Rutherford Likes Her Chinese Food Cheap

Rutherford is a life-long Brooklynite (Crown Heights by way of Canarsie), and proud daughter of Haitian immigrants. She is a creative entrepreneur working on a number of things like editorial curation for Black Girl Fly Magazine and building a sustainable town in Haiti. In this episode, Ruth shares with Alexis her insight on how new Crown Heights residents have changed the neighborhood's landscape (hint: it's not always for the better). She also discusses the oft-overlooked effects of gentrification on Brooklyn's outer neighborhoods like Canarsie. In the process, she and Alexis hit on everything from racism and reparations to Get Out and Goodfellas. They also share their thoughts on the their ginger ale preferences, their plans to call in stunt doubles by the year 2020, whether or not the Nets are really a New York basketball team and the magic of 106.7 Lite Fm. For more from the episode, check out the show notes below!

To Read and Research:

• America's terrible student loan system
• A brief history of Crown Heights
• Alexis' letter to fellow white people living in gentrifying neighborhoods
• Canarsie's demographics (this article was written in 2001. While the statistics have changed, it is still relevant)
• Food deserts
• Operation Impact: An NYPD initiative started by ex-comissioner Ray Kelly that sends rookie police officers straight from the police academy to "high crime areas" that would "benefit from extra policing". This initiative often pairs two rookies together, as was the case with Peter Liang and his partner. Liang shot and killed Akai Gurley in 2014. Commissioner William Bratton announced in 2015 that the NYPD would be phasing this program out, but a sign advertising it still hangs in Alexis' laundry mat on Franklin Avenue. Just FYI.
• Carl Swanson profiles Mary J. Blige for NY Mag
• Wesley Morris profiles Jordan Peele for NY Times Magazine
• Liquorlining: "It’s not a coincidence that there is more liquor stores in poorer neighborhoods. They’re there to make a profit. Liquorlining is the practice of encouraging very high density of liquor stores and other alcohol outlets in low income areas. Instead of the denial of services to low income neighborhoods, its a profitable option for service providers to sell in these communities. It could cause the neighborhood to go downhill and is defiantly taking advantage of a situation that causes people to feel somewhat helpless."
• A list of reparations payments made by the U.S. and other Western countries

To Watch:

• Desus & Mero on Viceland (the discussed studio bear is seen below)
• Jamie Foxx's African safari skit
• Get Out: If you haven't watched this movie yet, Alexis can no longer call you her friend
• Black Panther: See above
• High Maintenance season 2, episode 3 Namaste featuring Danielle Brooks and Brooklyn's real estate market

To Listen to:

• Still Processing's Jenna and Wesley discuss acknowledging MLK's birthday but not his assassination
• FM Radio? Including Hot 97, Power 105 (who will exclusively be playing Cardi B for the remainder of 2018) and 106.7 Lite FM
• Celine Dion
• All 5 minutes and 4 seconds of Biggie's Gimme the Loot while reading the lyrics

And as promised here are two cute AF pictures of Ruth and Alexis making their first communion.  They are both long-lapsed Catholics, as Ruth says "much to the chagrin of every priest in the world". And yes, these dress used ALL the lace in the tri-state area. There is literally none left.