Delisé Cruz Interview 08/09/2025
Delise Cruz Interview Transcription:
NATASHA: Hello, I'm Natasha Fearon. I'm here with Delisé Cruz at the Park Slope Old Timers' Reunion at 4th Street and 6th Avenue on Saturday, August 9, 2025. Can you please spell your first name and your last name?
DELISE: It’s D as in David, E-L-I-S- accent E. Last name Cruz, C-R-U-Z.
NATASHA: What is your relationship to Park Slope, or to Brooklyn?
DELISE: Well, I was born in Fort Greene, 41 Cumberland Street, in the Brooklyn Hospital, and then we gradually moved to Park Slope back in 1965, and I love this place. I went to 321 Public School, then I graduated and went to IS-88 Peter Rouget, and then I had to come to 51, which I didn’t mind, William Alexander, and it’s just, it’s a gorgeous thing to grow up in Park Slope, especially on Second Street between 5th and 6th, that’s where I met all my friends that’s here today with, the ones that are still here. We always still have a good time, being friends for over 55 years. It's a blessing. Park Slope has made me the person that I am today, and I would never give it up. And I wish I could come back, but it's such a different time in life that we're living in.
NATASHA: Do you have a particularly powerful or important memory of Park Slope or Brooklyn you'd like to share?
DELISE: Yes. I have a good memory that getting out of 321 every day, going home and doing my chores and coming to Third Street Park and playing handball, going on the slide, getting on the swing, and just basically having a good time. And you could stay in this park until it got dark and you didn't have to worry about nobody bothering you, you didn't have to worry about anything. It was such a beautiful thing back in them days.
NATASHA: Why did you decide to come to the Park Slope Old Timers reunion today?
DELISE: Because I am an old-timer, and I see people that I haven't seen in years, so it's a pleasure and a blessing to see everyone every year. You know, it's a good thing.
NATASHA: What are some things you think more people should know about Park Slope or Brooklyn based on your own experience?
DELISE: Growing up in Brooklyn, it's like we're one of a kind. People from Brooklyn is noticed even if you go to Queens. They can tell you from Brooklyn. You go out of state, they know you from Brooklyn because we have this distinct attitude, which is beautiful. You know it's so hard to explain, but it's so easy to talk about. Brooklynites, we are awesome people. We’re giving, we’d do anything for anyone. You know, I’m not gonna say that same saying, “we’ll take the shirt off our back,” but we would, in a heartbeat.
NATASHA: What are your hopes for the future of the neighborhood and Brooklyn?
DELISE: The hope is that just everyone comes together, and just love one another because that's what we had. I don't know the way the world is now, the 21st century is so confused, you know. We got out and did things. There was no iPad, there was no cell phones, and we did everything. We met up, you know. We didn't even have call ID and we still got around. And I would just love for people to understand that the best communication is dealing with your friends, your neighbors. Be kind to one another. You know, love that neighbor as you love yourself. And that's the root of all everything.
NATASHA: Thank you.
DELISE: Mmmhmm.