BY BRITTANY ROYAL
Starrett City, a diverse neighborhood in Brooklyn that’s home to families, young adults and the elderly, was hit especially hard during the pandemic. According to The City, residents in the 11239 zip code died of COVID-19 at roughly three times the citywide rate.
Many of the neighborhood’s residents identify as Black, with a large community of Spanish and Russian-speaking neighbors, as well. Many Starrett City residents, neighbors shared, have lived in the neighborhood for generations.
In October, The Brooklyn Public Library’s Spring Creek branch teamed up with the non-profit news organization, The City, to speak to residents in Starrett City. Reporters interviewed residents about their experience with COVID-19 and how it has impacted their community and offered to help memorialize loved ones lost to the pandemic through the MISSING THEM project.
“It upsets me to see the aftermath of COVID in my neighborhood,” says Kourtney Rodriguez, who lives in Starrett City. “I see the effects daily at work when people still have not fully recovered financially from the pandemic, and it is shocking.”
Rodriguez, 25, was personally impacted by the pandemic. Working as a cashier at the local grocery store, she met Eloise Cantra and worked alongside her until Canta’s passing. Rodruiguez said that the community became more divided after her coworker’s passing.
The community of Starrett City has been deeply impacted by COVID-19 and slowly getting back to normal. However, with a large elderly population in the community, it is essential to provide the proper coverage. The CITY has been enlisting others by visiting places like Senior Partners, Jasa Starrett Senior Center, and the Brooklyn Sports Club and spreading their message. Their goal is to bridge the gap in the community, as well as memorialize those we have lost during that uncertain time.
Elena Roberts, 37, of Brooklyn, New York, who works out at the Brooklyn Sports Club, spoke about losing a close friend. She said that her friend, Natalie Green, did not have any prior health concerns prior to her passing in 2020.
“Natalie was a healthy individual,” said Roberts. “Ever since she passed, life does not feel the same,” Elena says that since Natalie’s passing, she feels the anxiety of COVID everywhere she goes and is very cautious about going out and always wears her mask.
Life after COVID-19 has presented many challenges and altered how many of us live our everyday lives. Questions of whether we will ever get back to the way things used to be have lingered in everyone’s minds, but for now, we can lean towards a bit of hope with organizations like the city doing their part to highlight those we overlooked in Starrett City.