Interview

I had the privlege of interviewing Shawn Kretzschmar, a long time resident of my neighborhood who comes from a family of electricians. His father is an electrician, he is an electrician, his sister works for Local 3 and his youngest sister is going to school to help prepare her to do the same kind of work. He has been living in the neigborhood for over 30 years and says that the change he has watched has shocked him. I asked him many different questions about the life of the neighborhood, who he has seen come and go, and what he thinks of things as they are right now. He told me that the people he has seen come into the neigborhood recently seemed respectable, but the way they treat the area is horrible. He thinks that the neighborhood is unsafe and he thinks its a shame that there have been many cases of anti-semitism.

"This isnt the neighborhood I remember growing up in, we usto play outside at night and not have to be home when it gets dark, now you would be a fool to let you kid stay out after the street lights go on".

The greatest news to many residents ears is that they are going back to the old ways. In order to live here, you must be an electrician. When Shawn told me that, his face was glowing and he seemed like he just learned that he had won the lottery. "I've watched some great ideas go wrong, but i dont think that is possible in terms of improving the neighborhood".

1. How long have you lived here?
2. What made your parents move here?
3. Did the area you live in have an impact on your career choice?
4. what changes have you seen while living here?
5. How has the anti-semitism affected you
6. Do you think that the neighborhood has room for change?
7. If you could move out now and never come back, would you?