George (Jorge) Crespo and Khadija Angrum

00:04 Khadija angrum. I'm 15 years old. Today's date is December 8th 2009, and I'm sitting here and my school history, New York High School in Harlem.

00:21 So are interviewing duritz Crespo. How are you? The Jorge Crespo that's new for me. So I guess we'll just jump right into it.

00:44 So are you from lyric? Yes. I was born in Yonkers New York, but I did live in Puerto Rico for many years as a child.

00:58 Do you remember any memories of living in Puerto Rico? And I said you were young and I was in third grade in Yonkers New York when my father decided to sell our house and move to a Shack in the middle of in the middle of this tiny little village right next to the rainforest. So our village was located at the foot of a hill and from my window. I could see the rainforest and at night a lot of really big rainforest rats would come down to rummage through the garbage and I was terrified because these rats they look like rabbits. That's how big they were. But yeah, that's one of my favorite memories.

01:58 My brothers and I there are seven of us and we used to go walking through the rain forest exploring. Do you know just pretending to be explorers? That's interesting. But since you said you moved from Yonkers was that like, you know, life-changing angry sad happy what?

02:27 It was a little difficult because when I move to Puerto Rico, I didn't speak and I spoke Spanish, but I didn't know how to read and write very well. I had like a basic knowledge of reading and writing Spanish. So when I move Puerto Rico I was in the beginning 5th grade and

02:46 It was kind of a difficult time because I was jumping right into the language all the way I could speak it. I couldn't read and write and it took me a little bit of an adjustment. Now. I feel that I'm pretty much bilingual having spent Middle School in Puerto Rico and coming back here to high school.

03:10 It helped me to basically force me to.

03:17 Learn to be comfortable in both languages. So right now I can read and write and speak pretty well in both languages in your current job or situation will come in and sometimes I don't speak English. Sometimes I get pulled out to translate so being bilingual helps also because a lot of times, you know, if I have a student that I know the person speak Spanish I can talk to them in their language. Sometimes I feel more comfortable it it's it's an acid really so it is good.

04:05 I know you mentioned you said that you teach art in Yonkers and I also know that art would be one of your hobbies outside of the class project is Aaron is that I have a studio that I keep in the Bronx haven't been spending a lot of time there lately, but I do have a studio. I do keep my artwork there whenever I get a chance. I will go there and work on my installations my sculptures and as far as like illustrating I tend to do that home. I have a little space in my apartment where I can paint and work on my stories.

04:56 What type of stories are those poem The Legends Latin American story has some Original Stories as well. But mostly they're Latin American stories creation myths and legends that kind of thing that I retell and the form of children's books.

05:20 Children now, I know you said you do architectural sculpture art, which would you say is your most favorite form of ID, but I discovered when I started doing children's books that a lot of people a lot more people will see books, then we'll see an exhibit. So even today like some books that I've done maybe 10 years ago. People will recognize them. I'll show people that go. Well, I know this book or I have this book or I've seen this book and it's just

05:56 I guess it's more it's rewarding in the sense that it touches or reaches more people through I reach more people through the children's books and through the airport.

06:07 And since we're on your favorite love and you say of all the stories that you've Illustrated is your favorite.

06:19 Well, I like the first one that I did because it was my first book and I'm very proud of it. It's entitled how the sea began its creation myth of the Taino people of Puerto, Rico and Cuba Jamaica Dominican Republic Haiti and it's a story about how the ocean the sea came to be. I really like that book, but I don't know what I've done about 10 books now and it's always true that whatever I'm working on is my favorite. You know, what if I'm spending time on it has to be my favorite. Otherwise, I probably would get bored with it. So I do have a lot of stories now that I'm developing that I'm really excited about. I'm working on a pirate story about Puerto Rican pirate real character, but I'm creating my own.

07:14 My own interpretation of his life and I'm just a bunch of other stories that I have in my head that I want to get published.

07:24 I don't know if you could remind me but I remember when I was little and my mom used to take me to wave Hill there was this one story that I always remember where can I thought it was just the funniest and I believe used to do the caricatures for it. And it was about this guy who would go down to the Sea and he said I believe save this fish but it was a magical fish and that fish had granted him like wishes until the man went back to his family and the family members kept telling him you don't come on by this by this and I just I just always think of that story whenever I think of like going to wave Hill all the characters are going back and forth against the protective. I just don't remember.

08:24 A park in Riverdale in the Bronx and they have what they call the Family art project. I would ever by twice a year. They called me up and I go to wave Hill and I storytlr use an overhead projector with cut-out figures to project shadow puppets on the wall. So I take my stories and I tell them through the projector and we also do projects where we create our own shadow puppet sometimes mask making different kind of things. So you're referring to my shadow puppet.

09:12 So speaking of the family get-togethers at her siblings siblings are fine. I have three siblings that live in Florida and five of us are in New York wait for and Florida and for New York, so we're pretty close-knit family.

09:35 My father he divorced my mom he lives in Puerto Rico. He lives with his wife, but we still stay in touch was still pretty close, I guess.

09:49 I guess everybody's good is the answer. Yeah, cuz I don't have any siblings as you know, no back to the artist thing. I know that sometimes people have influences that helped them with you know, what they like to do things like that like for me I enjoy broadcasting. So there is some, you know celebrities that influence to me and make me more into what I like to do. Is there anyone that you'd say influenced you when I was in high school and I was in senior year. I was getting ready to graduate and I had no idea what I want to do.

10:38 Which way I wanted to go by the wanted to study all I knew was that it was good and hard and I had accumulated several art projects a friend of mine. Who's about 5 years older than me. He had already finished College. He had going to art school and he's having to go by my school and ask my art teacher. Is there any talent coming up and she said yes, and she pulled out a drawer with my artwork in an Ingles. Yeah. I know this guy. I've known him all my life George. I know him. So I met up with Louis and he convinced me that I should go into an art career.

11:17 And he is the one who specifically told me that I should study illustration as opposed to study in Fine Art because an illustration I can always apply and get a job. It was great books, which is what I ended up doing so I couldn't do it with some point me in the right direction and kind of pushing me along and I've always looked up to him as as a mentor and even even today, you know, we're still pretty close.

11:47 Now about your job is in being an art teacher in Yonkers. Is that like how is that for you? Is it satisfying is it fun? Is it interacting with children or teenagers? How is that? I like being a teacher. I enjoy being a teacher. I'm not going to say that I don't face challenges because the age group that I'm dealing with is middle school kids. Do you know they are going through their rebellious stage and they weren't you know that they want to challenge authority. And so I've learned a lot of patience, you know, like I cannot get upset. I cannot get angry. I cannot get tired. I learn how to just deal with stuff day-in-and-day-out. I teach children. Some of them are special ed children and some of them have special needs.

12:40 Ed runs the gamut so I have a lot of experience with a lot of different students. I I enjoy what I do, you know, sometimes I wish I had more time to do my artwork because sometimes I'm exhausted when I get home. I want to paint I want to do push my career forward, but I'm just so tired it's when you know crawl into bed, but you know, I just an addition to teaching being something that I enjoy it also pays the bills, you know, I'm able to buy a car. I'm able to pay the rent and I know that the light

13:18 About five years ago. I got a letter in the mail telling me that I was being laid off and up to that time.

13:28 I enjoyed teaching but I was a little resentful that it was taking away from my career, you know from my artwork from my books and then when I got this letter all of a sudden I didn't have a teaching job. I was earning a little bit of money.

13:44 Unemployment employment but not enough and I was like a panic that was like, oh my God. I'm going to lose everything. I was so frightened that couldn't even do any artwork because I was afraid of Thanos my car. My apartment has many homeless. I saw myself out in the street and it took two months for them to call me back nausea for months for them to call me back which kind of went through all my savings at the time and I was I was like on my last email few dollars, they called me and they asked me to come back and ever since then man. I see those children and I'm like man God bless them those kids pay my bills. I love them. I love them. And so I've that really changed my attitude. It really made me appreciate who they are and what service they provide languages they give me a job.

14:38 That ain't talked to shop Louis few questions ago, I guess.

14:47 Who would you say is the most important person in your life now?

14:56 Oh my gosh.

14:59 It's kind of hard to pick one person.

15:03 But I would say

15:10 My granddaughter

15:12 My granddaughter because I

15:16 I live to see her I get very excited, you know to talk to her. She's so full of life. She's so full of.

15:26 Just Energy and you know, she's all about the dino enjoying life and it really brings up my spirit to talk to her sometimes when I'm down I'll speak to her and she's five years old and so talking to her is just you know

15:44 I recharged my batteries. I love my granddaughter. I would say she's probably the biggest person in my life right now.

15:54 Okay, this is a little Leisure related. But what would you say is your favorite program on TV radio? You still I like this new show on channel 7. I think I might have told your mother about it. It's called Modern Family. Have you seen it go to Hulu and you can see the old episodes that played in completely in high-def because the computer doesn't really show you how death but it it's it's it'll help you catch up to all the episodes and now they're repeating some of the old episode but there's a there's a really funny character there this Latina she has really thick accent and she's married to the the man who played Al Bundy in the other show.

16:50 So that her husband is always very funny. You would really enjoy it. It's all about families in about relationships and its really well-written. I think it's excellent. It's it's like a mockumentary. It's like it looks like a camera follow them around asking them questions about their life. But yeah, it's really funny. It's good. You would enjoy the think

17:27 I who I'm starting to get a little bit into the Latin jazz and there's a couple of songs by Cal tjader that I really like. I can't remember the title of them because they're

17:42 They're like instrumental music party music. I think you would like it. Yeah, you'll get to see why I like it too and sports. I spend a lot of time fishing but I like to watch a little bit of baseball. Sometimes a little bit of basketball. I'm not really biggest fan, but I do watch some baseball on some basketball and I was to the Yankees winning.

18:42 I haven't been there yet. I got to go. It looks every one tells you about it. Some people say it's not really, you know as nice but that others are like it's new with I've only heard good things about it.

19:07 Okay, this is a little bit like who's the most important person but not really who you say has been the biggest influence. Do not disturb or anything in my life. And what lessons did they teach you?

19:24 When I was younger.

19:28 I

19:30 I live with my father and my mother and all of my seven siblings and I

19:39 Remember my father not really having a whole lot of time for us. I don't know if he was cranky or he was like he didn't want to spend time with us as as in terms of like taking us out individually or as a group and the times that we did go say to buy, you know to Carvel together as a family you'll be very cranky. Like I got the feeling he didn't like kids, but then I would notice that he would be really nice to other kids and let me know. But anyway, so so my father wasn't the greatest

20:14 In terms of taking us out and having us enjoy ourselves and have a good time, but my uncle might my mom.

20:24 My mom's sister's husband.

20:26 He would take me fishing when I was little and I enjoy being with him so much that I wished you was my father. I might why can he be my dad? You know, I enjoyed him so much and now the roles are reversed because now my uncle waits for me to call him to take him fishing with me. And so so I'm happy to take him out. You know, we go fishing. We have a great time and I would say that that growing up he was my favorite person probably. I don't know if he knows it but he was

21:05 Remember what I went fishing with you. It was fun wasn't it wasn't really I've been fishing before cuz I remember I had went to the Martha's Vineyard one time and we went on a boat and visit your mom caught a big fish. I remember I try to forget but

21:43 But let's see. What time of day would you say? If a if a person had never gone fishing was looking to fish didn't know a thing about it and they came to you and asked you what time should I go fishing? Probably either very early in the morning or in the afternoon. A lot of fish are like a lot of the animals that crepuscular which means the most active between light and darkness the Twilight a lot of animals come out at that time. So a lot of the bass fish come out at that time and out of the fish that eat other guys come out of that time either very early or or close to like sunset during the middle of days hot bright, please don't start too much so early

22:37 I love her for me when we had gone and we stayed like really late and I just thought it was so cool how when you looked up and you told me I'm on the look and there was a satellite and not just like wake me up in the middle of the night and not one of my favorite hobbies, but it was not as cool as I always like the whole, you know, trying to wait for a fish hoping I get one type of thing. So yeah, I was fun. Thanks again.

23:33 Are there any words of wisdom you like to pass along to me or anyone? I've known you for a very long time. I know that your mom is very proud of you.

23:53 I know that you turned out to be exactly what she had planned for you which is smart into school and she's always bragging on and going on about you that you're home and you're not out making trouble like the ideal child. And so I'm proud of your mom to because she did a great job and I know it wasn't easy for her. I know we know when she first had you it was it was tough. It wasn't easy and there were times when she didn't know what to do and I was like,

24:26 You can do it you can do this and I think I just thank you. I feel like such as the wisdom is like, you know, I appreciate your mom because I appreciate you because you're like exactly what she hoped it would be.

24:49 Hey there in high school It's Gettin tough your softer. But you know, you got to hang in there and got to do what you got to do. Is everything.

25:10 Well, hopefully get some easier.

25:24 Maybe

25:26 What do you think your future holds for you? Well, I'm about to be 50. So, you know when I turned 40, I was like, oh my God, I'm halfway with one foot in the grave and I was like, I had like a little mini crisis and then I kind of smack myself and I got myself together and now I'm going to be 50 and like they're all these things that I wanted to accomplish in terms of my artwork and books and so it's all about just what we said a minute ago being persistent and you know, there are things I want to accomplish books that I want to publish things that I want to do and you know, I have to keep busting it out working hard.

26:16 And just sticking to it and I know

26:23 Well when you keep it short, this is not really much left, but we have a lot and I got to travel back. So you just wrap it up with the

26:45 Maybe what do you plan to do this Christmas? How do you plan on spending this upcoming Christmas in the air? 2009? What is George Jorge Crespo going to do and I have to do that because my granddaughter still believes in Santa Claus. So she knows Santa Claus won't come if I don't have a Christmas tree so you can put up a Christmas tree and usually what we do is my daughter and granddaughter, and stay on Christmas Eve. We open up our presence in the morning. And then the Christmas Day we spend with family. So I'll be in Yonkers with my family on Christmas Day.

27:34 So if that's the plan just a regular, you know Christmas at home.

27:40 Maybe this is the last question. What do you remember as your favorite Christmas gift and the worst Christmas Christmas gift. I was in Puerto Rico and I was

27:57 I was a kid and I remember that this action figure came out and it had this action figure had an eagle that would rest on the shoulders of those two part action figure and you could squeeze the back of the eagle in his wings with flour. And so I love this thing. I would I would sit hours in my mom's Garden playing with this figure and the eagle. That was my favorite present ever. I love you so much and I loved it because I got what I asked for. I wanted that present and I got that pussy and I remember that when we got to Puerto Rico there was no sign.

28:35 Puerto Rico you get your gift from the three wise men and you have to leave a box of straw under your bed for them to feed their camels. So they'll take the straw feeder camels and they'll leave you a present in your box out of a shoebox. So that was what kind of brought me down us down a little bit was that we found where my parents had thrown the store that we had collected. They weren't smart enough to like buried hurt, you know, wrap it up in the garbage or something, but you know, it didn't matter.

29:15 It was great my worst Christmas present.

29:24 I can't really remember anything. I'm just so happy to get stuff. You know, it's kind of hard to like.

29:38 About this job thing. I remember when my mom like usually it was the first year that I asked my mom for a stocking. You know, I usually have a stock stocking stuffers and it's on the wall and I wake up and I got ice in my presence and I'm so excited but for some reason I'm more excited about what's in the stocking that go over and I look at him like Mom is nothing in here. So she goes and she runs towards the back to Levin's born foods like some candy in there and I was just like really not one of her slickest moment, but she was pretty slick though.

30:38 That's pretty pretty young. I say a little probably before second grade. Maybe I remember yeah. Yeah, probably still wearing the Barbie TJ's but wake up at around 12 cuz I think you know my parents. They think they're slick. I know I'm old enough. There's no Santa Claus. So I get up around, you know, 12:1 and I'm bored and make sure you don't see me in their appearances sitting in the living room with like a newspaper and is nothing under my tree Santa gets me thinking. Is there going to be playing on finding it there? It's usually they're so yeah.

31:36 Well, I guess that'll be it. Thank you so much again, it's so nice.