Antonio Hernandez Interview, November 9, 2019

INDEXED CLIP TIME: 00:00:04.920 --> 00:01:53.270 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Antonio Hernandez on November 9, 2019 during the "It's a Small World After All: Art Wraps on Historic Georgia Avenue" event series at the Petworth neighborhood branch of the DC Public Library, which explores D.C. history, public art, and storytelling. In this clip, Antonio Hernandez discusses what the neighborhood was like when he was young. SUBJECTS: It's a Small World After All: Art Wraps on Historic Georgia Avenue event (2019); Petworth (Washington, D.C.); New Hampshire Avenue (Washington, D.C.); Elementary schools

Alright, today is November 9, 2019. This is Dan Kerr. We're at the Petworth Library. Could you tell me your name?

My name is Antonio Hernandez.

Excellent. And do we have permission to record this interview?

Yes.

Excellent. So could you tell us how long you've lived in the neighborhood or if you have lived in the neighborhood?

I don't live in the neighborhood currently. But I was born and raised in the area. So from when I was born and up into the age of about 12. I lived here on [inaudible] Street and also lived over there on New Hampshire Avenue.

Excellent. And what what was the neighborhood like while you were growing up?

I think it was pretty regular, lower to middle class neighborhood. It wasn't like how is now. I went to a couple elementary schools. I went to Petworth Elementary, which I don't know if it's still open. I went to Chris Monroe Elementary. Also went to Parkview Elementary. So I remember with any of those schools I always walked to school. So I just remember a lot of corner stores a lot of carry outs. Taking the bus everywhere. I remember when the the Petworth Metro was open. And that was like, like a [inaudible]. But I was young. So I didn't really foresee what the neighborhood would be. All the changes that would happen. You don't think about that. You just think that's your neighborhood. That's what you see. I remember. Yeah, I remember coming to the library lot. Actually, I came to this library a lot.

INDEXED CLIP TIME: 00:01:56.820 --> 00:04:40.980 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Antonio Hernandez on November 9, 2019 during the "It's a Small World After All: Art Wraps on Historic Georgia Avenue" event series at the Petworth neighborhood branch of the DC Public Library, which explores D.C. history, public art, and storytelling. In this clip, Antonio Hernandez discusses how the neighborhood has changed since he was a child and why his family moved out of the neighborhood. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.); Georgia Avenue (Washington, D.C.); Affordable housing; Gentrification

And how has the neighborhood changed since?

You can you see a lot of people want to come here I think which is kind of interesting. I think before it wasn't seen as a place, or a destination, that is somewhere that people want to come. You know, people come to the neighborhood before or there's just affordable it was just kind of you chose based on not based on like the cool factor of the neighborhood just based on like proximity to to work and you know, where you could find a place. But I think now that's changed.

I think you're seeing here, which we've seen in a lot of other neighborhoods, stratification between class, the younger professionals coming in. You see a lot of the houses which are being converted into either those weird apartments that are like having 10 apartments in one house. Or where they'll convert two houses and make them into an apartment complex, which is really interesting.

There's some good things I think. You have places to go. I remember I had not been here for a while when I was in school and I kind of came back really for the first time maybe six years ago to Georgia Avenue. So right around where the Metro is, I saw like there was, you know, different coffee shops and bars which is cool. Like around the Safeway area by the metro. So I think there's some good things. I think for a period there was like a reduction in crime. So you saw like some there was more opportunity. But you also see more people either getting pushed out or people not necessarily pushed out but people getting offers that they can't really refuse... like a sum of money to sell their house and maybe not what is really valued at now. So you see, there's a lot of things that were happening.

So when you were growing up, what happened to a lot of your friends? Are they in the area or have they moved out?

Pretty much when I moved out, I kind of just lost contact. Actually, a good childhood friend actually moved out to Montgomery County, farther out, like Germantown, which is pretty far out in Montgomery County. But when I did keep in touch with them like that a lot of them did kind of just stay around the neighborhood. So this is around 1999. So I left at the start of middle school. So when I started middle school [inaudible]. And then we moved just for the issues of schooling, and space, and affordability.

INDEXED CLIP TIME: 00:04:41.880 --> 00:06:26.190 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Antonio Hernandez on November 9, 2019 during the "It's a Small World After All: Art Wraps on Historic Georgia Avenue" event series at the Petworth neighborhood branch of the DC Public Library, which explores D.C. history, public art, and storytelling. In this clip, Antonio Hernandez reflects on his experiences in elementary school. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.); Park View (Washington, D.C.); Education in Washington, D.C.; English as a Second Language (ESL); Afrocentric curriculum; Black history

What were the perceptions of the school? What were your experiences with the school when you were here?

I mean, I think mine were pretty good. I think I have some unique things. Like I remember we went to, I believe it was Petworth or Parkview, one of the two schools. I remember doing things like having, in addition to a spelling bee, they would do things like have a Black History bee. And a lot of things that I thought were the norm, weren't the norm, you know. Like the majority of the schools were black. And so you had a few Icelandic students. English is my first language so I didn't have to go through English as a Second Language (ESL). I know there were several students who were Hispanic who didn't like ESL and everything like that for them. So you had you had an interesting experience having in some ways, it depended on the teacher, but in some ways having like an Afrocentric curriculum. Like learning about Kwanzaa and watching Roots in elementary school. The Black History bee and so and that was a big thing. And I think I still have the [inaudible] and I can't fit it obviously, because I got it when I was like nine. But I remember just having that experience, which I think it kind of impacted how I see the world and then you get older you interact with different people from different towns, different cities. They didn't have that, you know, they didn't watch Roots in elementary school. They didn't have that focus on Black history and a Black centric curriculum. Since you at least for that part besides math and writing and things like that.

And what about your neighbors? You know if you walked around on that street that you grew up on? Are any of them still around?

I don't think so. I know some people left. I walked down the street. I know the house is still there. The house on New Hampshire Avenue, was probably, it was sold to a family member and I think they sold it, but I remember at least from the outside, I think it was probably bought in like fixed up. So it looks nice outside the facade at least.

INDEXED CLIP TIME: 00:06:57.960 --> 00:07:28.800 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Antonio Hernandez on November 9, 2019 during the "It's a Small World After All: Art Wraps on Historic Georgia Avenue" event series at the Petworth neighborhood branch of the DC Public Library, which explores D.C. history, public art, and storytelling. In this clip, Antonio Hernandez discusses why his family moved out of the neighborhood. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.); Affordable housing; Education in Washington, D.C.

And what prompted your parents to move?

It was just, they wanted more opportunities for better schooling. Not for me. Yeah. And then eventually, my mom figured, like the best way for her to be a homeowner was to move out of this county at the time. So this is, like I said, around 1999, 2000.

INDEXED CLIP TIME: 00:07:29.310 --> 00:12:00.330 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Antonio Hernandez on November 9, 2019 during the "It's a Small World After All: Art Wraps on Historic Georgia Avenue" event series at the Petworth neighborhood branch of the DC Public Library, which explores D.C. history, public art, and storytelling. In this clip, Antonio Hernandez discusses gentrification. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.); Gentrification

With all that said? What would you say your analysis of gentrification is?

I think it's complex. I think you can't stop it. For the most part, you could I think there are things you can do to help mitigate the effects or the negative effects. Some communities have done that, like there's communities that have petitioned or mobilized against things like chain stores coming in I do think it, it creates, not necessarily division but it changes to community. Sometimes there's communities that are like tight knit and neighbors know each other. But oftentimes I found that communities kind of just spring up. And a lot of people don't want other kinds of people of move in. You don't necessarily have that. And then that community for me, you know, my girlfriend actually lives up Georgia Avenue. I remember seeing her and just like, renovated complex. And I asked her like, do you know neighbors, you know, in your building or on the street? And they're like, no. And I don't think her neighbors know each other anyway. So you'll have that sense of community and, you know, like, like there are other communities for instance, that will have like block parties, or at least you'll know your neighbor. But it's different. A lot of them don't have families either. So you don't have those opportunities for neighbors to come together for that common thing, like both having children. So, you know, maybe watching someone's child on the street or you know, things like that. So you don't have that sense of community.

Yeah, I just think it's complex. I think some things are good. I think people say things like I've said, like, new businesses or new opportunities coming up, but sometimes there aren't always the best or most needed. And, you know, we don't always need low wage service industry jobs for the most part. And it can get complicated just politically and financially.

But otherwise, I think it's just, it's complex. It's just kind of like a speeding truck, no pun intended, that kind of just kind of just barreling down. And I think there needs to be ways, you know, their speed points or stop signs are kind of just, you know, crossing you know, pushing that analogy for crosswalks for people to kind of cross. You know. I think it's just very interesting.

Yeah. Yeah, that's terrific. I like that. You know, so. Any other thoughts you want to leave us with today?

I would say that, I think. I think that it is just very interesting to see. Like I said, I think I'd want to be able to go back and be older at that time and see and have that perspective of what the neighborhood was like. Because like I said, when I was you know, I was just a kid and I remember just like going around to my friends, so I had friends and neighborhoods around the corner from me. And that didn't really actually happen again until I was in college in a dorm. When we moved out to [inaudible] county, it's just it's bigger move to like a sprawling apartment complex. So there was we did lose a little bit the sense that community and walking around. So one of the things I do think I would appreciate now more as an adult would be walkability, you know, in the public transit and I think people arrive on the metro, of course, but buses are a big thing. Buses don't run as much, or as well in this county. So that's, that's one thing that I would say that and I think that's like a wanted advantage. And I think people are talking more about now like walkability and things like that.

But that's the one thing that I really appreciate about neighborhoods like this. And just proximity everything and we will always want to take the bus either downtown or you know, you need to just take the bus straight out to go to Silver Spring, you know, and just go, you know, elsewhere along the way.

All right. Well, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us this afternoon. Appreciate it.

Thank you!