Giovanni Laguerre

Description

Giovanni was born in Haiti in 1988. His family immigrated to the to the U.S. first to Florida and then to Flatbush, Brooklyn within his first year. He speaks about the poor conditions of his first home on Ocean Avenue before moving to Avenue I and Nostrand Avenue (Midwood). He describes the neighborhood as quiet and separated with a Jewish community one side and mixed demographics on the side where he lives. He talks about his first public school, P.S. 152, which split into P.S 315 and P.S. 152 during his third grade year. He speaks about the experience of having a black female principal at P.S. 315. He discusses changes in school zoning policies and the sense of freedom traveling farther away from home to attend attending Shell Bank Jr. High School. He also talks about attending Sheepshead High School and describes it as the best high school filled with resources. He mentions gangs and encounters with police officers at Sheepshead. Giovanni talks about joining the golf team his senior year and not having the proper attire. He describes receiving strange looks from white counterparts because of his attire and race. He also discusses his love for basketball and football but being unable to play because he was Seventh Day Adventist and games were held on Saturdays. He talks about the difficulties of being a teen and Seventh Day Adventist. He felt there was a lack of support from his parents for extracurricular activities because they only focused on...

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