Dear Editor:
I always enjoy Joy Pape’s writing, but I was particularly moved by her recent article about Lloyd and his dear pet friends. It so sensitively described the journey through love and loss that so many of us choose to take because the rewards so outweigh the pain. Also, each article particularly about pets and their human companions tends to make me so much more interested in and connected to my neighbors and neighborhood.
I was also touched by and so relieved to read Brian Pape’s article “Nothing Wrong With “Woke.” Isn’t it just a little outrageous many have been attacked and sometimes even made defensive about attempting to be conscious rather than live in societal and personal delusions about who and what we are and are not? And unfortunately I believe that it is not hyperbole to suggest those who defend those delusions threaten the possibilities of not only their own happiness but life on this planet and probably even the next – if there is a next.
At 80 my experience is that for those of us with unearned privileges, unpacking the delusions that accompany those privileges can take ongoing commitment and courage, especially as we choose to become accountable for the implications of the deeper truths we awaken to.
And arguably, my sense is that of the many people I have known and even the wonderful teachers I have studied with around the world, none is completely awakened all the time. I know, for example, I am consistently finding shocking almost primal pockets of unconscious racism or unconscious expectations of white or class privilege.
So rather than “woke,” I’ve recently considered having a tee shirt made that says, “Awakening and Grateful. The Rewards May Surprise You.” For me I find that less energy is now unconsciously used in the struggle to deny or ignore obvious truths about my tribe’s and my own contribution to others struggle to survive let alone thrive. I find I can rest more and more in the only true peace, the peace and clarity that are the byproduct of acknowledging and being accountable for simple deeper truths.
One of those truths, I believe, is what writer Peter Kingsley refers when he proposes that while we consider ourselves to be, we are not yet human beings. And I believe every step in that direction for any of us is a moment of grace. So again, thank you Brian for coming out as standing for the values you describe so well.
Jan Crawford

Dear Editor of The Village View,
As a junior at Stuyvesant High School and a participant in the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Student Ambassador Program, I have always been deeply passionate about understanding and improving working conditions for American workers. It was, therefore, a great delight to read articles in the recent issue of The Village View that focus on these critical issues. The pieces by Roger Paradiso, “The Writers and Streamers Strike is Over. But the Actors Will Face a Tough Negotiation,” and Assembly Member Harvey Epstein’s “Fighting for Fair Employment,” not only informed but also inspired me. It’s heartening to see these topics receiving the attention they deserve in our community’s discourse.
November 16th marked another significant event: Workers at over 200 U.S. Starbucks locations participated in the ‘Red Cup Rebellion.’ I witnessed union workers at the Starbucks on Astor Place leave their posts to join the picket line as part of a national strike demanding higher wages and better working conditions. This grassroots effort, supported by many in our community, is a testament to the spirit of workers’ rights and dignity at work. Such actions underscore the need for fair pay and respect in the workplace, and the relevance of these issues extends to many other workers employed at various places in our neighborhood, such as Chipotle and Trader Joe’s.
I want to thank The Village View for your continued efforts to enlighten and empower our neighborhood. Thank you for giving a voice to these critical issues and inspiring young people like myself to stay informed and engaged.
Brandon Z.