Local Perspectives:
Residents Weigh In

Harlem —

Improving the community
Reverend Derrick Andrus, 43
St. Mark's Holy Tabernacle, 262 Malcolm X Blvd

I think it makes the community better. It gives kids something to do, it gets them off the street, it seems to be a positive place. The kids are learning, they're getting exercise, they're doing positive things other than just hanging around on the street corners and making trouble so I think it's doing good. I don't know in depth what goes on inside, but from what I've seen in my passing by, it seems to be a good place for the community, for the kids and for the parents I'm sure it's a big help. I've seen change.

Taking a stand against gun violence
Terrell Henderson, 17
Student, Rice High School, 124th Street and Lenox Ave.

The peace rally they started, I think it was last year I believe, for Sean Bell, they wore the shirts, everybody from the Harlem Children's Zone, they were basically standing up for peace and against gun violence because in Harlem, gun violence is pretty strong and teenagers could get access to guns and everything. And Harlem Children's Zone is basically making students aware of gun violence so they're really trying to put an end to it so that's why they did the peace rally. I'm not involved in the Harlem Children's Zone, I just know about it. And I know people that are."

One of many good things going on
W. Franc Perry
Community Board 10 Chair

My initial answer is they're one of the many entities in Harlem that has helped to make us a better neighborhood. They're one of. Their innovative approach towards community education, their attempts to be inclusive of community organizations, and their focus on education is something we enjoy – we like educational institutions that offer our young people opportunities and alternatives to violence and to other forms of negative behavior. There are children who are utilizing the Harlem Children's Zone programs, whether they be after school or the weekend programs like the Baby College, or that are going to their school,that perhaps might not have had these opportunities before.

- Rachel Dodakian