So walking through the streets in Bayview hasn't been the easiest. I know that there has to be good stories there, but my shy approach is not helping at all. Normally I would be ok just sucking it up and going up to strangers and striking up a conversation, but in the Bayview, that's just not done. There's no roaming the neighborhood to explore or going up to strangers to strike up a conversation. That just waves a huge flag that says Im not from here, which many noticed since they kept asking if I was lost. I've had a bit of success going to community organizations and shops because they'll actually talk to me, but pretty much none when it comes to people on the street. As I walked around on Saturday I notice 3 different groups of men barbecuing on different corners. I feel like there's a story there but have 0 ideas on how to approach it. When I tried talking to one group of them, they pretty much blew me off. I figure this is something I'll have to figure out because not all stories will come easy so I guess the challenge is good. Im heading back on Friday, I'll be strategizing new approaches till then...
Vanessa, you're on the right track. Once you make some contacts, use them to help you meet other people. If there's a public place where you can hang out or a group having a meeting, such as people worried about redevelopment or a church group, build on contacts one after another.
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