 Hi, we're the A-team here at the King Street Block Party and today we are here to Speak to people about the the neighborhood and how they are joining the block party I'm Andrew I'm Akilah and I'm Avery and we're the A-team Hi, we're here with Raph I'm pretty sure y'all know who they are But we wanted to ask them some questions about the festival And how are they enjoying everything? My question is What is your experience at the festival? Well, the festival has been pretty great 20 minutes in is so awesome so far. We just had some pizza varita Black-owned black fam-owned, okay And I just sat there on one of the tables. I actually sat on a green cloth over there. It was really awesome I had two slices of pizza varita I had mushroom and prosciutto and then I had a regular margarita and it was really really awesome And then I walked down to the ice cream stand and it's there's a very long line So I just walked away caught up with someone like an old mentor like from three years I went I first moved to Vermont and that was great, too And now I just ran into you guys and here's my experience Oh 30 minutes Living the best life and now oh my god, I forgot I got a watermelon as well So that was really great. It was juicy. It was crispy. It was nice not crispy and like fried way, but you know Fresh refresh it But yeah, thanks so much We're here with Kachi. Yes. Okay. So can you tell us like your official title? Like what's your role in everything and then just a little bit how a little bit about how everything came? To be this wonderful. Yeah, okay Hi, my name is Kachi. I am the middle school program manager here at King Street Center We're a youth development center serving kids of 18 months to 18 years old and Every day whether it be after school summer break spring break We have over 120 plus kids in the building having free food activities partner programs and all the more coming in Interact with the community on the block party came about and as a way to one Interact with the community embrace community and also think the community right because a lot of people that you see here are people that are Community partners that do porgas with our kids. They are families that give donations their time their talents and even just friends and family that really like To come out and just support the mission of King Street and where we're serving youth every single day So it really is just a big event to cater to the community, right? And as you can see here a lot of the things at the block party are members of a community You have peace area verita which had an amazing program of building pizza with our team program The water slide people that came last year our kids had to have again this year maple creamies dealer comm ccv All these amazing individuals and also the poly group amazing individuals that have been working with King Street for many many years and Have the ability to showcase That support as well support is today and us thanking them with a great event on the King Street King Street to you know Have a day of community. So thank you guys for coming out Thank you guys for showcasing and highlighting this event and hopefully we can make it bigger and better next year as well You clear. Thank you. Yes, we are here with my day. Yes. Thank you a day for letting us pester you How are you enjoying the festival? I'm enjoying it very much at the moment, but I'm trying to figure out my foot placement So do you want me to stand on this side or do you want me to go over here? Yeah, let's step forward just to tap it. Okay, cool. Cool. Cool. Okay Okay, we're going. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Okay So what's your position in the community like how have you maybe been impacted by King Street Center? Maybe like know about them heard about them Well, let's see here. I came here In like 2005 as an immigrant basically there was a huge resellement program happening And a lot of my cousins went to King Street Center basically because they lived around here And so I joined them with all the activities that they've been doing and so on so forth Basically like this one, for example, my little cousins were like game of day We're doing they're doing this. They got free food at the King Street Center. You gotta pull through I'm like, okay, might as well. Gotta show out and support basically and so Honestly, this is a great way to develop community and on top of that everyone's just enjoying themselves basically So it's very it's a very welcoming space basically. Okay Do you have a question? Yeah, um, if you don't mind me asking So how do you could you explain a little bit more about the King Street Center? Could I explain a little bit more about the King Street Center? Yeah, okay So so in terms of the name the King Street Center, it's just called the King Street Center I don't know what the historical background of that is but it's more of a center for a lot of kids Specifically first generation immigrants and so on so forth basically that are youth. Uh, uh youth Oh, wow direct Yeah, no, no, you're correct though. You're correct But yeah, so like a lot of people like me a lot of us just like grew up here basically and it's a way for us to sort of Assimilate to a different culture So it's like you come from your own culture and everything King Street provides this opportunity to learn about other cultures and experience different things And so it kind of makes it a little bit unique basically in that way Nice. Thank you for your answer. Yeah, was there any other questions? Okay, um Okay, we're flexing here. There we go. Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. Hold the watermelon. Let's do this. No, no come back Come back. No, you're gonna I um, I guess we're hitting poses right now Wish her name We're going to interview Sharifa. She knows everything here. Hi My name is Sharifa. How are you enjoying yourself Sharifa? Good. Is it great? Yeah, you're having an amazing time Yeah, what's the best part about this? Uh, the music and champ. Oh my god. Okay, let's do a little dance. Let's see the dance Go Sharifa. Go Sharifa. She's leaving Go Sharifa. Ah, go Sharifa. Ah, go Sharifa. What? Okay, okay I'm done. I'm done. Well done on that. Maybe maybe do you want it to be on tv? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Let's do it. Let's do it Okay, okay, Sharifa. There you go. Thank you Sharifa. Hi, my name is Halima Yes, okay. I got you girl. Um So you work with king street and you have for a while How was that experience like impacted you at all or you know, um How do you feel like you've been able to maybe change the community working here? Yeah I really love being part of a diverse community. We live in vermont where it's predominantly white. So coming to king street There's a lot of diversity. I get to work with many different families from all over the world So it's really a nice loving community. So I love being here Yes, cleared cleared. Yes. Um, so I know you're a recent grad How's the transition been, you know, like It's been pretty good. I'm actually in the grad school at uvm right now. So Pursuing a master's in social work. So it's really exciting, but it's a lot of work Yeah, do you plan on like um saying with king street for a while until you like finish grad school? Like what do you you want to leave? Maybe I think once the school year starts I'll be focusing on that more. So I'll take a break from king street But definitely I'll probably come back in the future I know they appreciate your work Thank you. Thank you. Hi folks. We're here with uh, joe chase. This is a member of the 18 Just seeing how folks are enjoying the festivities today Hi joe. All right, pretty good. So, um, what is your main? What is your main? Like thing for today, like what is the best thing for today? Oh as far as the block party goes Oh, it's just so great to see so many people out here having a great time And it's just really good for burlington, you know, it's just like let's show what burlington really is So I think it's so much fun. I think king street is doing a great job and you look at around all these partnerships That they've made, you know, folks bringing pizzas here And free creamies I brought Some of my robotics team here. Nice. That's the first thing they went to So my big takeaway is really Just how much of burlington this really showcases Okay, nice Um, I was told that this neighborhood is like the most diverse neighborhood in burlington. Do you agree? Yeah, it makes sense. It's been a while since I lived here in burlington, but um Yeah, this is a fantastic place and I just uh, I think it's wonderful that That the community has found a way to deliver resources to folks who are underrepresented and underserved Speaking with us today Okay, so my name is Sharifa Uh-huh and where are you from Sharifa? I'm from iraq. You're from iraq. When did you come here? Uh, when I was two years old and do you love it so far? Yeah, yeah, you have a lot of fun. Do you go to king street? Yeah Do you have friends there? Yeah Okay, how many what do you like about it? Oh, I like about it. Oh, this is my friend. Come here She wants to put you on tv. So this is my friend Raphael What's up? Thank you Raphael and thank you Sharifa