While it’s true that Baristaville’s big-city neighbor has had a rash of murders lately, that doesn’t mean it’s all bad news in Newark. And if you want to find out some good news there, all you have to do is visit the website Newark Mosaic, the brainchild of Leo Aristimuno, an assistant professor of
Video Production & Media Studies at Rutgers-Newark.
“We are on a quest to discover and show the world diverse stories that challenge the stereotypes that typically define Newark in the mainstream media,” the site states on its about page.
The site recently featured stories about a school computer fair, a community farm in Newark’s Lincoln Park and an excited crowd of Spanish soccer fans in the Ironbound during the World Cup. All were produced by Aristimuno, but he’s planning on getting students involved, and he’s helping to train citizen videographers from the community too.
The site, which launched in January, is supported by Rutgers Institute on Ethnicity, Culture and the Modern Experience.
Aristimuno is a Montclair resident, but he’s enthusiastic about spreading the word about Newark’s vibrance and color.
A few weeks ago, I was speaking to a friend who had a Spanish visitor in town. Since Spain was on the verge of winning the World Cup, I suggested she take her friend to the Ironbound to join the Spanish community in celebration. She looked at me like I suggested an S&M parlor!!! She laughed nervously and, in effect, said she’d never go into Newark. Wow. Look what she’s missing out.
A lot of us are probably missing out.
The Ironbound is a great place to shop/eat. Casa Vasca is my favorite place to eat but you really can’t go wrong picking any place there.
We enjoyed every restaurant we’ve tried in the Ironbound. As for some other Newark features, the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart is a pretty awesome building, although we’ve only seen it from afar. We have also visit the Newark Museum, several times, and we recommend it highly.
I graduated H.S. in Sacred Heart Cathedral in the 60’s. It breaks my spirit now when I’m in Newark. The “Renaissance” has been a slow, torturous road to infinity. Now with an ongoing “jobless recovery” weighing it down.