The area of Astoria queens is statistically one of the worst places to be child, with a poverty rate of over 50%. Walking around certain parts of Astoria you could make this assumption, but only a few blocks away would you never guess such a number. When you envision Astoria you have to think about the amount of area you are covering and the diverse economic and racial population of different backgrounds and upbringings. You can see the connection in the data, just not in every corner of Astoria. Not too mention that statistics can’t capture the true experience of living in a space. The only way to see everything you get from a chart is too truly engage in Astoria and search every crevice.
I chose the highest education levels in Astoria. I was either doing this or poverty. But I decided to focus on something more positive and something you couldn’t see if you visited Astoria. There are people who never finished high school but there are people who have doctorates. Walking down the street, when you see others, your assumptions aren’t enough to understand that person, but there is a chance they have a Masters. Or only a Associates. Education is something integral to our society and it’s often seen as a gateway to a better or more successful life. Understanding the ambitions, or the resources some people have access to in Astoria.
I was deciding on whether or not to do poverty of education, and I was constantly questioning this decision. Going to Astoria was helpful in that I was able to see what the statistics where portraying in a clear and better light. I was intrigued by the landscape of the area, as I was close to the river and I feel this area has a much different feel to it than the rest of the city. I would like to experience this area more and try to find out more about the community that lives there. I think I spent more time in ‘inland’ Astoria than the parts by the river, and I still don’t have much of a sense of the community that lives in that area. I would like to learn more Queens as a whole really. So while I was putting together my poster I tried to think about how I experienced it but also how other could as well, which is why I included directions to Astoria and sounds that could be heard from the area as well.
