The Heart of DC

Final RA: Design and Gender norms.

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In her piece “His & Hers? Designing for a Post-Gender Society” she argues that gender norms are now becoming obsolete. As she says, we are living in a “gender revolution”. She feels that those who are designing products need to be ready for this change. Her first counterpoint however, was that “modernism” in today’s society mainly dominated by males, but she then points out that a new wave of feminism is beginning to arise. She especially points out that in the context of design, more people are in the market for the more “tactile” and plush.

The next point that she would address would be that the norms of what people are supposed to look like genderwise. The term was “androgyny”. She felt that the original understanding what gender looks like is becoming much less relevant. She especially points out that transgender people are becoming more accepted, but not only because of general understanding but because of the arbitrary nature of gender norms, to begin with. Gender is more of an ambiguous social construct that besides biological-sex, cannot really be defined, and this is why she felt it was important to look at–we all grow up with these norms preconceived, but she felt it was important to look at how complicated they actually are. Ultimately, she felt that the social concern was individuality above all. As long as someone is not hurting anyone she feels anyone may as well be on any end of the gender spectrum they choose.

 

 

 

 

Tick Suzanne.”His & Hers? Designing for a Post-Gender Society.”MetropolisMagazine. Acessed 10, May 2017.

Fleming’s Conclusion. RA 5

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In part three, chapter 8 of his book, City of Rhetoric author David Fleming concludes that the whole purpose of the book was to study how the circumstances in which someone grows up affects them in different ways. He describes an low-income African ghetto,an affluent white suburb,a mixed “urban village” a high-rise, an inner city housing co-op, as well as a metropolitan area, because he felt that each of these situations had a direct impact on how an individual: created and resolved conflict, their use of  “public language”, and their “public argument”. Fleming also felt that it was very hard to find an “alternative” living situation where there would be a balance between “community” and “society.” He does seem to favor an urban setting because it provides a central place for both a “social scene” as well as helping an individual’s “political life”. Fleming does focus on a concept of “decentralization,” “fragmentation”, and “polarization” to describe some of the dangers of suburbs, especially describing the issue of “flight.” His main argument concerning each of these living situations was that suburbia may provide a sense of comfort for some, but is very much a “polarizing” force as it often encourages a place of homogeneity. On the other hand, the city is often devoid of diversity issues when it works out correctly, as in there is not an issue of “flight”, which he feels that some common background and goals are often the only way to allow for this diversity. Most importantly, he feels that the style of living is just as important as factors such as educational diversity, and economic factors in affecting an individual’s growth politically and socially.

Of the most important examples in his book was the Cabrini Greene housing project. It may have been in theory a good choice for a group of African-Americans to reside in a common location sharing the same “background” and “goals.” In other words, it became a “bonafide ghetto.” It had become especially run down at a point because there may have been common backgrounds together, but the economic homogeneity actually hurt the quality of the location. He also felt that the location provided the isolation that may have helped the community aspect of the situation, but not the diversity. In the context of the location being mostly white, similar issues transpired. He felt that the suburban locations were overall not very good for diversity, although though they may have allowed the community, and were isolated.

Fleming, David. “Part  One: Chapter Two, The Placelessness of Political Theory” City of Rhetoric,  CITY  SUNY Press 2008.

Final reflection: The Heart of DC

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My rhetorical choices in this final project were to open with a bit of important background on how the city is seen today, and why, as well as to elaborate on what my family who has known Washington for longer has felt about DC versus its rapid changes and socio-political progress. The DC I have grown to love is only a ‘drop in the bucket’ in relation to the importance of the history and different values displayed in each of Washington’s many Distinct neighborhoods. I feel that it is very important to remember that the most appealing version of the city that we now see as new residents and tourists are the most advertised version. I even added some personal background to add to the effect of how DC has been a very controversial city, and how my being a millennial has had a unique rhetorical effect on me. Because my parents had seen a much different heart of DC, it was much easier for me to be optimistic as I was of the many younger millennial group who felt slightly more indifferent–only knowing the National Mall, and the monumental icons of the city, and perhaps the Old Town Alexandria, or Georgetown.

I did not want to reinvent the wheel, so because I am much better at writing than using photos to convey my topos of the heart of DC, I simply integrated the progress of my research this term into this presentation. I would title each of my archives very carefully, as they described the exact observations about the city that ultimately lead me to my topos. Most important to me were the visuals. As I pointed out I really liked the quaint pseudo-vintage kind of feeling that parts of this section of town gave off. Although it is important to remember that some feel that the heart of DC is less about the marketability and more about community values. I also wanted to make clear that community is not necessarily devoid in this nicer section of town. It was just an interesting contrast to see that this part of town was very in a way pretentious. What I also noticed was that with it being as upscale and pretentious as it is, it still as I pointed out has a pretty solid product as well. If affordability is the main tenet of the heart of DC in modern day America, well this section was not the place. As I also reference, through my people watching, this nicer section is also very affluent. I wanted to show that clothing trends were also an important factor because those who would likely have lived in DC longer might choose practicality of cheaper clothing over the most up-to-date consumer clothing that I noticed. The nicer khaki-slacks, polo-shirts and related dress seemed to be a reflection of newer values in the city, and less of what would be seen in an area of the city that likes local boutiques, and thrift stores. The next part that I address is the ethnic concerns. As I noticed on 14th Street NW from the advertised view, it was rather homogeneously white but as I later show, is actually fairly ethnic but definitely very affluent. I wanted to point out the comparison to Adams Morgan because it was just the opposite. Adams Morgan to Malloy’s standard is much more community friendly in terms of being more affordable and maintaining an artsy vibe, without losing authenticity. It is also pretty ethnic. I had not done too much digging around AdMo’ having focused on 14th; but it was definitely an important after-thought because I know the area pretty well. I would also say that DC cannot exactly escape gentrification, but being a “broke college student” as I point out, the comparison was definitely interesting. The simple fact that different parts of the city have different types of values alone is enough to complicate what makes DC stand-out, or the heart of DC.

As a touristic millennial, the big city of Washington has been more of an excitement than the harsh socio-political epicenter that the older generation has gotten to know. I wanted to add the context of American University because it added the necessary effect to how I have come to know the heart of DC. There are many different opinions on what the true heart of DC is and I wanted to provide the necessary background for this. I knew that brochures posted on Washington.org, and similar sites as I had pointed out in essay one, are criticized for being ‘too new’ and not authentic enough for many who know what some feel is the real DC. However, I also wanted to make very clear that these changes are also part of DC’s nature and are not all necessarily malicious. Opinions like Washington Post columnist Courtland Malloy’s that feel more nostalgic are biased, and can easily omit some of the hardship DC had gone through specifically in the 80’s. However Uzodinma Iweala, recognize that there were obvious consequences to the role of gentrification, but it has been an important factor in the city’s overall progress.

I chose 14th Street NW, mostly after I had noticed Malloy’s viewpoint and the photo that I present as part of my annotated research. As I point out I would initially have no exact goal in mind, but would as I display in my project–come upon some very useful information simply from noticing things like architecture in the broader neighborhood surrounding 14th and U. What was most important to me rhetorically was the contrasts in which I saw the city, not just in its architecture; but in the many different characteristics of 14th Street NW compared with the broader neighborhood in relation to DC’s history. The photo that was most effective in my presentation, is the one that I pulled from the BBC Magazine piece “Washington DC from murder capital to boomtown” by Bill McKenna which shows DC having been a “murder capital.” As you can see the building in gray taken by Michael Horsley shows a very run-down building which from Malloy’s nostalgic viewpoint, was just fine. Since I had written most of my background as my “first mode” I thought since I was encouraged to use a Prezi, I would provide an embedded link to more Michael Horsley documentation, and finally simply put some of the images I used into a gallery.

The Heart of DC.(Final Project Spring 2017)

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Part One: Getting To Know Washington

It is widely known that Washington DC has always been the political hub and center of power in the United States, but that is not necessarily what defines the true heart of DC. Usually, my generation of tourists and outsiders only know the National Mall and most of the monuments and icons of the area. Perhaps the more adventuresome millennial tourist would have explored Old Town Alexandria and Georgetown, but may be less aware of the many varied neighborhoods and their respective stories.Even though we live in the information age, we millennials have often failed to look beyond the headlines and dig a little deeper to discover the real DC. This is unfortunate since information is now more accessible than ever. We all to often settle for the superficial Google search overview of the city. We can often overlook the importance of the neighborhoods and the communities of people that are DC. As a result, we tend not to bother to look for the less advertised or smaller more ethnic parts of the city. Brochures like 20+ Places to Eat, Shop, and Play on 14th Street, and 10 Distinctly DC Music Venues You Have to Experience published on Washington.org are two glaring examples. It is no surprise that DC is too often reduced to the most upscale restaurants and tourist attractions, but there is much that derives the complex meaning of the heart of DC.

There were many who used to refer to DC as a third world nation because it was comprised of two extremes of wealth and poverty. When I first decided to attend American University, it gave both of my parent’s great pause because the DC they knew from the late 60’s, 70’s and 80’s is no longer the DC that it is today. To further explore my parents’ impression of DC, I would need to work backward. During the 1960’s DC became the epicenter of the Civil Rights Movement with marches and protests which culminated with the “I Have a Dream” speech on the National Mall by Martin Luther King. After the assassination of Martin Luther King, there were riots and much of DC was looted and burned. There were still neighborhoods that have not recovered or been re-built from the riots of 1968.What followed next, was the crack epidemic of the 1980’s. Mostly poor African American neighborhoods and communities were devastated by this inexpensive and very addictive drug. Even the then Mayor of DC, Marion Barry became a crack addict and was famously quoted as saying “if you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very very low crime rate.”

Part two: Gentrification, Community, Nostalgia and the City of Now.

The Revival.

The summer prior to arriving at AU we were assigned a book S Street Rising by Ruben Castaneda.  This really helped me understand all of the incarnations that DC has undergone in the past 40-50+ years.For my first “Digital Archives” assignment in my spring semester Writing 101 course here at American University, I wanted to explore this aspect of DC and culture in greater depth. My exploration began with taking photos of 14th and U. Initially, I did not have a defined goal in mind but as I continued to photograph and explore, I noticed that there were many representations of change. There seemed to be some contrasts in popular architecture choices, and the statements they made—simply by the way that they looked in relation to each other. Most specifically, the irregularity in the quality of building aesthetics, between sections of a neighborhood.For example, there would be some rustic vintage/pseudo-vintage, Victorian/Faux-Victorian, highrises/luxury buildings, and run-down areas all in the same neighborhood. In order to get some more first-hand information on the contrasts that I began to notice, I turned to my aunt Sue Pierce. She was once an AU student herself and offered that…

I took the bus along 14th Street to get downtown.  The route had a number of different neighborhoods.  There was one section that was rough.  Not as rough as the Anacostia area but still clearly showed poverty.  It was a different world for me as Malvern,[my hometown],was not a city and while there were pockets of poverty, this was different. There was also a lot of trash in the middle section of the route.
– in 1968, the times were changing.  DuPont Circle was a mix of hippies and and Vietnam war protesters.  It was my first introduction to the smell of marijuana. It was also scary.  People were ranting against the war, the  US , the president and demanding change.  (Does this sound familiar?)
-I tried to explore the Willard one weekend.  The bus stop was across the street near the old Post Office.  I had never seen such a grand hotel; let alone get to go inside.  It was a short-lived exploration.  Clearly, I didn’t belong and wasn’t a guest.  I was asked to leave.  As an aside, years later a client’s daughter held her wedding reception there.and I got to stay at the hotel and take a tour.  It was still impressive.”

In other words not only has DC experienced great economic improvements since roughly 40-50+ years ago, it has also seen some major social and political contrasts.Not only is marijuana now decriminalized in Washington, and the heat of the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam war past; I continued my research and would come upon one of the more recent socio-political symbols. When exploring the nicer section of 14th I noticed an LGBTQ flag.I also noticed many same-sex couples openly holding hands.With some research, I gathered that the 80’s & 90’s AIDS crisis would spell progress toward general LGBTQ acceptance and social change as the Whitman-Walker Health provider was established at the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center. It is bittersweet that money came into the area as a result of gentrification, and the negative implications of such; but without the money coming in to provide the resources necessary, Whitman-Walker would not have likely had the same impact as it did. In my first investigation of the 14th and U Street neighborhood, I may not have had much of an idea as to what I was looking for; but I continued, I was able to archive plenty of interesting observations of this same kind.

I then focused my attention on a more economically successful section of the neighborhood, 14th Street NW. From observing this nicer section alone, I began to expand on the thought that there were some huge disparities in which different areas were revived. I noticed particularly that the most popular restaurants listed on Washington.org located on 14th Street all seemed to be playing to a quaint pseudo-vintage/hipster look.To describe the nicer area as a whole, there generally were high-rises, in addition to more of what appeared to be a hipster building style, as well as a faux-Victorian accent. Compared with what I had seen during my earlier exploration, covering the broader context of this nicer section, there would be very cheap looking areas that looked like they could have been 2000s-present, while others appeared to be renovated originals. it was very unclear to me the as to the age of some of the buildings.  In the nicer section, there seemed to be a somewhat contrived attempt to create a trendy atmosphere of being local and stylish.  The trendy atmosphere lacked the authenticity of some of the more ethnic neighborhoods of DC. This no doubt is what the ethnic groups of DC fear about gentrification, it somehow strips the heart and soul out of their culture and neighborhoods.

The first time around I especially felt that this particular section of 14th was overwhelmingly white. As I began to look more closely, it was more of a socio-economic homogeneity that I was observing, and less of a racial or ethnic concern.The next thing I would observe would be clothing trends. My observation was that the dress was more current and had left the local thrift shops, and boutique designs appearing more affluent than an average neighborhood.  What I now experience as the heart of DC is still evolving, but to describe 14th Street NW’s interpretation, it appears to be the value of being fresh and stylish–while still trying to instill a feeling of nostalgia.

In contrast to what I had seen in the mildly pretentious looking 14th Street NW, the heart of DC has found balance in neighborhoods like Adams Morgan, which is an economically stable ethnic neighborhood. AdMo’ as some call it, shows a community of an artsy-hipster style–without the peacock feathers of trying to look expensive as 14th Street NW does. Adams Morgan is a culturally rich neighborhood that blends historic architecture, ethnic restaurants, and shops–in order create its own sense of community. It may be post-revival, but in contrast to the very upscale 14th Street NW, Adams Morgan’s community values define what many believe is more important to the heart of DC than cultural appeal, aesthetics, or socioeconomic prosperity.What also really struck me about Adams Morgan was how it was truly affordable the restaurants and shops were.  It was as though real people lived and worked there.  Even a broke college student, who washed dishes last summer for spending money could afford to go out to dinner in Adams Morgan.

 

I would next be asked to record some annotated research and write an essay to expand upon my findings. This would be when I would finally come upon the true complexity of DC changes, as different perspectives greatly disagreed on the impact of gentrification on the heart of DC. For my essay, I would now be analyzing the brochure that has been updated to 20+ Places to Eat, Shop, and Play on 14th Street. I found that the brochure was very effective in showing the positive tourist appeal, and prosperity of the nicer parts of DC due to gentrification. This would be an excellent example to point out the limited portrayal of some nicer parts as the makeup DC culture.  In one of my first annotations, I gathered that ‘the purpose of the modern rhetoric reflected in this piece appears to emphasize an appeal to the audience through aesthetics, more than substance; but effective use of language also plays as much of a role as it ever has. The photos in this source are very bright, and the captions are brief. This is a reflection of how little reading the modern culture wants to do before making a decision, rather they prefer to rely on imagery.’ After I had established the effect of the internet on how the city now has been portrayed, I could now bring in some more information to further develop the narrative of gentrification vs. heart of DC overtime…

Part three: The Gallery

As a final point, I would be encouraged to present some imagery to as my Professor Hunter Hoskins would say, let do their thing. In order to bring some interest to this, I would also be encouraged to present them in the form of a Prezi. In order to map the heart of DC, I have done just that–collected impactful set of photos that symbolize the many meanings of the heart of DC.

 I have also linked some of my other work this semester by category:

Commonplace

Readings 

Essays

Projects

 

“Hell” Squirrel Nut Zippers/Streetlight Manifesto

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“This is a place where eternally
Fire is applied to the body
Teeth are extruded and bones are ground
Then baked into cakes which are passed around”-Tom Maxwell “Hell”

Here is Streetlight Manifesto’s cover.

I thought this nifty stanza from “Hell” by the Squirrel Nut Zippers was a very clever choice of words. Not only is the song juxtaposition of horror, providing haunting atmosphere, there is an interesting us of imagery: words like “extruded”, “bones” and “ground”. The way that it is written almost romanticizes the meaning sugar-coating the setting by suggesting “cake”.  In the context of “Now you make the scene all day but tomorrow there’ll be hell to pay,” this is even more interesting.I cannot explain much else, other than it being an intriguing association of a groove with a groove to add to the listening experience.

Streetlight’s Anti-Suicide Song. It’s also has another positive message.

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“And when you wake up
everything is going to be fine
I guarantee that you wake up in a better place
in a better time
so you’re tired of living
and you feel like you might give in
well don’t
it’s not your time”-Thomas Kalnoky. “A Better Place A  Better Time”

This song has been one of my absolute favorite songs for a while, not only because of Toh Kay’s soft folksy solo project and his album art choice but his smart use of lyrics. I noticed that each phrase in this stanza is simple and loving but not ‘sappy’. I like that it does not use any excessively romantic words to convey a sense of hope. Instead, Thomas uses the words “better” to suggest a possibility of improving from where the audience is at the current moment, and nicely shows compassion through “so you’re tired of living…well don’t”. Standing alone, this could be brotherly, to a friend instead of necessarily being romantic. Honestly only in relation to “Annie” and the pronouns “her” and “she”, is there any suggestion of a romance. I were to replace the words with a reference to friend, as in “he once said”, the meaning would change. A hopeful phrase like “so you’re tired of living you feel like you might give in” is as romantic or platonic as the listener wants it to be.

Commonplace 13: LGBTQ on 14th

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“And with Whitman-Walker’s new facility comes a boost in the services they provide. The new building features 28 medical exam rooms, nine dental suites, a concierge, health and wellness suites, physical therapy, and, at the ground level, an expanded pharmacy. Among the services that 1525 will continue to offer are primary medical care, psychiatry, pharmacy, mental health and addiction counseling, dental care, legal services, HIV counseling and testing, and more.”-Cohen, Matt. “Whitman-Walker Opens New, Sleek Headquarters On 14th Street.”dcist.com 5 Jun 2015

This piece right here is a very good example of positive change on 14th street. I see that there are many things that residents have had to adapt to in the city, and for some, the LGBTQ acceptance would have been very uncomfortable. However, the fact that there is a whole medical business dedicated to the AIDS crisis, screams progress. I like this because my site is a reflection of transition, and adaptation. Without specific representations of progress, we would not be paying as much reverence as we to DC we do today, had it only been the capital alone. However, I would like to know of any consequences, the city has faced in response to WW’s work.

LGBTQ,AIDS/HIV, and Diversity on 14th Street NW, Washington DC AB 9&10

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Exhibit:

Cohen, Matt. “Whitman-Walker Opens New, Sleek Headquarters On 14th Street.”dcist.com, 5 Jun 2015.

In his piece, Matt Cohen recognizes Whitman-Walker as “D.C.’s leading provider of HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ care and services” and a “pillar” of 14th  Street culture to elaborate upon their expansion to a new location. He then continues to provide background on how the center has been crucial to providing services during the AIDS crisis of the 80’s and 90’s, and how this has contributed to the overall climate of LGBTQ acceptance in DC. Cohen explains that plans for their new facility will include some very appealing new amenities. The question, however, will be concerning their oldest facility, the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center. Cohen hints at plans to “redevelop” the facility. Uniquely, this would not mean what it usually does, the facility will not be destroyed or replaced. Instead, it may mean housing or other resources for the LGBTQ community.

 

I plan to use this source as an exhibit of why 14th Street NW, represents DC’s progressive and diverse culture, and how it continues to expand. The recognition of the common progress throughout the city is almost more important than the city’s preservation. Only under the circumstances of the city improving economically would Whitman-Walker have had the resources to succeed in their work as a health provider, catalyzing support for LGBTQ rights as time moved forward. Following this progress, we should not forget the negative repercussions that have come with some of the overall changes on 14th Street, NW, and D.C as a whole. This represents one of the most prominent social revolutions that the area has seen since it has begun to improve economically.

 

newwhitmanwalker.JPG
Cohen, Matt. “Whitman-Walker Opens New, Sleek Headquarters On 14th Street.”dcist.com, 5 Jun 2015.The New Whitman-Walker health facility.

Exhibit:

Tavernise, Sabrina. “A Population Changes, Uneasily.”nytimes.com, 17 July 2011. 

In her Washington Journal piece published in the New York Times, Tavernise argues that DC is losing its signature African-American community.In other words, she sees that the advent of gentrification has made D.C much nicer to live in, in a lot of ways. As a result, she points out that there have also been some unfortunate consequences including the increase in property values, the driving out of low-income families, tax increases, small businesses closing down, and a loss of the original culture. She does address that there may be more diversity now than ever before. However, the bulk of the changes in the last 20-30 years has not been completely beneficial for large groups of people. On the other hand, she does recognize those who were able to continue to survive and thrive through the circumstances, recognizing the attitude of some local businesses to sell what people “want to buy.” The overall message is that D.C has changed in ways that many greatly resent, but it was the ways in which people have learned to adapt to these changes, and not in the city’s preservation that has driven progress.

This piece provides a more holistic view of the city. This document takes a collection of many diverse viewpoints to create a well-developed wider narrative of the city. This is unique because most of the most current DC literature has some kind of audience to pander to, and as result provides a limited narrative. Applied to 14th Street NW, this relationship of facts and experiences will provide all of the necessary evidence to describe the ‘heart’ of DC narrative as a whole.Tavernise synthesizes a variety of other viewpoints to emphasize this.

A run-down restaurant front.Tavernise, Sabrina. “A Population Changes, Uneasily.”nytimes.com, 17 July 2011. 

More People Watching. A Broader Look At The People Located On 14th Street, NW

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Some people walking on 14th Street NW, DC.

In order to observe more information about those who occupy 14th NW, I documented the type of people who walked along the sidewalk.More specifically, the style of clothing that most of these people were wearing appeared more reflective of current day D.C than anything that would have been worn 20-30 years ago–likely purchased from some of the big-box store suppliers (H&M, American Eagle, Old Navy etc.), that would have become more present in more recent years than in earlier years of the city.I would also observe that there is some diversity in the crowds of people, just as I pointed out earlier. A brief overview of common ways in which Washingtonians carried themselves and their modern vernacular would be interesting.

Faux-Victorian?Not A High-Rise?

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What looks to be older architecture, preserved–14th street, NW, Washington DC

One of the most important parts of tracing the social and political, as well as economic change in DC, and on 14th  Street NW, is the expression of architecture.Based the relationships of different building aesthetics alone, there is a lot we can tell about D.C. Including historical context, we can address what kind of values the city has represented in these choices over time, as well as what this has done for those occupying the area. For example, some parts of the city may have taken on a more romantic faux-victorian look, while others may have gone for a ‘hipster’ appearance, with pseudo-vintage design qualities. There again, are large sections with high-rises built.In this example, I see some buildings that appear to be left alone in a lot of ways, but some also showing a Faux- Victorian look.This is unique in relation to all of the larger new looking buildings in the area, which is very interesting; I would like to know more.

Other Cool Stuff!