia Desmarattes is a 30-year-old special education teacher in New York City. Desmarattes shares fond memories of growing up in Queens in the area of Hollis and Queens Village, including how the local Queens Public Library branch was a gathering place for area schoolchildren. Desmarattes, who earned a master's degree in social work, expresses passion for and commitment to supporting local youth, having previously worked as a case manager in the foster care system and as a school social worker. Desmarattes also describes future goals of creating a remote-access discussion forum for youth as well as a youth center that provides a safe space for young girls.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eDesmarattes reflects on the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, parents, and teachers, while also recognizing that the pandemic has increased appreciation for the teaching profession. Desmarattes also expresses safety concerns regarding plans for schools to re-open for in-person learning in Fall 2020 despite the ongoing pandemic. Additionally, Desmarattes offers reflections on growing up in a diverse borough and expresses hope that the Queens community will become more united after the pandemic.\u003c/p\u003e"]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCC BY-NC-SA Contact digitalarchives@queenslibrary.org for research and reproduction requests.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Queens Public Library"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Queens Public Library"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/010/original/Aviary_QPLlogo_192x192.png?1578574261","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/public/images/audio-default.png","type":"Image","format":"image/png"}],"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - desmarattes_keshia_20200805_full.mp3"]},"duration":1338.48,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/public/images/audio-default.png","type":"Image","format":"image/png"}],"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-queenslibrary.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/259/737/original/desmarattes_keshia_20200805_full.mp3?1734637484","type":"Audio","format":"audio/mpeg","duration":1338.48,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Full Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=0.0,2.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: So, cool, if you can say and spell your name for me.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=2.0,6.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: Keshia Desmarattes. K-E-S-H-I-A, last name Desmarattes, D-E-S-M-A-R-A-T-T-E-S.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=6.0,19.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Amazing. Now we're going to need permission for us to use this audio. If you can say, I, first name, last name, consent to Queens Public Library's use of this content, that will be amazing.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=19.0,33.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I, Keshia Desmarattes:, consent to Queens Public School Library [Queens Public Library, corrected by transcript editor] to use this content.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=33.0,41.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Great. So, how would you describe yourself? And talk to me a little bit around how your family got to Queens.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=41.0,50.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I am born and raised in Queens. My family got to Queens based on—I'm a first generation immigrant, I guess if you would say—my family came to Queens after coming from Haiti. With having family members that lived in the area, they decided to move and from then my mother was a college graduate from Queens College. She attended, I believe, her last two years of high school here. From there I've always been in Queens. A little bit about myself—I'm a 30-year-old teacher. I'm a special education teacher with the [New York City] Department of Education. I have been a teacher for two and a half years. Prior to that, I was a school social worker. I have my master's in social work since 2014. I've been very involved in the community and a lot of activism around education and children, youth, and families.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=50.0,109.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Absolutely. Absolutely. Talk to me about your experience growing up in Queens and how it has shaped you as an adult.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=109.0,118.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: Growing up in Queens was phenomenal for me. I mean, that's the only place I ever known, so I guess the environment just played a big part. I grew up off of Cunningham, which is located on Hillside. Our local Queens Library—we call it the 'mini mall'—it's on Francis Lewis Boulevard and I believe every Friday after school we would go to the library, which had a lot of activities. That's where the linkup was between Catholic school children, private school children and public school children. We kind of all were able to feed off of our surroundings and also our education in the library and also different areas that were around in Queens Village. I think that it shaped me to be the person I am because ever since I was a little child, I always knew I wanted to do something in the social work field. At first I wanted to be a lawyer because I wanted to advocate for my people, especially African Americans, and to be a public defender.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=118.0,178.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: Then as I went to college, I decided that I wanted to advocate for children, so I did a lot of nonprofit organizations I worked in, working in schools, public school system, and just tutoring children from local libraries, local homes and anywhere that I could be involved with children. Then I started to work in foster care—which was also in Queens on Jamaica and Hillside—and working in foster care was where I knew that I wanted to further my education and get my master's in social work because I felt that they needed to see someone, especially the community I was working with, that looked like me in the advocate world and advocate for them.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=178.0,221.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I got my master's in social work, continued with foster care for about another year, and then I transitioned into the school in Brooklyn, and ever since then I've been working at the same school. Later on, I decided that I needed to further my education a little bit more to go into the education system because I felt that they were missing a lot of social workers in the actual school system, in the classroom. And I thought that students would benefit from having someone who understands their social and emotional needs in the classroom that would help them to be successful and work academically strong inside the classroom and later on be a great product of society.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=221.0,265.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/12","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Got it. To go back a little bit, what are two of your fondest memories of growing up in Queens?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=265.0,275.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/13","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: Two of my fondest memories—I have so many. I think it would have to be, of me exploring more by myself in Queens would be when I was in, I'll say elementary-middle school because my school went through kindergarten to eighth grade, and just going in to a private school system where we were more of a family than just people who just came together to go and get an education. I think that we were able to know each other a lot. The crossing guard knowing us, the librarians knowing us, the local pizza—everyone knowing us. And I felt like we were a family and that we were always protected. Another fondest memory would have to be going into the foster care system and working as a case manager and just seeing that right across the street from me there was family who lacked the support that needed for them to actually be together and have the academics and also the access to many things that I had growing up.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=275.0,342.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/14","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Got it. And Queens is definitely one of the most diverse boroughs in New York. Talk to me about, you know, as you were growing up and you were going to other neighborhoods in Queens outside of the neighborhood that you are from, what did you notice?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=342.0,363.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/15","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I noticed that we were very diverse. At the same time, there was some segregation if you think about it. If I was to go to Flushing I would see more of an Asian population. If I went to where I went to school in high school in Astoria, Queens, it was a mixture of a lot of Polish and Italians. Seeing that, even though we were a melting pot, a lot of people kind of gravitated to a certain neighborhood. But as I got a little bit older—past high school and leaving Queens and coming back later on—I see that we're now kind of breaking that segregation barrier and we're moving to all the different parts of Queens, because like you said, it's very diverse and a melting pot everywhere where you see people who don't look exactly like you. You see that even though they may have some parts of what you have, they may be mixed with something else. And just seeing that there's so many cultures that are here and gravitate towards Queens, it was like, \"Oh, wow. There is a lot outside of that little bubble that I lived in.\"","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=363.0,434.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/16","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Got it. Got it. And what do you think Queens has to offer that no other borough in New York has?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=434.0,442.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/17","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I think that we're very welcoming. I think Queens is a welcoming borough, a county. We offer so many different opportunities to succeed in Queens. We offer many different places to go, like sightseeing, like tourists. There's so much that we give that other boroughs don't usually have. You may know one or two things, but I feel like for Queens there's so many things that we can do and that because it's a melting pot and so many people are coming here and they're building from the ground up as entrepreneurs, that there's a lot of things that outside of United States—their country, they're bringing it here—Queens is getting a little taste of all of the other countries. When you come to Queens, you feel that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=442.0,494.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/18","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Got it. Got it. You know, you mentioned your commitment to education. Why are you the one to support our young people with moving forward in their lives?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=494.0,509.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/19","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I believe I am the one to support our youth because I believe in our youth. I really am committed to seeing them succeed and grow—any aspect, any way. I'm always trying to learn new things in order to teach our youth. I feel like because our youth are our future, it's important that we make sure that we mold them the way that we want to see our future to look like. Because I'm so committed, that I feel that—and my background in social, emotional learning—I am a person that our youth can turn to.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=509.0,546.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/20","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Got it. Let's talk about COVID real quick. As an educator, how has COVID impacted your work and the lives of your students and your community, family?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=546.0,561.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/21","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: COVID has tremendously impacted my work. As a teacher, people have that stereotype of, we either get summers off, we get off at a certain time and that's it. I can tell you up to about five-fifteen [P.M.] I'm still working, calling students, ensuring that they know what needs to be done. I'm also teaching summer school right now, but I'm making sure that they're being promoted and passing. COVID has really took us out the classroom and the students are not learning the way that they should. There's a lot at of disadvantage that is happening right now because of COVID, which is making my job as a teacher extremely, extremely difficult. But I'm committed, so no matter what I have to do—if I have to work late, all night—I'm going to do it to ensure that my students are getting the best education that it needs to be.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=561.0,613.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/22","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: It has impacted my family because I have some family members who had to get laid off based off of COVID and their companies being shut down. That has been a big hit towards my family. I feel like because we have always been a sightseeing area, especially in Queens—and I love to go out and go dining and shopping—and I feel like I'm unable to do things like this because of the fact that COVID has prevented us to go out because we're all scared. We don't know what COVID really is. We don't know how we're going to catch it, if someone next to us has it, so we're very hesitant. I think that brings a lot of anxiety and fear amongst an adult, so imagine how our children feel with what's happening right now. Their whole lives, their whole extracurricular activities have been taken away from them.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=613.0,666.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/23","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Indeed. Indeed. Can you share a little bit about what your thinking is in reference to schools opening back up for the fall?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=666.0,678.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/24","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I don't believe schools should be opening up back in the fall because, like I said previously, we are unsure what COVID actually is and how we're catching it. Every day there's something new that's coming out and until we're sure, we should not put anybody's life in danger, especially our children. There was a school that opened back in Georgia who had a whole bunch of students go back into the school building. The first day of school they spread COVID and majority of the school caught it and now they have to close school again. Then they're telling teachers not to speak to the press, not tell them what's going on. But you hindering a lot of other people who are thinking about, especially in New York, who are thinking about opening schools and having students go in, that we may be exposed to what is going on and getting sick, and not only ourselves, but now we expose our family members to this. I feel like because we are unsure, schools should not open up. I know that it's going to take a hit and, believe me, I'm working extra hard right now as a teacher because of remote learning, but as long as I know that my students are safe and I'm safe and my family's safe, I'd rather take that hit any day before going back into a building and being unsafe.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=678.0,752.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/25","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Nah, I agree 1,000 percent. What are you noticing—that parents, young people possibly have taken teachers for granted during this time?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=752.0,768.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/26","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: [laughs] A lot of people have that stereotype about what teachers do and, you know, that it's all about fun after two o'clock or in the summer. I think now—parents having their children home majority of the time—they are really appreciating teachers because they never understood the difficulty of teaching students who have different learning styles. You may know your child individually, but you don't know how they are in the classroom and how they learn. Every year a child grows, their learning style may change. That is where a teacher has to adapt to it. I think parents have been like, okay, I don't know where to begin. I don't even know how to teach children, which have had some times been giving up. Students have been giving up because of this, because they don't have someone that's able to educate them at home or help them beyond the need of what is usually expected of them. They usually go to school, come home, do homework and have, maybe, an extracurricular activity to do.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=768.0,828.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/27","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: Now it's all day where they have work to do and extracurricular activity is only limited to whatever they have in the house, and that is a lot for a child to take in. A parent who is now filling—well, I don't want to say filling the role of a teacher because you can't fill in the role of the teacher—but the parents who are now working in conjunction with the teacher, they're finding it very difficult to educate the students beyond what they're used to. I think that this is making a lot of parents take a step back in realizing how important education is besides in the classroom. Even if we go back to school or when COVID is over—if that happens—that later on that you still need to be educating your students. This should not stop because of the fact that your children are back in the school building. They need to continue to do this.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=828.0,881.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/28","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Indeed. How do you think this is going to change the role that the [New York City] Board of Education has had in our communities?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=881.0,891.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/29","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I believe that it will change the Board of Education because of the fact that now we are realizing how useful and how we utilize teachers is so important. I think the Board of Education would have a higher hierarchy and have a higher state on what's happening in our world, in our community, especially in New York City because, if you think about it, we are the largest school system in almost the United States. I'm not going to say we are. I think we're almost—California may be hitting us—but we are larger than a lot of states and with having 1.4 million students in the Board of Ed, you realize that we took a large hit when we shut down because now we needed to figure out how are we going to educate these students and some of these students need to be placed. With that, I think the Board of Education will have a larger say in what goes on in our community moving forward.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=891.0,953.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/30","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Got it. What do you think they haven't considered as this process—there's so many unknowns—what are some things you think they haven't considered?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=953.0,965.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/31","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: Number one, they haven't considered teachers. We have yet to have an actual say in what happens. For the Department of Education, we have a union who does try to speak up for us. I would even, the survey was very, very limited. There hasn't been something that's extensive to say, \"How is this going to affect teachers during and after COVID?\" Because not only our students took a hit, a lot of us teachers took a hit. There were a lot of teachers who passed away during COVID. You know, I hope that moving forward they would ask us our opinion and let us teachers have a voice. Also, I feel like a lot of things that were missing—we had maybe three or four months to plan on how we would effectively roll out remote learning in September, if we were to do that, and I don't think that they took that serious because everyone thought we were just going to go back in September, so there was not an ideal plan to roll out and this is why they're scrambling right now.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=965.0,1032.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/32","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: Also, I believe that because of how our chancellor and mayor are wanting to make sure that teachers and students are safe, but at the same time that parents' voices are being heard, that they are a little bit conflicted with what to do. With that being said, I don't think that they're taking safety as serious as they should and it's more on how to please those working parents who have to go back to work. But they fail to realize that teachers are parents also, and we have children, and how does that work? So now I know some schools are saying, \"Oh, you can bring your children to work.\" But then that is us exposing kids regardless. I think that they haven't really figured out a concrete plan. I don't know what's the hesitation of just saying, \"Let's stick to remote learning until a concrete plan is made.\"","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=1032.0,1087.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/33","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Got it. What do you think your future looks like as somebody involved in the education system? What does your future look like after COVID?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=1087.0,1103.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/34","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I have so many ideas. I think COVID has had me sit back and reflect on where I want to go, so I'm so happy you asked this question. One, I want to be a greater advocate for our children and our youth. I think that while we have COVID we had a lot of other things that was happening in our world and I feel like it was time for my voice to be heard. I do want to invite my youth to have a say in what's happening in the world, so I'm looking at possibly making remote access youth talk where the youth come in and we have different topics that we share. You know, life after COVID, what our social, emotional needs that we may need as we're getting older.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=1103.0,1151.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/35","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: At the same time, as an educator, I think that I may want to step out and open my own youth center where I will have youths—more predominantly females from the age of 13 to 18—to come in and to have a safe space. I always wanted a safe space for young girls that they felt that they can communicate with, have a big sister that was able to kind of give them those guidance [unclear] to be able to be not only successful in the world, but just to maneuver in the world. I think that's something that I really am looking into opening sooner than later.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=1151.0,1193.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/36","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Got it. Got it. What do you think is possible for Queens after this current moment is over?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=1193.0,1206.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/37","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: I think that—because we're, again, a diverse community, I want us to come together more. I think that it's time for us to show the other boroughs and show the world that though we may not all look the same, we may not have the same, but we are all one. We're all human. United together, divided we fall. I think that hopefully Queens can be that model for other communities to see that and, you know, stand up for each other. When we see wrong is happening, we need to stick up. We need to jump in to build that family. It takes a village and I think that we need to come together and just promote love.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=1206.0,1255.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/38","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Excellent. Excellent. As this will be archived and preserved, is there anything that you want to share around what your visions for the future are?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=1255.0,1272.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/39","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Keshia Desmarattes: Yes. I hope that today and years to come that we really take into consideration our young children, our future, that is going to be our next president, our next doctors, our next lawyers, our next archivist, our next activist. Every child, I think that we need to take a little bit more time to mold and work with. I hope that because they are our future that we are implementing the good in them because all of this hate in the world that's happening and these diseases that's coming, some of them are learned behavior and we need to make sure that our youth and our future that's growing up understand that there's so much more that they can do when positivity is poured into them. I hope that whoever's listening later on or now just realizes that there is change within. As long as we are changing and we are sharing it with one other person, we can make a future a little bit brighter.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=1272.0,1333.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737/transcript/73903/annotation/40","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Syreeta Gates: Come on with the quotes! Let me stop the recording.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/140473/file/259737#t=1333.0,1338.48"}]}]}]}