Rocking the Boat

We believe in giving back to our community and city. When you are a publication it becomes difficult to dig into your pockets for every great charity program. Rather, our part is to inform our readers of the causes that we have worked with and believe in.

Rocking the boat is one of the many programs that we feel is solid for you to invest your time and money. Launching in 1996 as a volunteer project in an East Harlem junior high school, Rocking the Boat worked under the aegis of New Settlement Apartments, which provided both workshop space and students for the cornerstone Boatbuilding Program.

They incorporated as an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 2001,

Rocking the Boat continued to cultivate relationships with a wide variety of community-based, educational, environmental, cultural, and historical organizations, and over the years have expanded their size and scope of its services.

Namely, the On-Water Education Program which is near and dear to our hearts. This was added in 2002, the On-Water Classroom in 2005, the Job Skills Program in 2006, Community Rowing in 2007, and the Sailing Program in 2015.

This year with the pandemic we were worried as to how this and many children/young adults charity programs would manage. The word for 2020 seems to be Virtual.

Rocking the Boat was brought to the attention of Downtown by one of our subscribers, and close friends Alies van den Berg

Here’s our conversation with Rocking the Boat Development Director, Jaye Pockriss

DTM: Give us the rundown on how the virtual RTB is going this year and are the participants only walking or running this year or are they doing other activities like Rowan get home or cycling?

RTB: They are walking, running, rowing, kayaking, sailing, cycling, hiking. One woman is riding an adult trike because she has multiple sclerosis. At least two participants are volunteering to encourage voting in the election. One woman is knitting, another gardening. Some dudes are golfing.

DTM: Do you have as many participants and donors?

RTB: We have the most participants ever, roughly 200, and they are from more places across the country (Texas, California) capitalizing on the “anywhere and everywhere” aspect of this year’s event. Going into the final weekend, 1,700 gifts have been received so far, on par with last year.

DTM: With all the many charitable organizations popping up, why would you encourage our readers to support RTB?

RTB: We can go in a couple of directions here…Rocking the Boat’s South Bronx neighborhood, Hunts Point, is in the poorest congressional district in the nation. Students here need comprehensive and sustained services to contend with the disadvantage of under-resourced schools, and the too frequent lack of adequate family support.

Despite having become synonymous with urban decay and pollution, the Bronx boasts some outstanding natural features including the oldest forest and the only true river in New York City. These spaces are home to a wide variety of trees, plants, fish, land animals, and birds. Rocking the Boat programs intimately connects Hunts Point youth to their environment by helping them enjoy it and giving them the skills to care for it.

Rocking the Boat during the COVID Pandemic — Leola Specht and Jeff Scales

Rocking the Boat students work together to build wooden boats, learn to row and sail, and restore local urban waterways, revitalizing their community while creating better lives for themselves.

Rocking the Boat is committed to helping its participants:

Stay in high school until they graduate or receive an equivalency diploma—on average 96% of Rocking the Boat students graduate from high school on time; the rate is an alarming 17.8% in Hunts Point generally
Enroll in college or trade school and be prepared academically and emotionally to succeed there—nearly 100% growth in social-emotional competency and enroll in a post-secondary program directly out of high school
Develop technical skills such as sailing, boat handling, navigating, chart reading, carpentry, sample collection and testing, scientific observation, and recording data, all of which reinforce STEM concepts and put them into a practical context
Develop soft skills such as leadership, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking

DTM: What would you like our readers to know about your organization in order to get them involved?

RTB: Rocking the Boat kept rocking. Virtually, at the onset of the pandemic and on through the summer. We know that the current circumstances could change at any moment, but at the same time, we are excited to have resumed in-person youth development programming as of September 21. We have confidence that our hands-on boatbuilding, environmental science, and sailing experiences are exactly what our participants need right now. We are lucky that building, rowing, and sailing boats all take place in spaces—a 2,500 square foot shop with 15′ foot ceilings and outdoors on the Bronx River—that offer plenty of space to spread out and fresh air to breathe. Comprehensive distancing and sanitizing procedures are in place and will be strictly enforced to keep everyone safe.

Rocking the Boat engages over 200 teens per year in a series of STEM-based programs that last throughout their high school careers and into college. Participants enter as freshmen and sophomores and choose from one of three programs: Boatbuilding, Environmental Science, or Sailing. They move from being students to paid apprentices to alumni once they graduate high school, at which point they are eligible to work part-time for Rocking the Boat as Program Assistants.

In addition, roughly 4,000 local residents take part in Rocking the Boat’s free weekend rowing events and school-driven programs, most often through their math and science classes. 200 teens and 4,000 community members per year, this is a huge feat!

The 20th century witnessed the invention of machine guns, tanks, and grenades. But perhaps the most explosive products to come out of the past ten decades are the iconic women who defined the era.

We have chosen ten women to represent each decade, from the 1920’s onwards. Inevitably, it was a daunting task, but we’ve taken a pretty good crack at it if we do say so ourselves. Armed with revolutionary veils of power and triggered by the ratification of the 19th amendment, these women unified style and substance. Comment below if you think of anyone more suitable — we love hearing your opinions!

The 20’s: Greta Garbo

Decade known for: Louis Armstrong, flapper dresses, and frozen food

The siren of the silver screen once said, “I’m afraid of nothing except being bored.” Perhaps the simple fact that Greta Garbo herself was anything but boring prevented her from being involved with anything that did not excite. The graceful silent film star led a private life away from the paparazzi, thus only furthering her alluring intrigue. Garbo’s style was classically elegant. She perfectly embodied the glamour of Old Hollywood, making her our top choice for style icon of the silent film age.

The 30’s: Vivien Leigh

Decade known for: Billie Holiday, bolero jackets, and the bass guitar

Vivien Leigh stole our hearts as the selfish yet charmingly endearing Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind. Much like the character that made her so famous, Leigh was passionate and determined. She fell in love with Sir Laurence Olivier and the two were eventually married. But even with her new-found title, Leigh always remained true to herself and her gorgeous, yet unpretentious style.

The 40’s: Ingrid Bergman

Decade known for: Bing Crosby, wide lapelled suits, and duct tape

“Be yourself. The world worships the original,” Ingrid Bergman once wisely advised her fans. And original she was. Instead of conforming to Hollywood’s standard views of femininity, Bergman broke the norm by dressing exactly how she wanted. Her classically androgynous style paved the way for modern women to come.

The 50’s: Grace Kelly & Audrey Hepburn

Decade known for: Rock ‘n’ Roll, Teddy Boys, and credit cards

For a distinct decade filled with revolutionary style, we couldn’t limit ourselves to just one icon. Without a doubt, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly are two of the most memorable fashion icons of all time.

Hepburn’s performance as wild party girl Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s both shocked and mesmerized the world, (as well as popularized the little black dress). Generations of women have modeled their style after Hepburn. In fact, famed shoe designer Manolo Blahnik once named Hepburn “the most important look for the 20th century.”

Grace Kelly’s impeccable poise and radiating beauty allowed her to transform into almost any role; She pulled off the wholesome and pure look while simultaneously seeming mysteriously seductive. Her eventual marriage to the Prince of Monaco and ascension to Princess status only further solidified her unattainable and sophisticated charm. We love you, Grace.

The 60’s: Edie Sedgwick

Decade known for: The Beach Boys, PVC everything, and video games

Legendary sixties ‘It Girl’ Edie Sedgwick charmed almost everyone she met from Andy Warhol to Bob Dylan. The beautiful but troubled model, muse, actress, and socialite embodied the sexual revolution of the 1960’s and garnered attention everywhere she went. Warhol once spoke of his relationship with Sedgwick saying, “One person in the sixties fascinated me more than anybody I had ever met. And the fascination I experienced was probably very close to a certain kind of love.”

The 70’s: Meryl Streep

Decade known for: Disco music, bell bottoms, and lava lamps

“For me, clothes are kind of character,” Meryl Streep once said. We all know her as the Prada-wearing devil, but off screen Streep could not be further from her character. She says, “I don’t follow fashion or understand trends.” Despite this, Streep has become a major fashion influence for a number of decades. Simply put, her resistance sets her apart as a trendsetter. The flawless star with the impossibly high cheekbones has remained a style icon well into her older age and will continue to inspire women for generations to come.

The 80’s: Brooke Shields

Decade known for: Michael Jackson, big hair, and arcade games

“You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins?” 15-year-old Brooke Shields seductively asked America in the 1980 Calvin Klein Jeans ad. “Nothing,” She responded with a smirk. Although Shields was no stranger to risqué roles, (she had previously played a child prostitute in Pretty Baby), the alluring ad was enough to propel her into superstardom. Those show-stopping eyebrows and that gorgeous mane marked the true standard of beauty in the 1980’s.

The 90’s: Mia Hamm

Decade known for: Boy bands, crop tops, and the Internet

We’re throwing you a curveball—or kicking, as the case may be—with our 90’s belle. We love our fashionistas here at DOWNTOWN, but as our next icon shows us, style isn’t just about the glitz and glam. Mia Hamm wowed the world on the soccer field in the 90s, rapidly becoming one of the most influential female figures in sport. Bagging the sportswoman of the year two times wasn’t enough for the Alabama born superstar, the pinnacle of her accolades came later where she was listed as one of FIFA’s 125 best living players, one of only two women on the list! Good for you, girl!

The 2000’s: Kate Moss

Decade known for: Reality TV, Britney Spears, and Instant Messenger

The 2000’s saw a breakaway from household supermodels towards faceless, nameless teenage models. Kate Moss is the exception to that standard. The beautiful and utterly cool model was the name on every fashion file’s lips in the early 2000’s. Kate dresses and does whatever she wants; Her edgy and unapologetic demeanor is exactly why we love her.

So there you have it, the countdown to the era of One Direction, iPhones and leggings is over. But we’re only mid-way through this decade, which means there’s plenty more time for you to spark that light bulb above your head and start inspiring the nation.

Who would you like to see as DOWNTOWN’s icon of the 2010’s?

-Elizabeth Sutherland and Rachael Sprague