What was it like growing up on Staten Island, and what did growing up in New York City do for you personally and professionally?
Growing up in Staten Island was unique; it is the only borough in NYC that feels primarily residential. Everyone seems to know everyone else. We spent most of our time hanging out at people’s houses, playing stickball, and having fun in the streets; it is a very close-knit community. If you said you wanted to become a professional athlete, famous, or very successful, unfortunately, it was looked down upon culturally and even discouraged. “That’s not something a kid from Staten Island does,” friends would say if you talked about your dreams. We didn’t list in a positive environment from a “pursue-your-dreams” perspective that would have created an inner drive to succeed. Staten Island is primarily a blue-collar place that encourages you to be in law enforcement, serve as a firefighter, or aim for similar roles. To dream big freely was looked at as folly.
0 items
-
$0.00
0
