Misdirection on the Hudson: Walking tour with SRL 5/3
Join SRL members Daniel Aldana Cohen and Liz Koslov for Misdirection on the Hudson: Wall Street, Climate Change, and the Transformation of Staten Island.
May 3, 2014 | 03:00 PM
Magicians use misdirection to draw our eyes away from their sleight-of-hand. The best can rob us blind, while dazzling us till the bitter end. Since Hurricane Sandy flooded Staten Island’s Southern and Eastern shores, residents have struggled to rebuild their lives, often in vain. Wall Street has been there at every step. Our walk begins at the charging bull, where we dissect the little-known ways Wall Street contributes to the climate change behind Sandy’s destructive force. Then, on the Staten Island Ferry, we describe Sandy’s aftermath for Staten Island residents, and how complex financial instruments—insurance schemes, mortgages, loans—have prolonged the storm’s disastrous wake and kept homeowners from rebuilding. Off the ferry, during a quick stroll on the St George Waterfront, we explore what is being built with Wall Street’s backing: a designer outlet mall, the hemisphere’s largest ferris wheel, a luxury hotel—and a sustainability museum. Riding the ferry back, we debate ways of breaking the spell, while drinking some of New York’s cheapest beer.
Superstorm Research Lab 