an Ode to the Block, was born out of a personal and communal point of transition; witnessing the cultural and physical shifts happening on 165th Street Mall in Jamaica, Queens, affectionately known as The Coli Block. For decades, this space has been a staple for southeast queens residents: a marketplace, a cultural runway, a gathering ground, and a site of DAILY ritual. an ode to the block is a PUBLIC archive of what IS, was, and is STILL to come.
A community archive
In 2024, Ryin Baskin began documenting the current and impending changes of the 165th Street Mall, also known as The Coli Block. This public archive preserves the lived histories of the space through oral history interviews with community members and images shared. By centering firsthand stories and collective visual memory, the archive documents the cultural significance of The Coli Block at a moment of change, making sure these voices and experiences remain accessible beyond the block itself.
