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INDEXED CLIP TIME: 00:05.040 --> 01:58.520 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Andrew Hesbacher and Arvella Farmer on September 14, 2019 during the Celebrate Petworth Festival. In this clip, Arvella Farmer discusses what Petworth was like when she was a child. SUBJECTS: 2019 Celebrate Petworth Festival; Petworth (Washington, D.C.) Today is September 14 2019. Can you tell me your name? I'm Andrew Hesbacher. And I am Arvella Farmer.

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Could you tell me how long you been in the neighborhood? I lived in the neighborhood for about three months, in 2018. short time, and I've been here pretty much off and on all my life. So we're gonna start with you, Arvella. And then we'll move on to the other questions. Could you tell me what the neighborhood was like when you were a child?

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When I was a child, it had more responsibilities than we have now. And I say that because a lot of parents took care of other kids in that block. Our responsibilities were to look out for each other. And I thought that was great. My father was in the military, and the fact that he also supported the other families with teaching us how to support each other. That went right along with what was happening in our neck of the woods. Tell me about some of your childhood memories of the neighborhood. You know, what's really cool that I'm still in that house where I was raised in except when daddy had to go overseas, because he was a military man. But there's still people in that block that used to be there in 1950. And excuse my language, but good Google mogul man, I can't believe that is true. You know, and it's not necessarily them, but it's their offspring, just like I'm there. It's not necessarily mom and dad, but I'm there. And my brother comes to visit me often. He's a musician. It's just great. I still love it. INDEXED CLIP TIME: 02:00.350 --> 05:03.980 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Andrew Hesbacher and Arvella Farmer on September 14, 2019 during the Celebrate Petworth Festival. In this clip, Arvella Farmer discusses what it was like to move away from Petworth and then coming back. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.)

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And you said you moved overseas from Petworth. What was it like moving from Petworth? Where did you go? Well, moving from Petworth you would have thought that I'd be crying because I was gonna miss everybody. But I was so involved with this place called Okinawa. I had never heard of it before. An island called Okinawa, you know, long story short, like I said my dad was in the military, so we had to go over there. And we stayed there about two years. And it was a beautiful experience. Number one, we could see the ocean from our bedroom doors. Our bedrooms were all on, as everything else was, on one level because they used to have terrible storms. Yep. What was it called? Machadano, I think was what it was. But long story short, we stay there for about 18 months. And when I got back, the United States didn't like me. You know why? Because I changed a lot. And they didn't understand who I used to be was now who I was, you know? But I carried it on into my 18 year, my late teen years into my adulthood. And it changed me and my brother. My brother's a musician. He was he was with Donald Byrd in the black birds. He did doing it in the park. Doing it after Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You know, and he went overseas and everything. He had a great life too. Even though we were different. What I remember was Viva La difference. What was it like coming back? Well, I started talking like the people over there in Okinawa, and I don't mean the Oriental people. But long story short, I soon learned why they were teasing me. Why the people here at McFarland and Roosevelt were teasing me. And so I change, You know, all you have to do is adapt. You know, one of my favorite old sayings was "Ain't nothing to it, but to do it." I don't have to keep getting teased because I'm gonna be whitey for the rest of my life. You know, I can be a blackey. I can be a yellowey. You know? You gotta love yourself. That's what you do. And you want to get along with others. Learn from others, their society. Not only that, but their history is fascinating to me. I like that kind of stuff. So I do like the Beatles said, Come together, right now, over me. All right.

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Alright. Were you around eighteen, nineteen years of age? Yes. INDEXED CLIP TIME: 05:04.670 --> 07:44.520 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Andrew Hesbacher and Arvella Farmer on September 14, 2019 during the Celebrate Petworth Festival. In this clip, Arvella Farmer discusses graduating high school and her brother, the musician. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.); Musicians in neighborhood; Catholic Church, community involvement Tell us a little bit about what that was like., right as you graduated high school?

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You know, it was cool that I graduated from high school. But what was ... What year did you graduate? 68 Oh, yeah. And guess what? I was going to go to Howard University, which is walking distance from the house, which was not really what I wanted. You know, I wanted to go to East Village someplace you know, and stay in the dormitory. And guess what, y'all. My dad put me in the dormitory over on 16th Street, so I could be away from them some more and grow. You know what my daddy was Master Sergeant Tommy in the military. And excuse me, I'd be getting a little teary. But dad was the greatest dad on Earth as far as I'm concerned. Because he did things not just for the comfort of mommy and daddy. He did it for us, my brother and I. Turned out to be... did I ever tell you my brother was a musician? He was with Donald Byrd and the Black Birds. Doing it in the park. Doing it after dark, you know, that kind of thing. And he got to travel all around the world now. I'm jealous. I was way jealous, but I knew especially when I knew he was gonna go where the Beatles performed. Liverpool? He was going to Liverpool and I wasn't? I couldn't wait for him to get back. I'm gonna beat the crap out him. No, just kidding. Are you a musician as well?

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Me? No, I sing. This neighborhood, were there theatres and places people would record music? Or not so much? Not so much. But there was a Catholic Church up the street, around the circle. And they let us sing sometime. They would let us come up, like we're having some kind of party, you know, in the summertime. Maybe it might be somebody's birthday or something, you know, and they would have a big party. It might be an elderly person or, you know. Or a young guy or something. But they let us sing. And my brother would have his guitar with him. So that was that was just like me and him in the basement. That was way cool. Wasn't it nice for them to have done that? They hadn't asked me to rehearse or anything. They must have heard about it. Well, they knew my brother was famous. Because they had been overseas. Donald Byrd and the Black Birds had been over to Europe. They went to Japan. They were in Germany. Yeah. Oh, man. I'm jealous to this day. INDEXED CLIP TIME: 07:47.760 --> 09:09.700 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Andrew Hesbacher and Arvella Farmer on September 14, 2019 during the Celebrate Petworth Festival. In this clip, Andrew Hesbacher discusses how he and Arvella met. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.); Musicians in neighborhood

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Do you want to tell me how you two met? Yeah, I can tell. Sometimes Arvella forgets. But we both lived on the same block and I live just across the street from her. And I'm also a musician. So I would practice trumpet on my porch. And she walked over one day cuz she lives just across the street, and was like you playing trumpet. This is so cool. My brother was a musician, and she loves to say, and we just got along. We love this same type of music a lot. So I would come over to her porch and play music for her or play music from my phone. And we just got to know each other really well. And even when I moved out of the community, I still came back to visit her because I think that's really important. And I'd play all over the place. Sometimes she would see me playing right over here in Grant Circle. I would just bring my trumpet there and I met several other people as well. Just like I wasn't even trying to meet people. But I just started playing. And then all of a sudden people would walk up to my porch or walk up to me in the Circle, with them, their kids, their dogs, whatever and just say thank you for playing or you're so great or we love having you here. And it was just such a magical experience. Yeah, and meeting Arvella was just the best part of it. Because she's so kind. She introduces me to other people in the community. Other neighbors on the block. People that have been living here, since the 50s 60s 70s. And just getting involved in the community. It was all because of Arvella and all because of this bond of music that we share. INDEXED CLIP TIME: 07:47.760 --> 09:09.700 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Andrew Hesbacher and Arvella Farmer on September 14, 2019 during the Celebrate Petworth Festival. In this clip, Arvella Farmer discusses the role the churche played in the neighborhood. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.); Catholic Church, community involvement What do you think makes Petworth unique?

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The people that live in it. Not only the people that live in it, the people who live in and love each other. It wasn't a matter of Oh, he's white. I'm black. In the front of my house to this day is painted red, black and green. Okay? And we're still buddies. And number one, you gotta love yourself. Once you love yourself, and you know where your values really, you know, saturate people, you can love anybody, man. And you should. Hate is not what JC talks about. Unless it's a bad thing. You know what I'm saying? Okay, I'll shut up. Tell me spots into the churches in the community and the roles they played. You talked a little bit about the Catholic Church. Well, I went to a minister, and he told me what church to go to. So I'm not going to name it right now because it turned out to be yucky. Okay, but long story short, I did go to the church. And I found out what I found out much later in life, that even people in the religious sector of our nation, they can all be jerks. And that ain't funny honey. That is not funny. Cuz you go there for a purpose. You're trying to get a direct connect with JC. And you know what I learned? You don't need a password. You can get a direct connect with JC cuz he loves you. He knows what you want. He knows what you need. If you talk to him and read that book you'll find the right place. He will give you guidance as to what you need, as opposed to what you want. INDEXED CLIP TIME: 11:11.330 --> 12:07.380 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Andrew Hesbacher and Arvella Farmer on September 14, 2019 during the Celebrate Petworth Festival. In this clip, Arvella Farmer discusses why she returned to Petworth after moving away.. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.); Catholic Church, community involvement

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When you left Petworth, why'd you decide to come back? I came back to Petworth, I guess because of the house. Mommy and daddy had gone bye bye. You know what mommy and daddy were like couples on a TV show. I swear to God, and when daddy went bye, bye. Guess who left? Mommy. And frankly, it didn't shock me, you know, because I knew how close they were. You know? So long story short, I'm back in the same house. I was basically raised in and could walk to elementary school. walk to, you know, junior high, McFarland and to high school, Roosevelt. And to Howard University. I could walk down there. So ain't nothing to it, but to do it is what the kids used to say, and that's what I'm saying. INDEXED CLIP TIME: 12:09.330 --> 12:59.500 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Andrew Hesbacher and Arvella Farmer on September 14, 2019 during the Celebrate Petworth Festival. In this clip, Arvella Farmer discusses what changes she's like to see in Petworth. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.) Where would you like to see the neighborhood in the next 5 to 10 years?

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I would like to see them with more. I guess what I want to say is more activity for the kids, especially in the summertime. And I could be a part of that, because I love a lot of stuff. You know, and it doesn't have to be learning one plus one equals two. You know, it could, it could be dance, it could be playing piano, you know. I can come and teach you, you know, eight hours out of a day. I could have eight students. And I have the piano down in the basement. You know, my brother was a musician. You know, so he knows how to play a guitar. And he would come help me too, you know. That would be awesome. Yeah. INDEXED CLIP TIME: 12:09.330 --> 12:59.500 SEGMENT SYNOPSIS: Dan Kerr interviews Andrew Hesbacher and Arvella Farmer on September 14, 2019 during the Celebrate Petworth Festival. In this clip, Andrew Hesbacher and Arvella Farmer discuss what they love about Petworth. SUBJECTS: Petworth (Washington, D.C.) Any last thoughts you'd like to leave us with? Well, number one, I love this. You know, you get to see a part of your world that you don't see every day. And that's a blessing. You know why? It's a blessing because numero uno, you gotta love yourself. And a lot of people do, but in the wrong way. Okay, you can love yourself and hate some other people. That ain't right? That's out of sight. Okay? We have to start learning how to love each other in a real way. Okay, all right, I'll shut up.

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The reason I've loved this community and love Arvella and other people that I've met here is because of this message that they all spread of just love and kindness to each other. And that's what I feel so much as soon as I came to the festival today. I just felt the sense of pride in the community. Pride in what the community is making. Pride and excitement for where the community is going. IAnd a love for the people that also live here that share this space, whether you're at the Summer Music Series that they have in the park. Or, if you're just in the Circle and saying hello to people or saying hello and what's up neighbor? What's up stranger? as they pass by your porch. And everyone's so excited to talk to you and hear what's going on. I think that's just something magical that isn't around into any places anymore. Thank you both for your time. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you.