[Emily and Logan]
East Village resident Emily Rems shares a letter that she sent to her building's management company after her partner was a victim of racial profiling and harassment in the lobby this past Friday.
To the Managers of 230 E. 14th St., NYC,
My name is Emily Rems and I have lived in your building for 17 years. For the last 15 of those years, I have been living here with my partner Logan. I am white and Logan is Black. And unfortunately, over the years this has meant that we have not always been treated equally as residents of your building.
The latest example of this disparity happened last night, ironically on the evening of June 19th (aka Juneteenth). Logan was coming home in the evening after running some errands, and he found himself entering the building behind a young white man with a mustache who is unknown to us, and a young white woman who was with him.
The man with the mustache stopped Logan before he could climb the stairs and demanded to know if he lived here, stating that he was asking “because a lot of stuff is getting stolen here.” Further aggression and hostility followed when Logan refused to engage.
Please understand, we are well aware that mail theft is a huge issue in our building. Logan and I have both had our packages stolen from the lobby of this building and we understand how frustrating that can be. It is my understanding that this is the reason security cameras have recently been installed near our mailboxes. But for a white tenant to corner one of the only long-term Black tenants still living in this building and demand some kind of proof of residence is to create a hostile and racist community environment. It is harassment, plain and simple, and I think management should address it in a letter to everyone who lives here.
When it came to management’s attention last year that new residents were renting out their apartments as illegal Air B&Bs, cease and desist warnings were sent to everyone living here multiple times, and signage went up in the lobby in two places letting everyone know this behavior was unacceptable. I think what happened to Logan warrants the same type of action.
I am confident that you will be sensitive to this situation. Let your residents know what actions you are taking to safeguard our property. Let us all know how you would like us to contact you in the event that our property is stolen and we need someone to check the security camera footage on our behalf. But most importantly, please remind everyone living here that you will not tolerate any harassment among tenants.
I look forward to hearing back from you about your plans to address this issue and thank you in advance for hearing me out. I believe that if this were happening to a member of your family, you would feel equally outraged and would want to speak up on their behalf. And we know this is not the type of environment you want in your building.
Sincerely,
Emily Rems
Managing Editor of BUST Magazine &
Long-Time Tenant of 230 E. 14th St.
There has not been a response yet from the management company.
25 comments:
Not a fan of landlords in general (who is?), but I don’t think it’s the building management’s responsibility to ensure that all tenants behave in a civil manner. If someone is repeatedly causing problems with the other tenants, sure, take action. But I don’t know what she expects management to do - put up a sign saying please be courteous and respectful to all?
@7:46 - I mean, that's a start? Unfortunately it seems some people need a reminder. This couple have called the EV their home for close to two decades, face the same challenges we do, but are being discriminated against in their own residence. Since the offending party lives in the building, it's at least a guarantee that they will see something to make them think twice before making a POC 'prove' anything to them.
Yes, generally agree, what is management to do? Though things are a tad different now. I sat through a stunning team Zoom meeting for the “all white, mostly male” tech company I work for. Everyone agreed that we need to up our awareness and change our culture. The rift was on just how to do that as a small company beyond token statements and even adding a person of color to the board. I’m sure this is happening all across the country. Perhaps in the case landlords and multi-unit buildings, there should be regular “get to know your neighbors” meetings.
I have asked someone entering my building who they were when I did not recognize them - yes she was black - she turned out to be a residents mom - I also ask white kids who they are (more frequently because they are ever rotating out) if I do not recognize them. But there is no need to be rude to anyone about it ever.
@anon 7:56 - The answer to your question is in Emily's letter. I call your attention to the last three paragraphs.
Brava Emily. I'm sorry that you and your partner had to experience that in your home. I hope the bldg management listens and does the right thing. Hopefully one day you'll locate the mustached tenant and slide your letter under his door in hopes that he understands how ignorant and hurtful l his behavior was.
@8:48,
You are a Karen. I wish a bitch would question me. Unless I am walking into a Federal building or somewhere with a security guard asking EVERYONE for ID then people better leave others alone. I think Logan should have CURSED out the man profiling him because he is obviously the new tenant and probably a subletter or air b&ber. The nerve to just accuse some random Black man your not familiar with of being a package thief in a building he has lived in for 17 fucking years. It may not be managements responsibility but what else could his wife do but write a letter? She is mad. Who wouldn't be?
Very well-written letter, and that management company needs to get the word out to the oh-so-entitled white people that POC *do* live in their building.
I think the rate of turnover of apartments in this area is very high, and from what I've observed, many young people never bother to know any of their fellow tenants. But NOTHING excuses the hostility & rudeness of white persons who (apparently) can't even IMAGINE that a POC legit lives in the same building as they do.
I hope she gets a response from the management company. And I guess if I were Logan, I'd have said "Excuse me" and used my key to get into the building, but again I emphasize that he should NOT have to encounter that hostility & questioning.
Emily - everything is not racial or for harassment. That dude maybe should learn his building and know his place but nobody should let anybody into the building behind them. Period. It's not personal. That's security 101 - don't let people in behind you who you don't know.
A major part of this story is the scapegoating others for package theft; like all non-doorman buildings, my building also gets a lot of packages that are stolen or misdelivered. It is heinous to blame someone when you have no actual knowledge of this.
I agree with other readers here that the simplest way to show you live in a building is to let yourself in with a key—or, as is increasingly the case, a key fob—and that way, there is no question that you belong in the building.
Yes, you should not let anyone in the building behind you. But when it inevitably does happen, the manner in which you question someone should be friendlier in tone and not accusatory. "Hi, I'm Mustache. I live on the fifth floor. What about you?" Simple as that.
OK, not victim blaming, but I wonder if de-escalation would have been appropriate.
For example, if Logan had nodded sympathetically and said that he'd had packages stolen, too. Maybe introduced himself ("I'm Logan" - nohave worked need to give details, but just try to get the Karen to see him as a real person rather than a nameless menace).
That's what my ideal self would have done, at least. My real self, well, probably not so much.
@10:09am: You are missing the point - it's not about "letting someone in" (b/c Logan clearly had a key to let himself in); RATHER it's about this: The white guy stating that he was asking “because a lot of stuff is getting stolen here.” THAT is a clearly insulting and racist remark to make in the circumstances.
I suspect a lot of these entitled young white people must be from places where they didn't live with DIVERSITY. And my message to them is: Get with the program, people b/c this is NYC, the melting pot. It's not some suburb in fly-over-land.
I stand behind Emily 100%. That neighbor should be ashamed if his behavior. Dude living in the building for 15 years should not have to put up with that. In fact, anyone should not have to put up with that.... MGMT should post notices as Emily requested.
I live in a 40 unit apartment building with a pretty fair turnover of tenants so I often don't recognize people coming in behind me in which case I'll say: "I'm sorry, I don't recognize you, could you please wait and come in with your own key?" It's kind of funky, but it's honest and safe.
As a former landlord, the management company IS legally liable to end Logan's harassment by other tenants. Last year in appeals court, a ruling judged (and established precedent) that "landlords are subject to the Fair Housing Act if they have the power but fail to correct a 'racially hostile housing environment' in their buildings." (from https://www.courthousenews.com/door-to-liability-opened-in-ny-tenant-harassment-case/ ) So if building management doesn't take action, they are open to at least one lawsuit.
Having known this couple for 14 years, I know first hand this is NOT even close to the first time Logan has been racially profiled and discriminated against in this building.
To Anon @10:09am No, everything's not about racial harassment, but if it was simply a question of building security, why accuse Logan of theft? This kind of "race blind" apologism is a symptom of either your ignorance (if non-white) or your privilege AND ignorance (if white). Neither ignorance or privilege are inherently bad - it just means you need to take some time to learn better.
It's amazing how much people incorrectly read into things. I'm talking about some of the comments, not the content of the post.
Thanks for that beautifully written letter, Emily. I will be checking out your magazine. And, Brother Logan, I feel your pain. Most East Village residents, even long-timers, under-estimate the amount of discriminatory behavior that goes on in this neighborhood we all love. I've been in my apartment since the early 70's, and can count on one hand the number of other Black tenants in the building, in spite of the usual non-stop turnover of young folks coming and going. What I can't count is the number of experiences I've had over the years, that are similar to that Logan was subjected to. A couple years ago, I went to the roof to observe the July 4th fireworks. "Becky" saw me step out onto the roof, and calls out to her friend "Heather" can you bring my purse over here?" End of the world? No. Make me want to smack a ho? For sure. For far too long, whenever I walked into the Duane Reade on 4th and Broadway, I'd hear over the loudspeaker "Security, walk the floor." When I'd had enough, I approached a Manager, introduced myself as a long-time customer and neighborhood resident, and assured them they WOULD be sued if I ever heard that announcement again. We can be better, y'all. Peace.
As New Yorkers, we all need to take action to protect ourselves from time to time. But how about this - unless you have an airtight explanation for why you're asking someone to prove their right to the building, don't question them at all. Say hello. The chance that the person of color you're questioning does not have a right to the building is incredibly small. The chance your questioning comes of as demeaning, bigoted, or otherwise elicits a justly negative reaction is much more likely given the experiences of living while black in New York and America. You can't eliminate every risk, but you can value and respect the person standing in front of you more than the potential of loss or your Amazon package.
I have lived in the EV for over 50 years, same building too. There are only a handful of the original tenants living here. Some of the long term tenants 20 plus years are respectful. It is the new young tenants that are trouble in my building. They always play loud music, drinking and getting drunk loudly in their apts, smoking weed. They never say hi or hold the heavy front door for the elderly.
Her letter should be posted in the lobby of her building. Perhaps arrogant white guy does not live in the building and the rest of the tenants should know who they are living next too.
I was accused of theft in this same building. The neighbor knocked on my door and when I didn't answer, shouted, "I know you're in there." I answered the door and adamantly denied involvement. It still escalated to a cop knocking on my door 15 minutes later and questioning me. I cheerily invited them to review the security footage and bid them farewell.
I would like to mention that East Village Postal is a lovely operation over on First Ave that provides package receiving for $5/parcel. I used them for a few years when I lived here because the lobby theft is unavoidable on a busy street like this.
Back in the pre-gentrification days someone who lives in the building would definitely have kicked the White guy's ass sooner or later.
Logan should have turned that conversation around to ask if that young white man lived there.
Disappointing to see commenters here blaming the victim. Not engaging is exactly what de-escalation is. It's not the victim's responsibility to do anything to alleviate a racist's confusion. I admire Logan's restraint in this all too common type of situation, and not unleash a verbal whipping as I would've unwisely done. Management needs to manage, to make it a safe environment for all.
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