Employees Discuss CU's Role In Their Resident Harlem

Many of the staff who check our identification at residence halls, prepare our burgers at JJ’s Place, or clean up after our all-nighters at Butler live right up the street, in Harlem.

Cynthia Stokes is a weekend desk attendant at 616, a Barnard dorm. Barnard’s location is convenient for Stokes not only because of the short commute from her home in Harlem, but also because of its proximity to the 104th Street building in which she grew up and in which her parents still live. She appreciates how this proximity allows her to see them often, as her 70-year-old father sometimes drops by her post to bring her a homemade lunch.

Stokes spends her time reading the Bible and listening to her favorite oldies on CDs as she greets students coming into 616. During the 21 years that she has worked at Barnard, she has had the chance to connect with many students—often offering motherly advice and comfort to those who seek it.

“Sometimes they come to me with boyfriend problems. ‘Why isn’t he calling me?’ they ask. I always say, it’s like Duncan Hines cakes—they’ll always come back for more.”

Ady Matos also works as a Barnard desk attendant on the weekends. During her shift—when she’s not buzzing students in through the door—she’s doing research for a novel on 19th-century England that she hopes to have published one day.

Matos, who lives on 129th Street, said she was concerned about restaurants that have been closing down recently in her neighborhood. “Where I live, there used to be five restaurants that had been there for 30 to 40 years. Now they can’t afford the rent, so they’re closing.”

Other employees living in Harlem raised similar concerns. Yvette Pollard, who has worked for 21 years as a Barnard Dining Services staff member, said the Columbia condos currently in construction have been causing a lot of low-income families to struggle to keep up with rents that have “skyrocketed.”

Rosa Gomez—who hails from the Dominican Republic—has worked at John Jay Dining Hall for 23 years. Over the 30 years she’s spent living in Harlem, she said one of her biggest adjustments to neighborhood change was in 1988, when the Church of Notre Dame on 114th Street became associated with Columbia. Because services were no longer available in Spanish and were mostly attended by students, Gomez began going to a different church farther from her home. Yet she said, “Notre Dame is still my favorite place in the neighborhood.”

Facilities staff member Ceasar Lee has been commuting to Columbia from his home on 125th Street for almost 30 years. Lee said that what he values most about living in Harlem is the rich history the area embodies. His favorite spot is the Cotton Club, established in the 1920s. Located in the heart of Harlem, this night club has featured African-American entertainers ranging from Nat King Cole to Louis Armstrong. “That was the place back in the day,” Lee said. “Cotton Club is a landmark. It’s been there forever.”

Many others love Harlem for the more material things it offers. Lakiya Byers, CC ’12, who works as a desk attendant in Carman, said she enjoys the neighborhood’s wide variety of shops and boutiques.

“Just walk down 125th Street. You’ll find any brand sneakers you want,” she said.

Yet as Columbia moves forward with its plans for campus expansion into Harlem, some staff members cast a critical eye on the project.

Byers said she was upset about gentrification in the area. “It’s the people of Harlem that make it Harlem” she said. “If they were to move, it wouldn’t be the same.”

Other employees like Fabiola Lafontant, a receptionist at Barnard Health Services, see the expansion as a positive development in the area. She said residents could benefit from new job opportunities and that local young people would be encouraged to pursue their education.

Charles White—a JJ’s Place employee whose cheery smile has gained him much popularity among students—has a different take on the issue. According to White, Columbia could be doing more to enhance the area by building parks and opening up gyms and learning centers for young Harlem residents.

“If Columbia can help kids around here play some basketball, do something constructive, the community won’t oppose its expansion—we’ll embrace it” he said.

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