Summary(1:20) 28 years old, calling from Bensonhurst -- (1:45) Arrived Brooklyn March 16th to visit girlfriend, looked for volunteer opportunities -- (2:18) Became active with South Brooklyn mutual aid group -- (3:45) Evolution of activities: coordinator, shopping, fundraising -- (4:50) Standardized shopping list ingredients -- (5:30) Mass distribution of premade packages. Local businesses make food and equipment donations -- (7:38) South Brooklyn Mutual Aid origins with Katherine Walsh, Sunset Park, began as response to pandemic -- (8:50) 500 volunteers, communicating through What’s App, Zoom -- (9:45) Mutual aid group feels like family -- (10:39) Worries about grandfather -- (12:06) Expects mutual aid groups to continue to fill important gap in safety net. More equitable than standard non-profits -- (13:25) Critical of typical non-profits’ bureaucracy. Mutual aid groups: all volunteer, horizontally structured, easier for clients to navigate -- (14:50) Aggravated by politically situation. Hopes crisis will inspire more political engagement -- (17:50) Inspired by aid work.
NoteAudio interview conducted on May 15, 2020, by Zoe Grueskin. Collected for the Covid-19 Oral History Project through Our Streets, Our Stories, an oral history project of Brooklyn Public Library. This project is a partnership with Services for Older Adults and the Brooklyn Collection.
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