Communal Joy Magazine | SJI 2023

TEENS IN PRINT SJI MAGAZINE TEAM PRESENTS

2023

COMMUNAL JOY

FEATURING 10 ARTICLES FROM TEEN REPORTERS ON WHAT COMMUNAL JOY MEANS TO THEM, AND TO THE REST OF BOSTON'S COMMUNITY

TABLE OF CONTENTS 02 Editorial

by Graham Martin-Wilson and the magazine team 03 Food for thought: the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen

by Jacob Tucker 04 Parks and green spaces are a great thing. Go visit them

by Albin Casilla 05 Cookouts, family and culture

by Valencia Noisette 06 The relation between culture and fashion

by Aaliyah Weaver 07 Community and commerce at the Roslindale Farmer's Market

by Graham Martin-Wilson 09 Somewhere over the Orange Line: Mapping joy in Boston

by Ketura Joseph 10 Pump iron, make friends: forging a gym community

by Quang Truong 11 "An excuse to know each other deeply": creating Jewish community

by Bianca Mints 13 Whose streets? Open Streets

by Deborah Fauche

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EDITORIAL Communal Joy through the words and photos of Teens in Print.

Letter below assembled and edited by Graham Martin-Wilson

We put together this magazine in a few weeks at our office downtown, working collaboratively to bring communities from around the city to you.

As citizens, journalists, and members of different neighborhoods and groups across the city, we wanted to give insight into the beautiful parts of Boston that not everyone knows about but are important for the people who partake in them.

We focused on the topic of “communal joy”, a general term for the experiences that bring people together both in and across the lines of established groups. It can be found anywhere that people converge in the city. It’s the way that people share their time, their food, their games, their laughs, their stories, their culture, and their lives with each other. From the subway to open parks, from farmers markets to gyms, in the street and sky, from what we wear on ourselves to what we do for others, the city is teeming with life, connection and growth at every turn. Every aspect of Boston is tied directly back to the people of the city, and we hope that this magazine will help to showcase some of the best bits. Not everything can be showcased in this one issue, so we chose things that were near and dear to our hearts and minds. There’s always more to see in Boston, so don’t consider this an exhaustive list by any means.

The world can seem pretty bleak these days. A lot of what we hear in the news is negative, and while there’s plenty of bad stuff going on in the world, there’s a difference between being informed about it and being absorbed in it. It’s good to know what’s going on in the world and be an active voice for what you care about, but hearing about an impending doomsday 24/7/365 can put a lot of stress on us.

It’s important to remember that there’s still plenty of good in the world too; places where people have fun and lead beautiful, joyous lives, surrounded by others that love them. There are problems in our world, but that doesn’t mean we have to live devoid of the warmth that others can bring us. In fact, it’s something that makes the world a decidedly better place. Communal joy also brings hope, as an act of resistance, for many people; it’s a way to provide motivation to make changes, stand up, and celebrate who you are. It’s a way to remember who you are, and to have a sense of not just pride, but content and enjoyment of your life.

As you read, remember that these stories are being shared both to give examples of a hopeful world and to inspire people to bring communal joy to others. We’re writing to not only give you a window into the lives of others, but encourage you to bring these such things to your own spaces as well. We’ve all got something to provide, and as young writers, we try to bring a new perspective to the world as much as anyone else. The experiences of youth and teenagers these days are too often pushed aside, even when they could be the most valuable. It’s great to be given a platform from which the world can hear you speak as a young person, and we hope you’ll find something of your own in this magazine.

Thank you for reading our work!

Design by Ralph Lara Arias

02

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: THE EAST BOSTON COMMUNITY SOUP KITCHEN

By Jacob Tucker / August 2023

Design by Ralph Lara Arias

When I volunteered at the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen, I knew what I was signing up for. What I didn’t know was how much the community relied on them. I was shocked to see a huge line waiting in the pouring rain. I learned that families greatly needed this type of organization in this area. That experience left a major impact on me, which is why I decided to write a profile on them. The East Boston Community Soup Kitchen provides food, clothes and rehabilitation for people dealing with a variety of challenges including homelessness and mental illness. It’s a program run by an abundance of people, including the founder, Sandra Nijjar, an amazing person who has a soft spot for people who are struggling financially.

Nijjar’s grandparents were always helping people. Her grandmother used to make homeopathic medicines for people free of charge. Witnessing this, Nijjar knew that helping people was something that she wanted to do.

“Since I was little I have been helping people''.

Although she had the passion to help, she didn’t know how or where to start. “Here in East Boston I noticed that there was this group of middle aged men that were always like, struggling in Central square and different parts of East Boston and homelessness to me it always touches a nerve in my heart” She did know that she wanted to be in a supporting role rather than a leadership position. Vice president rather than president kind of thing. Once she found people willing to lead her cause, the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen opened on Sept. 14, 2016. Once the kitchen opened, the organization got to work quickly.

Managing a soup kitchen isn’t always easy work. On Mondays they are technically a food pantry as they provide hundreds of bags of various foods for people.Then on Tuesdays they become a soup kitchen where they provide hot meals for the community. They can have their difficult moments. Some days they have to worry about sponsors and donations. “For example, for next Tuesday, I don't have a donor or a sponsor yet to help us with the hot meals because what I do is I look around to see who can pay the local restaurant to make the food for us,” Nijjar explained. The goal is to feed everyone, which can be difficult. People fail to realize that the community is very diverse and some people can’t eat certain things for reasons such as religion or allergies. “They're not thinking about…that diverse community that we have. And they think…oh, it's food, so you just eat whatever. So that becomes very challenging because we don't have more culturally appropriate types of foods to offer.”

Teens in Print reporter, Jacob Tucker volunteering for the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen

Despite all of the challenges they face, the Soup Kitchen still manages to positively affect the community in many ways. Homelessness is already a huge problem but it can become especially hazardous in the winter, as the freezing cold can cause many health problems. People come to the Kitchen saying “‘I need shoes, I need clothes. I need this, I need that.’ So then we make a list. Sometimes we have the items and we're able to give them a bag right away filled with all the basic necessities.” The organization emphasizes that everyone deserves to have a community, regardless of housing status. Community is as crucial as family, Nijjar emphasizes. The Soup Kitchen strives to give their participants “a space of community where they are in an environment where they are in family. We call our space community family space.” The organization hosts things like galas and holiday themed events where the profits go towards helping them get the things they need to help the homeless.

Meeting with Sandra Nijjar was an amazing experience because when I volunteered we didn’t get to ask many questions so the chance to meet with her one on one was a special one. I was able to get insight on the operation and how things go down. So huge thanks to Sanda for coming through and allowing me to interview her.

03

PARKS AND GREEN SPACES ARE A GREAT THING. GO VISIT THEM.

By Albin Casilla / August 2023

Design by Ralph Lara Arias

Community is something that is essential for growth in early life. I believed that being alone for most of the time actually helped me grow more than sharing a space with others, but I was proven wrong. There is a need for people to find passions and things to enjoy, and one of these could be going to parks or green spaces. I’ve found myself sitting at home bored and just going out to my nearest park and reading a book or playing basketball. Visiting parks can be a way to moments of peace and you should most definitely visit them at least once a week.

In Boston, there are a lot of places you can visit. The Boston Parks and Recreation department is responsible for 2,346 acres of public space, parkland, playgrounds, and athletic fields.

Almost half of Boston’s parkland is within the Emerald Necklace, which is a chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston. Green spaces and parks allow for communities to bond by providing a space with a multifaceted possibility of use. You can read a book, have long conversations, connect to nature, play sports, and host community gatherings, all of which are enhanced by the fresh vibe that parks and green spaces bring.

The experience of making friends and creating moments in parks are amazing, I’ve personally made a lot of connections through just going to parks to play basketball.

I got to meet one of my best friends through basketball.

We would meet up all summer last year and play basketball all around Boston and go to different activities that would happen around our neighborhood. I believe that just putting yourself out there and being outgoing will lead to creating friends and experiences you will not forget.

In the James P. Kelleher Rose Garden, a park in the Emerald Necklace, we met Vic Hogg and Ashley Hong (pictured below), a couple of grads who just so happened to be enjoying their time there. Vic shared a green space that was important to them and their friends.

“I used to live really close to Prospect Park in New York, and it was one of the only green spaces to meet in my neighborhood.

So on any given weekend, if I texted my friends, there was like a 90% chance that they were already hanging out in Prospect Park.” Ashley added a bit about one of her favorite places during her college days. “There’s JFK Park in Harvard Square, a really great place for a lot of grad students who would just like say, Hey, I'm studying here, hey, I'm just doing some work or having some lunch. And it was a great space to just hang out and have tables where we all could sit down and do work and play random games, like play spikeball.

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There’s many parks you can possibly visit, we asked Vic and Ashley for their recommendations and we got some good places in and out of the city “The Arboretum is such an amazing place to go and have a picnic and see. [...] Something that I feel is really important about parks in cities, is that it teaches us about plants and birds, and ways that we don't always get to access if you like, living in an apartment.” Spaces such as green spaces and parks allow for us to grow in both social and personal levels. We need others for growth and that is a reality. I have learned that something as simple as being in a space where I can connect with nature and be able to create experience with others, has helped me be the person I am. Parks and green spaces are necessary. Go visit them.

COOKOUTS, FAMILY AND CULTURE

By Valencia Noisette / August 2023 A cookout is a gathering where food is cooked and eaten outside. In my culture, a cookout has always been a way for us to celebrate our haitian culture, catch up with loved ones, make new memories, dance, and eat. This is also true in many other cultures. For years, cookouts have been ways for families to come together, catch up, and create new memories. I interviewed Alejandra Albarrán, Ella Verinder, and Aaliyah Weaver, three reporters at Teens in Print and learned that our experiences are very similar, despite the fact that we come from different backgrounds.

In my family’s cookouts, once you pull to the house, you can already hear the music blaring through the whole house. Once you walk into the backyard, there’s already a table set up for the food to be put on, coolers, a grill, chairs and kids running up and down, chasing their cousins, playing games.

When you walk into the kitchen, the smell of food engulfs you. The smell is so strong that you know the preparation was done so well and took a long time. Once everyone has arrived, someone takes the moment to do a prayer then welcomes and thanks everyone who came and wishes them a good time.

After that, the eating comes and the music manages to be loud enough that the neighbors start to look over at us. The dancing ensues and the uncles get so drunk that they start laughing like little kids.

Design by Ralph Lara Arias

Food is very prominent as well,because the preparation takes all day and is done so well for everyone to enjoy. In Aaliyah’s family, soul food such as mac and cheese, chicken, collard greens, and cornbread, is at the center of the table Since her family has a shared love of seafood, they also have it made for their cookouts. Ella’s family cookouts often take place in Texas, since that's where the majority of her family is from. Barbecue is a very big thing in her family – it's what they've always done.

Alejandra usually watches over the younger kids and plays with them. But as for me, the little kids play with each other and I hang with my older cousins and crack jokes, catch up, and make tiktoks, as do Aaliyah and Ella with their friends. Since Ella’s family is fairly small, the majority of the people at these cookouts are friends and she is most likely to catch up with them, making tiktoks.

While my, Ella's, and Alejandra’s families do cookouts whenever they feel like it, Aaliyah's family has cookouts on holidays even if they don’t celebrate them – they still do it to spend time with their loved ones. This signifies how family is being commemorated through the love of food and music. It also shows how despite mine, Ella’s, Alejandra’s, and Aaliyah’s backgrounds, our family gatherings share a lot of the same components in cookouts which create space for our different cultures.

In Alejandra’s family’s cookouts, music is also very prominent, which entices them to dance bachata, merengue, and salsa. This provides an opportunity for them to celebrate their culture through dance like my family does with our culture dance, gouyad.

Music is also a big thing in Ella’s family, from folksy country songs, gospel songs, to pop music.

Music is very essential in Aaliyah’s family, from r&b, pop, rap, soul, to hip hop. In all of our experiences, music is essential to our cultures and families being celebrated.

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THE RELATION BETWEEN CULTURE AND FASHION

By Aaliyah Weaver / August 2023 Clothes identify who you are, where you come from and who you want to be. They're like a decoration, a nonverbal way of communicating with people to tell them a story. Every culture has their own distinct style to express a personal style or taste; they can reflect on beliefs, morals and values that connect a union of people together.

Clothes are a creative display worldwide. ‘House Of Culture' for example, is a women's boutique clothing store created in 1991, based in Boston Massachusetts.

They are a family-owned store that sells a variety of “elevated trendy and classic styles” connecting to cultural elements throughout the decades.

I had a chance to interview the creative director, Zoë Petty. Zoë is a Black Puerto Rican, so she was able to grow up with the perspective of two different backgrounds. Her culture is something she's very proud to represent, even in her fashion. She feels like she “was born into a sisterhood” whether it is from her fashion or just herself.

Design by Ralph Lara Arias

Growing up Zoë spent a lot of time in the store and “got to grow up around different personalities.” She was able to see how to create a healthy relationship with her customers and see how the store was meant to be run. House Of Culture orders clothes from different companies. When putting in the orders, they tend to think about what will be re-wearable and be able to come back in clothing trends, but they also think about what the customers would want to see them selling in the store, so creating bonds with the customers is crucial.

By knowing the context of fashion you can help people find their style and bring a sense of belonging, they help us understand the different perspectives of each community and embolden creative discovery. When we wear our clothes we help contribute to preserving traditions that help us understand our history.

TiP Talks!

“Culture is a big part of my identity. As a Somali. there is a lot about my culture – the dances, the music, the food…In Boston we have a Somali community where we come together and celebrate who we are, and I am very grateful…Most Somalis are Muslim. I am a hijabi and my outfit consists of a floral hijab and a black dress with a black cardigan. A fashion statement for Somali girls is the black skirt with a top and a hijab.”

Amira, Teen Reporter

“When I think of culture, I immediately think of my family and some of our norms or traditions. I would say culture is a way to kind of ground yourself in this crazy world…I'm wearing cowboy boots. I'm from Texas. I grew up on the border of Texas and Mexico…My grandma, she was born in Mexico. She was born in Aguascalientes, and she just loved denim. She always had like this crazy denim patchwork…She would get recycled denim and make pillows out of it…So I got my inspiration from her in that sense. And I feel like the denim, the cowboy boots kind of really represents Tex-Mex in a picture. Because, you know, you think of the horses and being out on the field and so it kind of represents where I grew up and a lot of what the people do down there. ”

“[Culture] informs who I am, how I act and interact and see the world. I think the most identity based thing is probably the hat I’m wearing is X, referring to Malcom X, referring to the movie by Spike Lee ‘Malcom X’.”

Mohamed, Program Director

Marcela, Youth Leader

06

COMMUNITY AND COMMERCE AT THE ROSLINDALE FARMERS MARKET

By Graham Martin-Wilson / August 2023

Design by Ralph Lara Arias

Every Saturday from June to November, thousands head to Adams Park for a gathering of small farmers, local bakers, t-shirt printers, cannoli makers, and all other sorts of businesses in Boston. Coming from as far as Southwick in Southern MA, or as close as West Roxbury, anyone with a stall and a dream sets up under the trees to sell whatever people in the small, tight-knit community of Roslindale are interested in.

The Roslindale Farmers Market has been around for 30 years, and it’s grown every single season. It’s been a massive boost for Roslindale, for both its economy and residents. According to the Roslindale Village Main Street website, the market has provided an estimated $4 million for the neighborhood in its time, and it’s also host to a variety of programs that help out the area’s people in need, with full acceptance for SNAP/EBT benefits and provisions from Project Bread’s Summer Eats Meals for youth.

The market is also a place where performers come to entertain children, and where local businesses and startups gather to attract customers. In short, the Farmers Market brings people together for everything that people would want to be together for: food, business, support, and community are all rolled into one package out on the Adams Park lawn.

And it’s still growing today. The market’s vendors are what make the venue so unique, and to get a better sense of how the place is run and what the impact has been on their businesses and images, I spoke to seven different businesses in the park on Saturday, Aug. 5.

I talked with Marco Flores, who helps his wife run a family bakery in Marlborough. Doris’ Peruvian Pastries has been in business since 2014, but Marco told me that this was the shop’s first year at the Farmers Market. Even so, he said that he was enjoying himself greatly.

“I like the market because I’m able to see all these people, and sell pastries — what else?” He explained. To Marco, Roslindale served as another business place for the bakery — and a fun one at that, with music and festivities

Marco and his pastry stand at the Roslindale Farmer's Market.

Photo by Graham Martin-Wilson, 2023

Across the path, I found Aslin Santos and her daughter at their shop, Raíces Sofrito. They sell Sofrito, a Puerto Rican vegetable blend, as a sauce and base for some recipes. Very much a family business, Aslin described how cooking was something that came from her mother to her, and that Raíces Sofrito came into her mind as not just a way of earning money, but also “something to share with her family.” It was her first year coming to the market, and she was enjoying herself a lot.

Aslin and her daughter at the Roslindale Farmer's Market.

Photo by Graham Martin-Wilson, 2023

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I spoke to Tom McGee, who runs a hydroponic farming program out of Southwick. His business, Aerogreen Urban Farm, has been coming to the market for a few years. “We grow food through hydroponics and it’s 100% organic. No pesticides, no fungicides, nothing,” he said. Hydroponics is a method of farming in which plants are grown in water solutions rather than in soil, which allows farmers a greater deal of control over the plant and its nutrient supply. He thinks that being at the market has been great because it’s allowed him to inform and educate as well as sell his vegetables to people. “A lot of people, they don’t know about hydroponics… It's kind of the only way to grow it truly organically. It’s a good place to educate people, meet people… enlighten, really.” For him, the market was as much a platform to promote his favored plantgrowing science as it was to sell said plants.

Close to the entry under a red-and-white ceramic-draped tent, Tina Cincotti spoke with me about her business, Crafty Crab Ceramics.

She said that she’d gotten into making pottery and crafts during COVID, and that she’d enjoyed making ceramic jewelry and housedecoration-type items so much that she’d turned it into a side job of sorts. “It’s really in addition to my main job, but I like it.” She likes the market too, mostly for the side of life that it presented: “It’s fun to get to see all the people and hear the music, and be near everyone… with all the activities… it’s a wonderful place to spend your morning.” Even for a hobby like hers, she said that the market had helped her shop grow. “It’s also just a great space for community.”

Liz and her bookstand at the Roslindale Farmer's Market.

Photo by Graham Martin-Wilson, 2023

The last person I talked with was Lila, from Mei Mei Dumplings.

Based out of south Boston, Mei Mei is a startup kitchen that focuses on educating people about food and including a community aspect in its cooking. They even offer classes around dumpling making. Lila said that despite Mei Mei being a full-fledged and steady business that’s often supported by other areas, “Roslindale definitely has been one of the best places, and even if we had to leave we’d be okay, but it’s really nice here.” Clearly, the market holds a special place in the figurative heart of the company. “It’s nice to see all these excited families, everyone out together.”

Speaking to the management organization of Roslindale Village Main Street, I learned a bit more about the people behind the market and how the whole ‘market machine’ runs. Steve Marcein, who’s worked with Main Street for almost seven years, told me about their selection process for vendors and their vision for the market. “We look at how businesses and stores interact with their customers, with their people and communities, wherever they are. We want to cultivate that kind of community here at the market.”

Steve also spoke about the benefits for vendors at the market. “It’s great advertisement, especially since a lot of them are a bit local — a good way to put themselves out there.” And, he added, it was growing in business every year. “We can see a thousand, two thousand people per day… hundreds per hour. It’s a busy place. And that’s also really good for business, word-of-mouth wise.

Lorabelle and her skin care solutions and products at the Roslindale Farmer's Market.

Photo by Graham Martin-Wilson, 2023

On the other side of the lawn, I found Lorabelle (pictured above) running a stand piled high with bar soaps, bottles of herbal solutions, and cream jars. Lorabelle told me about her shop, La Nubian Experience, and its inception in a family-related way: after a skin condition of her sister’s failed to be cured by prescription creams and steroid medicines. “Her doctors, they’d give her these medicines and they’d work while she took them, but then once she stopped the rashes came right back.” She started doing some research into alternative remedies for skin conditions, and that’s where she brought up the idea of making an herbal solution for her sister.

“It cleared right up and stayed that way. Before long, I was making things for friends, family… I started liking it so much, and they said, ‘you should do something with this.’ So here I am.” It’s her first year at the market, and she’s already feeling welcome and like a part of the community.

“There’s absolutely an aspect of community, I really love it here… it’s just a vibe, really. And it’s been good for sales, too.”

My penultimate interview was with Liz, who was seated under a tent filled with shelves and baskets and tables piled with all types of children’s books. She works with Barefoot Books, with a mission to provide books that are “diverse and really encompassing” to communities like Roslindale. It’s the longest-attending shop that I spoke to that day. “I’ve been coming here for more than, probably ten years.” And she felt much the same way about the market as the other vendors did. “The music, the people… and I’ve also been scaling back my business for the last few years and the market has helped provide for me. I don’t know where I’d really go without it…

I don’t think there’s a second option.”

Tina with her ceramic work at the Roslindale Farmer's Market.

Photo by Graham Martin-Wilson, 2023

From his view, the market is definitely an iconic symbol of Roslindale. “It’s what I knew about Roslindale before I got engaged with the community here… Roslindale is really known for its market. I’ve worked for other markets around the city, and nothing brings me as much joy as Roslindale.”

Overall, the market has brought a lot of well-being and life into the community in Roslindale. Saturdays are a day of joy and content, with the lines for the popsicle shop and donut stand almost touching across the park and the middle lawn filled with dancing children next to a music cart. Small businesses get to sell to customers face-toface, provide advice and care, and see the impact they have on their buyers firsthand. And it’s all managed under the umbrella of a caring community management that works to help bring it all together.

Everyone recognizes each other for their humanity, and what they bring to the common table. Everything about the Farmers Market speaks to what Roslindale really is: a space for people to come together and share.

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SOMEWHERE OVER T H E O R A N G E L I N E : MAPPING JOY IN

By Ketura Joseph / August 2023 BOSTON Design by Ralph Lara Arias

Even though communal joy, which I define as anything that inspires pride in and connection with your community, is important to people’s quality of life, there is not an official criteria on how to show communal joy in data. Communal joy is not often the focus when people evaluate the pros and cons of a city. Additionally, data about communities usually relates to crime rates, public transportation, and convenience to amenities. I wanted to map communal joy in order to bring light on aspects of community that are not usually not talked about.

Downtown Crossing ““I think everybody has to find [community] for themselves”

My approach to visualizing communal joy was a map. I made the map based off the orange line, which is a subway route in Boston, because transportation affects how people are brought together. Many factors play into communal joy like housing, cleanliness, and many others. I choose to look at people’s opinions of what communal joy meant to them.

For the map to be representative of boston I needed a variety of people to answer the few questions I had prepared. Random interviews on the orange line gave me a diverse range of people to talk to.

The plan was to stop at 4 stops along the orange line in various neighborhoods. I was able to get interviews at Downtown Crossing, Backbay, and Roxbury crossing. Unfortunately, I was not able to get any interviews at Sullivan Square. I wished I had more time to interview more people so that I could have a large range of opinions on communal joy.

Overall, I am proud of the orange line interviews because it is something so out of my comfort zone. It was nerve racking to go up to random people for interviews, but I had some amazing conversations with those people because I met a diverse range of people who had very unique thoughts about community. Through the interviews I learned, community is closely related to identity. Identity helps you find places you belong in like religious gathering spaces, family, and community events.

Community is important so we should cherish our communities through enhancing the communal joy. Each person has the power to improve their community whether it be big things like organizing community events or little things like daily conversations about community.

“[I find communal joy] in a mosque...[when] we pray together”

Back Bay “I feel like more of a community in my smaller town just because that's more it was like raised” "[Community is] a whole group of people who find one thing in common between themselves and build on…Whenever I see an event that interests me, I go and participate…Like the Boston carnival that they have every year” “I don't think we think about community that much [in Denmark]. I think it's more families, friends…we have this word hygge, which means coziness.”

“I volunteer in my community… I work with a lot of dogs whose [owners] go to the same gym…I grew up in a mostly women's gym and that helps foster some of the community I'm in”

Roxbury Crossing “Community means you are joined in with a bunch of people, whether different ethnicities or different nationalities and races. Y'all are just connected over one specific thing.”

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PUMP IRON, MAKE FRIENDS: FORGING A GYM COMMUNITY

🔥💪

By Quang Truong / August 2023 YOU WILL go to the gym, YOU WILL get gains, YOU WILL feel the burn, and YOU WILL be welcomed by a great community.

Additionally, you should definitely go to the gym because it’s not only beneficial to your health, but it can also help you feel like you’re a part of something bigger by helping people out, giving them advice, or vice versa. You can also be competitive with people or friends. A sense of a friendly rivalry motivates you more, making you work out longer and get healthier.

Why is the gym community so great? Gym-goers are very welcoming and helpful to newer people.

That’s why people shouldn’t be scared of going to gyms. People go to the gym for their own self interest in bettering themselves physically and mentally, including developing better self esteem and a healthier body. There are so many benefits of going to the gym such as improving both mental function and learning. A study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that “students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance and classroom behaviors.”

A gym community can help increase your motivation to complete a workout. Having others around you can make you feel competitive, in a good way, which encourages you to work out longer and harder. Along with a good community, gym culture is also important. Gym culture is “the shared attitudes, beliefs, and customs which are inherent to and promoted by places where people workout”, according to Dalecki Strength, an adult gymnastic program.

Each gym has its own culture. In general, gym culture is a way to guide members’ behaviours. It helps create a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone there. It doesn’t matter whether you’re starting out or a regular gymgoer, you could still make a difference just by being nice, kind, and encouraging to the people around you.

Design by Ralph Lara Arias

If you’re afraid to go because people might judge you, I’ll tell you this: people don’t care about what you do and they won’t judge you. They’re there to do their own thing and work out. My friend, a ninth grader at Boston Latin Academy who wished to remain anonymous, had similar experiences. He started going to the gym last November and felt welcomed when he first started out. He didn’t feel judged by anybody there. Some characteristics of a good gym culture, in his opinion, include being welcoming and encouraging for everyone.

Some gyms go beyond just physical health.

Although it’s best known for its exercise facilities, the YMCA of Greater Boston has a variety of other programs, including healthy living, swimming lessons, youth sports, and many more. Each category has more options that cater towards a certain audience. The housing program, for example, provides several different facilities ranging from emergency shelter to fully furnished two-bedroom apartments. There are even programs for adults that are focused on education and job training for people who are trying to get a job. The adult job training program has helped graduates earn over $103.5 million last year. But one thing that all these programs have in common is that they all focus on health whether it be mentally, physically or financially.

Going to the gym can provide not only physical health, but if you take full advantage of the opportunities that your local gym has to offer, YOU WILL make better financial choices, YOU WILL have better mental health, and YOU WILL be a part of a community that will encourage you be healthy in all aspects of your life.

An example of a good gym culture is something that I experienced first-hand. When I first started going to the gym around last November, I didn’t know how to properly use the weight machines.

A very kind person saw me doing it incorrectly and went up to me to show me how to do it properly. Most gym-goers are extremely welcoming, friendly, and helpful to people that are new to the gym. You can ask them anything gym-related and they’ll gladly help you out – well, that’s just my experience.

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“AN EXCUSE TO KNOW EACH OTHER DEEPLY”: CREATING JEWISH COMMUNITY

By Bianca Mints / August 2023 “I’m so nervous, Judy,” whispered Cantor Alicia Stillman, looking right through her accompanist – and me, even as she recalled her story. I imagine her fingers to be trembling, as if she was reaching for some invisible piano, and her shoulders sagging under the immense weight of the cantorial service for Israel’s Memorial Day, or Yom Hezekiah. “I felt the weight of the responsibility of doing this right, [of] feeling like I've done it well, and really done well by people who need to be at that service.”

“But darling, it’s not about you.”

“I thought, you're right. It's not about me. It took the burden off my shoulders. It's not about you; you are in service to the people here. Such an ego centered thing to let myself be nervous! Just be with them. They're here for a reason. Look at them, and be with them- that, and a lot of rehearsal, helps me not be nervous.” Okay, I’m no longer sure a tissue box would even suffice. Even though her tears during the interview were imaginary, I could see them. I’m betting she at least sniffled back in Israel.

It seemed to me, listening to her reminisce and recollect, that this form of communal joy, where one was basically stripped of their actual identity and given instead a communal role was both a blessing and curse – if you wanted to be recognized for yourself. For Stillman, it was truly a blessing. She seemed to understand and totally be at ease with the fact that a person coming into the sermon was only going to remember her voice, but not the person behind it – “They say that no one leaves his service humming the words of his sermon, which I have to say I don't completely agree with. People do leave somewhere humming, humming music that has an ability to penetrate your mind and the ability to penetrate deep into your heart in a way that words just can't.” Even discussing her singing and music seemed to bring color to her cheeks and a light to her eyes.

When she had her own children, she channeled her new motherly understanding into the Shalom Baby program, a community outreach and support program “designed to…make [a] community out of new Jewish mothers and families or to bring a family into community.” Stillman aimed to seize new mothers out of their typical post-pregnancy emo phase: “Usually new parents are home by themselves with a newborn baby – [they’re] tired, figuring out how to do it, and it’s really, really important to make sure these people don't fall into the margins of the community…It's our job as a community, especially a spiritual community, to see people who have fallen to the unseen places in our corners and to pull them back [up].

No one should be alone. I think Judaism defines that you don't celebrate alone, you don't grieve alone, and [you always] come back into your community.”

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Design by Ralph Lara Arias

At every synagogue I’ve ever been to, regardless of holiday, there are never, ever enough chairs or tables. If you’re a Jew, and you’re living and breathing, you might as well bring a portable social battery charger, or you’re going to be operating on negative percentages. However, I still didn’t expect Stillman to cheerfully announce that she loves Yom Kippur, the holiest (and hungriest) holiday. Stillman believes that every Jewish holiday is expressed in a different musical mode, and the music of Yom Kippur is full of “serious introspection and forgiveness.” She even went as far as calling it a “refresh button”- “I’m popping out new lingo!”

However, Stillman’s not the only one taking a modern approach. “A Jew is a Jew, no strings attached,” says Itty Prus, co-director of the Beth Menachem Chabad of Newton.

Prus is also deeply involved in the Chabad Teen Network, or CTN. CTN is an enormous number of social and educational opportunities for Jews. There’s CTU, which offers college credits in different Jewish Studies, volunteering opportunities, and trips to Israel. But that’s not what’s most important to Prus: “The incredible thing about CTeen…is that it encourages you to connect with Judaism in a very open way, and to connect with other teenagers. And something that you realize…is that I'm just like someone else and someone else is just like me – I'm also another teenager, going through high school, exploring myself, my Jewish identity, and the world around me…And at CTN, we want to create a warm, welcoming environment and [to] create a space where you…feel comfortable sharing and connecting with others.”

"I THINK JUDAISM DEFINES THAT YOU DON'T CELEBRATE ALONE, YOU DON'T GRIEVE ALONE, AND [YOU ALWAYS] COME BACK INTO YOUR COMMUNITY.” I had to wonder, at this point, how it was possible to entertain such a large group of Jews – there are a vast number of Jewish denominations, some of which may disagree – and having these century-long grudges together, in the form of teenagers, and expect lots of happy-go-lucky collaboration? Get out of town.

“You want to know the secret?” Prus grins. (Spoiler: She never spilled the beans. I think she wanted me to figure it out on my own, Aesop's fable style.)

It's not exactly a mystery that many Jews, especially teenagers, often have to balance their desires and the rules of Judaism. In one of the many CTN-provided Kosher Food Clubs, Prus recalls speaking to one teenager about their own personal dilemma – tattoos. “She heard that tattoos may be a problem in Judaism…[so] she just sat down and had a whole discussion with us. She [told] us how hard it is for her, [and how] her grandmother was going through an illness and she wanted to connect with her…she wanted to do something… with being more Jewish. She thought maybe this would be a good idea, but she was struggling with [it].”

Prus’ antidote was simple: mere discussion. It was most important, emphasized Prus, that the teen knew that CTN was there for her; that the staff at CTN are also “human beings, just like [her].”

“THE ‘WHY’ [BEHIND MY MUSIC] IS TO LET THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN US FALL SO THAT WE ALLOW OUR HEART AND OUR MINDS TO OPEN UP, AND TO GROW A LITTLE BIT, TO FEEL CONNECTED TO THE PEOPLE BEHIND US AND TO FEEL LIGHTER.” It was at this moment that I began to wonder if all the Jewish educators were conspiring against me, telepathically plotting my downfall by providing me with the exact same answers! I received an email later that afternoon from Rabbi Raffi Leicht, educator at Umass Hillel, that said: “One thing that I’d want students to know and remember about being a rabbi is that I’m here for you.

I mean that in the sense of being helpful but more so in the sense of me choosing to be in this position for others.

Meaning my time is also your time. If I can relay that message to students, that being a rabbi is about being available to you, I think I’d be doing greater justice to what being a rabbi means to me.”

“There’s no spokesperson for Judaism,” emphasizes Leicht. To Leicht, as well as Prus and Stillman, being a Jewish educator means not only merely informing, but also empathetically adapting – “having your heart expand,” as Stillman would say. However, in an ever-growing, everchanging world, one may feel as if the ground is trembling and cracking under their feet – and some seek religion as that steady floor. Leicht emphasizes the need for a balance: “[Judaism] is meant to be both constant that's written in stone and tablets, but also something that is then written in parchment and reinterpreted over time, giving authority to different generations over time to interpret it in a way that it will be upheld and practiced.” To put it simply, Judaism is elastic.

“Neuropsychology…talks a lot about the elasticity of our brains and…how it changes over time. I think Judaism is elastic in that way…The Torah is yours- it’s ours, theirs, but also yours.” One of the most important things Leicht learned from his students was empathy. They let him “teach his own Torah,” and in turn Leicht could “try to reset the resources of my soul and grow…[The] learning I get to do is invaluable…I can only do that learning with that person in that moment. It's precious.”

The aura of the Torah is this holy, revered text, but its halo is rather blurry and remote. Leicht’s view of his own Torah grounds Judaism back to the roots of the modern community. As a Jew grows and changes, their faith and practices adapt to their changing lifestyle.However, the presence of Judaism as a vehicle of faith and harmony remains constant. As Stillman points out “our core is the same as our prayers are consistent” – regardless of interpretation. She refers to it as a rite of passage: “[I] teach a three-year-old how to say the words that I'm also [saying] sitting at somebody's bed as they're preparing to die; [there's a] whole span of life in here.” Prus directs all sorts of events, from “preschool for the younger ones...teen club…Hebrew school on Sundays for elementary students…adult learning opportunities” – it’s astounding how each and every event features the same exact words of prayer, yet in such completely different forms!

All in all, I think I’ve discovered the most important secret of all: Jewish educators are telepathically connected, like pieces of a puzzle. They can practically finish each other’s sentences: “There’s no membership required to become a member,” says Prus, of a “community [that] is at the heart of Judaism,” as per Leicht, a heart that should “expand a little bit…when you come into worship service,” according to Stillman.

There’s this moment, most often in cartoons (like Arthur) where the character puts their forefinger to the edge of their chin and says “Hmm…” and the scene becomes wavy and blurry until it fades completely into a flashback. I’m a bit less theatrically inclined, but my current surroundings did suddenly seem to blur as I recalled my conversation with Stillman not a full day before: “The ‘why’ [behind my music] is to let the boundaries between us fall so that we allow our heart and our minds to open up, and to grow a little bit, to feel connected to the people behind us and to feel lighter.”

As all three Jewish educators point out, a Jew is, after all, a Jew – regardless of denomination or strength of faith.

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WHOSE STREETS? OPEN STREETS

By Deborah Fauche / August 2023

Design by Ralph Lara Arias

If you were in the streets of Roxbury on July 15th, you would have seen the streets lined with a variety of vendors selling everything from food, skincare, and jewelry to clothing, advice, and more. The streets are also lined with local businesses, and City of Boston resources for people in the community. That was the second of five Open streets events in Boston this year. Open Streets is an annual event that takes place in different neighborhoods of Boston from June to October. All of this is hosted outside, where “[c]ity streets transform into vibrant, pedestrianfriendly boulevards where people can dream, play, and explore.” This is the second year of Open Streets , and it has been a success so far.

“Community, organized, and connection” are the three words a resident of Roxbury who attended used to describe open streets. “It builds community and, with that, lets people enjoy the location and experience.” People are acknowledging that open streets are an event that brings people together for this great experience, and that it also highlights communities and neighborhoods. Lots of people can make assumptions about places by how they are mainly seen, but when people see things like this, see the communities gathering and enjoying themselves, it shines a more positive outlook on the community. In fact, making sure people can see that these communities are places where you can gather and have fun doing so was one of the main goals of open streets.

Shana Bryant is the teacher, event planner, and social entrepreneur CEO who not only helped to organize this year's Open Streets but also helped to expand it to two more neighborhoods. She said that Open Streets "definitely" embodied communal joy. She went on to describe how people of all ages “from grandmas to babies in strollers” can come and see all the different vendors and small businesses and enjoy what they offer. “Why wouldn’t you wanna do it?” With her advocacy background and expertise, Open Streets "was my genius zone.” Bryant had over 15 years of volunteer work under her belt when she realized she could do even more. After being certified to bid and win government contracts in 2018, she became a vendor in 2020. When this came along for her she thought it was “really dope.”

photo courtesy of Open Streets

Bryant wanted Open Streets to be a place where people would just come into the streets and enjoy the activities and vendors. “Honestly, I think the goal was for people to show up in the streets and to have an event that would be memorable.” People came out and did exactly that. She believes that “it has a positive impact. It is an opportunity for residents to come out in the community and support local businesses and vendors.” One of Bryant's favorite parts was being able to see kids riding up and down the streets on bikes , which most kids don’t do these days. She loved being able to shed positive light on communities."All parts coming together brings me the most joy.

When I think of community jot, I think of a place where people can come together, have fun, and bring positive light to their community. Open Streets embodies that and is able to bring that joy to the communities and neighborhoods they go to. Open Streets is an all-inclusive, fun, and overall community-building time where people, communities, stores, and neighborhood organizations can benefit from.

It exemplifies how amazing it is when a community comes together, even in places you would not expect. “I do think that anytime you can be out with the community and give back to the community, that joy comes from gathering.”

There are Open Streets events coming up in AllstonBrighton on August 19th, Dorchester on September 17th, and East Boston on October 15th. More information is available on the City of Boston’s website.

photo courtesy of Open Streets

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THANK YOU

DESIGN BY RALPH LARA ARIAS ARTICLES BY: AALIYAH WEAVER ALBIN CASILLA BIANCA MINTS DEBORAH FAUCHE GRAHAM MARTIN-WILSON JACOB TUCKER KETURA JOSEPH VALENCIA NOISETTE QUANG TRUONG WITH THANKS TO GRISHA LEYFER, PROJECT LEAD + EDITOR AND GLADYS VARGAS, EDITOR CREATED AS PART OF WRITEBOSTON'S TEENS IN PRINT SUMMER JOURNALISM INSTITUTE

TEENS IN PRINT

2023