Frances Goldin (1924-2020) moved to Cooper Square on the Lower East Side of Manhattan following her marriage at age 20. She remained there throughout her life and eventually took up the mantle of community activist. According to Goldin who is featured prominently in this documentary, Cooper Square was a multi-ethnic community filled with tenements (one building housed people from 13 nationalities) and where Goldin says, “we were all poor.” Not surprisingly as years went on, developers and urban planners saw this enclave as ripe for urban renewals, teardowns, rebuilds, and a crosstown expressway.
But as Goldin reflects, “they picked the wrong neighborhood” with local activists fighting to maintain the status quo. The film follows their endeavors throughout the years struggling against private developers, city leaders, and greedy landlords. As the area gentrified, it also became home to artists, writers, and actors, some of whom were interviewed along with professors, neighborhood residents, housing association members, journalists, and others.
Animated maps and timelines help orient viewers and archival photographs, vintage footage, and newspaper headlines mix with insightful interviews and scenes at community meetings and political venues. There, we witness both Goldin and others working hard to save their neighborhood, often offering alternate plans, compromises, and such viable options as setting up community land trusts.
Goldin comes off as a feisty leader who we see in various stages of her life, including in her “golden” years where she favors purple, including a colorful streak in her gray hair. We also learn a bit about her personal life, including marriage, divorce, and motherhood. Sporadic background music (guitar, piano, and other instruments) keeps up the lively atmosphere in this program and shows that dedicated individuals who band together can fight and often beat city hall and wealthy developers. Recommended for regional collections and as a primer for students in urban studies and related classroom settings.