Allegra Maple Interview 08/08/2026
Photo by Mattie Branson-Meyer
Allegra Maple Interview Transcript:
MATTIE: Hello, I am Mattie Branson-Meyer and I am here with:
ALLEGRA: Allegra Maple
MATTIE: At the Park Slope Old Timers Reunion at 4th street and 5th Avenue on Saturday, August 8, 2026. Can you spell your name for me, please?
ALLEGRA Yes, Allegra. A-L-L-E-G-R-A. Just like the sinus medicine. Maple, like maple syrup. M-A-P-L-E.
MATTIE: Amazing, thank you. What is your relationship to Park Slope or to Brooklyn?
ALLEGRA: So my relationship to Park Slope is just like my relationship to Brooklyn. I've been here all my life. I'll be 67 years old in October, I know I don't look it, but anywho, I love Park Slope, and I'm blessed to still be here. I've seen many of the changes, the gentrification, the, the everything that has happened in Park Slope. So I am connected. And it's good, it's a good thing.
MATTIE: Amazing, thank you. Do you have a particularly powerful or important memory of Park Slope or Brooklyn that you'd like to share?
ALLEGRA: Yes. So, I have many powerful, important memories of Park Slope. One being that– and many people don't realize this, but there was a Public School, P.S. 77, on Second street between Sixth and Seventh Avenue. And it went from the kindergarten to the eighth grade. They tore that school down and then they built the infamous P.S. 321, which I am the first graduating class of P.S. 321. And my mom, Mrs. Ernestine Maple, worked at P.S. 321. So can you imagine being a child– a student– and your mom worked at the same place that you went to school at? That was an experience, to say the least.
MATTIE: Any, any memories of her being in the same– teaching in the same school that you were going to?
ALLEGRA: So I used to get in trouble for talking a lot. And back then, they had what we call corporal punishment, which I would have to write 200 to 300 times “I will not talk in class anymore” and/or sit in the corner. But needless to say, it worked itself out because I had become a motivational speaker. I worked with the City of New York, proud to say for 36 and a half years, now retired eight years in December. And I love to– I still love to talk. So it's okay. It served me well.
MATTIE: Amazing, thank you. Why did you decide to come to the Park Slope Old Timers Reunion today?
ALLEGRA: I came because it brings back memories. Nothing is perfect. I just thank God that I'm still able to come. Can't jump up out the chair like we used to, but we could still shake a leg and see our old friends we went to school with. There's a gentleman here that I was in kindergarten class with, and his name is Rudy Reid, if I may say his name. And what happened is that during kindergarten, my mom would say, Allegra, what did you do in school today? I said, well, I played in the doll corner. So every day was I– I played in the doll corner. And my mom would say, Allegra, I didn't send you to school to play in the doll corner. So my buddy, and we were just talking about this a few minutes ago, he's here with me. His name is Rudy Reid. And of course, I'm Allegra Maple. Yeah. And he still lives here in Park Slope, so we have a lot to be grateful for. Yeah, we are blessed, we're truly blessed.
MATTIE: What are some things that you think more people should know about Park Slope or Brooklyn based on your own experiences?
ALLEGRA: What people should know about Park Slope is that Park Slope didn't always start out as it is now. And I’m gonna speak the truth and shame the devil. Park Slope had its racism, like in all neighborhoods in Brooklyn. I did a report on Park– on Park Slope and Brooklyn in general. You had your Italians, you had your Irish, you had the Latinos that came in, you had the African Americans.There weren't too many African Americans here, but the African Americans that were here, they owned homes. But because they were priced out– many people were priced out. We also had many– the Italians, the Irish had moved out. They went to Staten Island. But no matter what your nationality was, if you did something you had no business doing, by the time you got home, your parents would know about it because your last name was the family's pride. So when you walked out of your street, oh, you, Ernestine Maple’s daughter? Oh, you so and so's son? So, and again, color made no difference. I remember sitting in my Italian neighbors' houses and eating the sauce– nope! Gravy. That's the difference. So it was a family back then. Everybody knew their neighbors. Unfortunately, we have newcomers that come in here and they don't particularly– they look at you and like, what are you supposed to be? What are you here for? It's like, hey, I've been here before your father– mother and father met each other. But it's all good, because I know where it's coming– it's all love.
MATTIE: Finally, what are your hopes for the future of Park Slope and Brooklyn?
ALLEGRA: My hope for the neighborhood and Brooklyn is, please, they need to have affordable housing. When they say affordable housing, I have to ask, affordable for who? Let's stop playing games. You have priced out families, and that is not a good thing. That is not cute. And I'm gonna speak the truth. You had developers who came into Brooklyn. They underhanded people, they stole people's deeds. You already know, all you gotta do is look at the news and what have you. But, the fact that my hope is– is that again, they lower these prices of these houses, because this is ridiculous. Where are people to go and live? You ask– you talk about the homeless. This is why people are homeless. Okay, let's deal with the truth again. Speak the truth and shame the devil. And I'm enjoying myself today. Wish you were here.
MATTIE: Thank you so much. Anything else you'd like to share?
ALLEGRA: Just have a good time.
MATTIE: Thank you so much.
ALLEGRA: Thank you. Thank you. So you want to [take a photo]?