Bronx born and bred Juan “Skittlez” Ortiz has just released a parody on the hit song and video #selfie and it’s pretty hysterical. The talented singer, actor, and dancer from the Boogie Down, has had several videos go viral before such as, “Shit Spanish Girls Say Part 1 and 2” (which got over 10 million hits on YouTube) and “New York City Gays”.
“Juan Carlos Ortiz is a Latino singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor from the Bronx, New York. He graduated from the prestigous Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in 2009 where he majored in Vocal Music. Currently a College student, he attends Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey as a Music Education major. Along with being a classically trained tenor, Juan takes pride in his passion for performing Pop music. Along with singing and performing, he gets joy from producing and editing videos as a hobby. You can see Juan [also known as SkittLeZ] appear on numerous channels on YouTube, most of which he edits and produces himself.”
Check out the #Selfie parody here and see our wonderful, exclusive interview with SkittLez after the video!
First of all, I’m a big fan of your work. Your videos, your covers, your singing (no, I promise I’m not stalking you!)
Tell us a little about yourself. Where in the Bronx did you grow up and currently live?
–Ok! Well, I am 23 years old and last May I graduated from Westminster Choir College of Rider University with a Bachelors of Music in Music Education. I like to say I grew up in two different parts of the Bronx. I lived and went to school in Co-op City until I was 13, however I also spent a LOT of time right on Morrison Avenue off of the 6 train. My family and I went to St. Joan of Arc right in that area and I spent a lot of time after school and on the weekends in that area.
How did the Bronx influence you in who you are today?
–The Bronx has influenced me in so many ways. There’s something to be said about that certain “Bronx attitude” and pride that you develop when you grow up in the Bronx, and in New York City in general. The Bronx is full of so many people, from all different backgrounds, on their grind and working hard to better themselves. Being from the Bronx has definitely had an influence on my drive and will to succeed in all that I set my mind to.
When did you know you wanted to be a performing artist?
–I knew that I wanted to be a performing artist at a very young age. I grew up in a family that truly embraced the arts, and having so many family members that loved the arts made for an amazing support system. From a very young age I took every opportunity that I could to perform for anybody who would watch. I can remember in third grade there was a teacher who would have me come and dance to “Oops! I did it again” by Britney Spears for her class, and she wasn’t even MY teacher. I loved everything about performing and knew that’s what I wanted to pursue. All these years later, nothing has changed about that.
–Oh dear! The list goes on and ON!! My mother, Lillian Raimundi-Ortiz, has definitely had a huge influence on me. Aside from being an incredible and supportive parent, she inspired me from a very young age to go after my dreams. Not to mention she, too, studied music and has been singing her entire life. Another major influence in my life is my aunt Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz. She is an incredible human being and artist. She really is someone I look up to and I aspire to be at least half as great and successful in my art as she has been in hers. Aside from familial influences, I must say I’ve always looked up to Jennifer Lopez career-wise. The idea of coming from the Bronx and becoming so successful is something I’ve always admired.
What has been your biggest struggle throughout the years as an artist?
–I’m not sure that I’ve necessarily met my biggest struggle yet (knock on wood). Going viral and having an audience that wants to see new material from me was definitely a little bit of a struggle because all of a sudden there was a demand for more material, and consistency, whereas before I didn’t necessarily have to put out content if I didn’t want to. A struggle that came along with that was developing Cessa (Shit Spanish Girls Say) into a character so I can produce more material with her in it. People like to watch her and laugh at her, so keeping it fresh, funny and entertaining is something I’ve definitely had to work at. Luckily I have amazing friends like Julissa Contreras, Melanie Gonzalez and David Zheng who are always there to aide in that process, even if it’s just offering an opinion or critique.
You’ve had several hit parody videos that have gone viral, particularly Shit Spanish Girls say with a combined view of over 10 million views. Did you ever think you’d become such a hit?
–Not at all. I had always hoped that something would take off and that I’d be able to reach a larger audience. But how that was going to happen and the fact that it happened because of Shit Spanish Girls Say was not something I ever saw coming, but I’m glad it did.
Why did you decide on doing Selfie?
–Aside from thinking that it’d be a hilariously fun video to do, I decided to do Selfie because after hearing the original song I felt there was definitely another demographic that could have been tapped into. It was a very similar situation to that of doing Shit Spanish Girls Say (which was influenced by the original “Shit Girls Say”). The original track (#Selfie – The Chainsmokers) is such a catchy-club banger kind of song that is so funny to listen to, but because of the electro-beat and the way the girl is speaking I knew there was room to make a different variation of the song that could reach an entirely different group of people. After presenting the idea to Julissa Contreras and Melanie Gonzalez (my best-friends and artistic partners in crime), they seemed to be just as inspired and motivated to make the project as successful as possible. Once I knew they were down, there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity.
What can we expect from you next?
–More videos (vlogs, covers, parodies), more performances, more everything. More, more, more. I’ll always be working on putting out more work. What specifically that is, I’m not sure yet, but there will be more.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
–In 5 years I see myself performing, and working hard on my craft…. Hopefully with lots of success!!
What’s your favorite spot in the Bronx?
–My favorite spot in the Bronx is probably the Pelham Parkway area, especially the drive toward City Island. I really like the neighborhood and how calm it can be without actually being so deep into the Bronx that the commute takes forever. I also love the restaurants over in City Island as well.
Meet Crystal, Felix and Victor of 370 East 153rd Street, a NYCHA building in Melrose. These family members have been tired of looking at the poor condition of the landscaping around their building and have decided to take matters into their own hands.
They have begun creating beds in one of the barren sections of the building and hope to be receiving mulch and dirt from mulch from the city as well as seeds to start growing their flowers. Crystal, Felix, and Victor are thinking of naming the garden Mrs Doris’ Garden, after a late resident of the building who recently passed away and was very involved in making sure the place was kept in order.
Here’s to community residents in action and taking care of their blocks! If we all took care of our own blocks we can truly make the Bronx even more beautiful than it already is.
Miguel A. “Mike” Amadeo. Photo by Hatuey Ramos Fermin.
This Saturday, May 10th at 2:00PM, Miguel A. (Mike) Amadeo will be honored with a street naming in his honor. Amadeo is the owner of a Bronx musical institution, Casa Amadeo —New York City’s longest running latin music store —since 1969 which was founded by his sister back in 1941.
After the naming ceremony, Casita Maria (another Longwood cultural landmark) will host a reception with music and refreshments which is free and open to the public, however, you MUST RSVP.
“Bronx Burning tells the story of the tragic events and misguided policies that almost led to the complete destruction of a major U.S. city and the residents who decided to stay and fight to re-claim their neighborhoods and brought them back from the ashes of neglect, economic opportunism and political indifference.
Bronx Burning recounts one of the most concentrated and widespread cases of arson in modern history and explores the reasons why, despite a crisis of epic proportions, those responsible for orchestrating the most rampant and longest-lasting “fire-for-hire” crime waves have never been brought to justice.
You might remember Edwin as part of the collective, Seis del Sur: Six Nuyorican Photographers who’s exhibit at the Bronx Documentary Center was a major hit and a home coming of sorts for many. The exhibit focused on those very years we experienced through the eyes of these 6 photographers who lived it and documented the events.
If you have a story to share, contact Edwin at: bronxburningdoc@gmail.com
2014 is quite the year for major Bronx anniversaries. The Bronx County Courthouse and our beloved Borough Hall celebrates the 80th anniversary of the opening of its doors for official business.
In 1934, just 20 years after Bronx County was created, the grand old building was opened up by Mayor LaGuardia in a 3 day celebration of the building’s construction. LaGuardia even moved the seat of government for New York City to the Bronx for 3 days to mark the occasion.
The Neo-Classical building was designed by architects Joseph H. Freelander and Max Hausle and cost the city about $8 million dollars to build (adjusted for inflation, that translates to over $145 million dollars in 2014 but rest assure that due to the high quality of its construction, that number is probably more than double). Numerous sculptures surround the building depicting various scenes, including one of Moses carrying the Ten Commandments as a group carries the Ark of the Covenant behind him.
I may be biased in saying so, but I do think our borough hall is the grandest of the outer boroughs (take a look at the other borough halls below and decide for yourself!)
980 unit La Central Affordable Housing development slated for Melrose in the Bronx.
Mayor de Blasio just announced his ambitious housing plan with a 10 year plan to build and preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing. In his announcement he said that this will impact 500,000 New Yorkers and also be one of the solutions to address the homelessness situation. Even extreme low income families making under $25,150 will benefit from this plan — a segment that was neglected in the previous administration.
The 80/20 model (where 80% of the units are market rate and 20% are affordable, low income in more “desirable” neighborhoods) will no longer be the rule of thumb and each development will be different on a site by site basis. In Fort Greene, where the mayor is making his announcement, he cited a development as an example where 50% of the 200+ units will be market rate, 20% low income and %30 middle income.
The new housing plan will not only be the largest but the fastest implemented ever. The mayor declared that there will be a fourfold increase in units for the lower end of the income bracket (a significant increase from the previous administration) as well as a major increase for the middle class who are hurting as well. There will also an increase in larger units for larger families and more units for seniors as well. More details on this will be unfolded as time progresses.
Building over railyards will also be looked at in the outer-boroughs as possible locations to build such affordable housing.
Every development going forward will be developed with sustainability in mind and not only in terms of the environment but also resilient standards. According to the press conference, following these two principles will in theory help reduce the costs of maintaining the cost of maintenance of such developments.
Housing New York outlines the broad principles and the specific policies City agencies will implement to reach Mayor de Blasio’s ambitious goal. The plan emphasizes:
Unprecedented Scale: The plan calls for 200,000 affordable units over 10 years—120,000 preserved and 80,000 newly built.
Affordability for a Wide Range of Incomes: Affordability programs will serve households ranging from middle- to extremely low-income (under $25,150 for a family of four).
Proactive and Strategic Preservation of Existing Affordability: Agencies will use every tool at their disposal to protect tenants in both subsidized affordable housing and rent-regulated housing from the tide of deregulation, and to combat neglect and disrepair that threatens many affordable buildings.
New Opportunities for Growth and Density: The City will undertake ground-up neighborhood planning to identify corridors and communities with opportunities for more housing (both affordable and market), and coordinate greater density with necessary infrastructure.
Quality Jobs: Approximately 194,000 construction jobs and nearly 7,100 permanent jobs will be generated by the housing plan, and the City will work with stakeholders to make sure they are quality jobs and integrated into the City’s workforce development ecosystem.
Fewer Unnecessary Barriers and Delays: The City will streamline the development process and help to contain construction costs by overhauling outdated regulations and removing duplicative agency processes.
The future of NYCHA (New York City Housing Authorities aka “The Projects”) will also play a role. Shola Oyatole, NYCHA Chairman and her department will be working closely with residents to determine what is needed. We know that currently NYCHA is in a major crisis and decaying. They are in desperate need of repairs and we need to be vigilant that Bloomberg’s plan of demolishing parking lots and community centers in housing projects so that luxury housing can be built, never comes to fruition.
The total impact of this housing plan will be $41 billion in public and private financing along with a huge employment impact with an estimated 109,000 construction jobs and an estimated 7,200 permanent jobs.
What exactly will be the impact for the Bronx? We all know that “affordable” housing isn’t necessarily affordable to those where the new construction units are built. For example, Melrose was and continues to be the Bronx epicenter of affordable housing and has seen over 3,000 units of such units yet over 50% of residents in Community District 1 did not qualify for these units. Hopefully the mayor’s promise of addressing the extreme low-income families will address this situation.
Will there be a fundamental change in the actual affordability of how the rents are determined?
The 115-page plan, which was created through coordination with 13 agencies and with input from more than 200 individual stakeholders, outlines more than 50 initiatives that will accelerate affordable construction, protect tenants, and deliver more value from affordable housing investments, including:
Implementing Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning:
In all rezonings that substantially increase potential housing capacity, the City will require a portion of the new housing developed to be permanently affordable to low- or moderate-income households in order to ensure diverse and inclusive communities. The Department of City Planning, working with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, will initiate and expedite the completion of a study to provide the foundation for incorporating a mandatory Inclusionary Housing Program into the Zoning Resolution.
Increasing the Number of Homes for the Lowest Income New Yorkers:
The City will allocate additional resources to its housing programs to ensure that a higher percentage of units in affordable housing reach the neediest people. As a result of this commitment, the City will provide housing opportunity to 16,000 of very low-income households over the 10 years of this plan—more than four times the number served over the previous 12 years.
Launching a New Affordable Housing Program for Middle-Income New Yorkers:
As part of creating and preserving more than 20,000 homes for middle-income New Yorkers, the City will launch a new mixed-income program that is 100 percent affordable. Half of all units in these projects will be set aside for middle-income households. The remaining 20 and 30 percent, respectively, will be reserved for low- and moderate-income households. Middle-income housing is essential to support our economy and workforce, which increasingly cannot afford to live in our city.
Doubling HPD’s Capital Funding for Affordable Housing:
The Mayor’s 2015 budget will propose to more than double the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s annual capital budget in the 5-year plan, increasing investment to more than $2.5 billion. The City will expand its financial commitment to affordable housing using its capital dollars and tax expenditures to leverage other investment, and work with state and federal governments to expand their commitments.
Spurring Development of Small, Vacant Sites:
The City will launch two new programs to redevelop hundreds of vacant sites and build thousands of new units: the Neighborhood Construction Program and the New Infill Homeownership Opportunities Program. These programs will aggregate sites to develop affordable housing, including one- to four-family homeownership opportunities and up to 20-unit rental buildings. The programs will build capacity among smaller developers, local non-profits, and community development corporations to drive the projects.
Stemming the Tide of Rent Deregulation and Protecting Tenants:
The City will work with the state as rent regulation comes up for renewal in 2015 to prevent abuses of the vacancy and luxury decontrol provisions and capital improvement rules. The City will coordinate across all agencies and use every tool at its disposal—from legal action to closer scrutiny of City contracting with bad actors—to protect tenants in rent-regulated housing from landlord harassment and neglect.
Expanding Affordable and Supportive Housing for Seniors:
The City will leverage Project-Based Section 8 vouchers to make housing affordable to those seniors whose income remains stagnant or declines over time, and will continue to push for expanding income eligibility in the SCRIE program. The City will also actively seek out ways to integrate new senior housing in its development programs in collaboration with NYCHA, leveraging their resources and prioritizing their residents.
Offering Energy-Efficiency Retrofits in Exchange for Long-Term Affordability:
To help mitigate rising utility costs and preserve affordability, the City will launch a new program to targeting mid-size and small buildings—in concert with local utilities and existing subsidy programs—to encourage energy and water-use retrofits in exchange for affordability commitments from building owners. The program can help property owners reduce these operating costs by up to 30 percent.
Creating New Strategies to Prevent and Reduce Homelessness, and Develop Additional Supportive Housing:
The City will reallocate a portion of its homeless shelter funding to finance lower-cost permanent housing for homeless individuals and families. Investment in housing that is accompanied by supportive services yields significant taxpayer savings by reducing demand for high-cost shelters, hospitals, and other emergency resources. The City will seek to renew its partnership with the state to expand the development of supportive housing and to broaden the populations it serves. NYCHA will also reinstate its policy of setting aside units for families exiting the shelter system.
Mayor de Blasio’s plan also addresses the fear of gentrification and displacement of populations from encroaching development. In his plan he goes on to say:
“Our affordable housing policies must reach every New Yorker in need, which is why this plan thinks big about the changes we need to make—in government and in the private sector—to make this a city where everyone rises together, and everyone has a safe and decent home.
If you’re in a community where affordability is disappearing, we want to protect it.
If your family lives in a rent-regulated apartment, this plan is focused on helping you keep it.
If you’re a senior trying to remain in the neighborhood you helped to build, we are fighting to help you stay.
If you are a building owner or developer intent on building or preserving affordable apartments, we will support you.
This is a five-borough, ten-year plan. It will marshal people and resources from every corner of this city behind a singular purpose: to make this city again a place where our most vulnerable, our working people and our middle class can all thrive. Together, let’s make that vision a reality.”
Let’s participate and support writing and poetic events held in The Bronx.
Bronx Council on The Arts
Let’s begin with The Bronx Memoir Project, created by the Bronx Council on the Arts, seeks to develop and collect various (500-1000-word) memoir fragments written by people of all ages, races, genders, nationalities and backgrounds currently residing in the Bronx. This will be achieved by deploying memoir writing facilitators to different cultural destinations throughout the borough from March 15 through May 31, 2014.
Bronx residents have your voice be heard! share your experiences!
I will most certainly be attending and writing! see you there!
Held every 4th Friday at Pinstripes Sports Bar and Grill located at 1161 Castle Hill Avenue, Bronx NY.
Next show will be on May 23rd Featuring Division X and Ovados.
Hosted by Advocate of Wordz. Curator and Founder Ovados (Richard Santiago) will make you feel right at home.
10-12 person open mic and feature.
$7.00 cover, Drink and food specials.
Check it out!
Bronx Youth Poetry Slam
May 15th at Kingsbridge Public Library 291 West 231 Street, Bronx Ny from 6-8pm.
Free event!
Presented by The Youth Committee (Bronx Community Board 8)
Take your Teens! Support the Teens!
Bronx Literary Festival
Saturday, May 17th from 12-6pm a FREE event open to readers of all ages and includes readings, workshops, panel and open mic!
Bronx Library Center/New York Public Library
310 E Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10458
Features include: Ernesto Quinonez • Rafael Landron • MAD About Dance • Mariposa • Advocate of Wordz • Five Boro Story Project Open Mic • Pearls of Wisdom• Peggy Robles-Alvarado • Lorraine Currelley and more.
Variety just published this adorable article about a 9 year old Bronxite who has a part in the new ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2’ movie.
From Variety:
At last week’s New York premiere of Sony Pictures’ “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” one of the only actors from the film gracious enough to speak to print journalists was 9-year-old Jorge Vega. Jorge plays Jorge, a kid rescued early on in the movie by our web-slinging hero only to return for a pivotal scene. The Bronx-raised fourth grader talked to Variety about making his debut in the motion-picture business.
You and your character share the same name. I’m not so sure how that worked out. But I know that it’s really sweet.
Tell me about the part. My character gets bullied and Spider-Man comes to help me, and Spider-Man, aside from being a hero, he’s a great friend.
Benedict J. Fernandez, (b. 1936), a Puerto Rican and Italian photographer from East Harlem, captured some of the most powerful and emotionally-resonant moments of America during the tumultuous 1960s. This exhibition comprises vintage prints and never before seen work prints from the archives of an underappreciated master.
The Sixties were arguably the years of greatest social change in American history. The country entered the decade full of idealism and hope – the Civil Rights movement was gathering steam and a charismatic president rallied the nation to explore a New Frontier. America limped out ten years later, devastated by assassinations, divided over the Vietnam War, cities aflame in unrest. Through it all were the movements: Civil Rights, Black Power, Students for a Democratic Society, pro and anti-Vietnam War, nascent gay rights, and more.
One can track these movements – and our nation’s trajectory – through Fernandez’s tough and revealing photos; he was perpetually in the thick of the action with a 35mm Leica, his wide-angle lens capturing it all on Tri-X. He worked with the eye of a poet and the hands of the crane operator he once had been. Fernandez’s photos are brash and confrontational, capturing the mood of the times and his own hardscrabble upbringing.
Ben Fernandez met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at a 1967 march in Central Park. They became friends; Fernandez was one of few photographers to have access to Dr. King’s home. The resulting photos show the civil rights leader in intimate moments with his children and wife, Coretta. Fernandez’s photos are among the most personal ever taken of Dr. King.
In the 1960s Fernandez founded the Photo Film Workshop at the Public Theater, educating a diverse group of inner-city children, including Ángel Franco, who became a Pulitzer Prize winner at The New York Times. Fernandez then created the photography program at Parsons/The New School, making it a national model. Fernandez’s educational innovations helped change photography from a common craft to a respected profession and changed the lives of generations of students.
Founded in 2011, the Bronx Documentary Center (BDC) is a non-profit gallery and educational space devoted to documentary
projects from around the globe. Located on the ground floor of a recently revitalized building in the South Bronx, the BDC aims
to create an engaging environment for local and international photojournalists, artists, filmmakers, critics and educators
committed to innovative methods of non-fiction storytelling.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Bronx Documentary Center, 614 Courtlandt Avenue, Bronx, NY 10451 | info@bronxdoc.org | 718 993 3512
Directions
Subway: 2/5 train to 3rd Ave-149th Street. BDC is located three blocks from the station.
Bus: BX2, BX6, BX13, BX32, BX41.
Car: Parking lot available adjacent to building.
Gallery Hours
The Bronx Documentary Center is open to the public Thursday to Friday, 3 pm to 7 pm and Saturday to Sunday 1pm to 5pm.
School groups are welcome by appt.
Here’s part 3 in a series of fun facts about the borough we love, The Bronx. This series is in celebration of our two major milestones: the 100th anniversary of the creation of Bronx County and the 375th anniversary of Jonas Bronck’s arrival to our borough.
Emory Roth designed 888 Grand Concourse at 161st Street.
2. Speaking of the Grand Concourse, did you know that it was designed by Frenchman Louis Risse who used the famous Champs-Elysées of Paris as the basis of his design for our beloved Boulevard of Dreams.
3. In 1813, a man by the name of Mathias Lopez published the first Bronx based newspaper called the Westchester Patriot (remember, back then the Bronx was still part of Westchester County and home to the county seat). 201 years later and the Bronx is now the most Latino borough in New York City.
We’re home to most of the state’s 250,000 Albanians and also the first Albanian-American elected to state office, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj. Most Garinagu (the plural for Garifuna) are believed to live in the Bronx. Ok, so #4 on our list had a bit more than just one fact but overall it pretty much paints a picture of the Bronx that most outsiders really don’t know. It shows the ever changing face of the Bronx and that’s one of things that makes us such a vibrant place: our people.
5. More bridges connect the Bronx to Manhattan than any other borough. Thirteen bridges connect the Bronx to Manhattan (including 2 for rail) most of which are pedestrian friendly. No other borough comes even remotely close to that many connections to Manhattan.
Click the above image to buy the book on the fascinating history of the Grand Concourse. The book was written by Constance Rosenblum, Editor of the New York Times, City Section.
