Amanda Deutch is a native New Yorker whose mother and grandparents lived in Coney Island. She has worked with the Coney Island History Project since 2008 and is also a teaching artist and poet. Amanda is the author of four poetry chapbooks and her poems have been published widely in journals. In 2009, she founded Parachute Literary Arts, which utilizes poetry as a catalyst for community engagement and youth empowerment. Her passions include impressing bystanders with her Skee-Ball skills and riding the Wonder Wheel.
Interviews
On her three year photo project
Karen Thumann is a photographer from Oklahoma who came to Coney Island on a recommendation from a workshop instructor. She was fascinated by what she found and quickly secured a grant to fund her return trips in the 2011 and 2012 seasons to take...
Helicopter pilot who landed on the Coney Island beach
Each spring New York City honors the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps during Fleet Week. Major Stacy Pandak participated as the first female pilot in the USMC MAGTF Air/Ground Demo in Coney Island. She explains some details about how the demo is...
Future elephant rider for the circus
Six year-old Sydney and her mother Stephanie Cozby visited the History Project before they went to the circus to celebrate her friends' birthdays. Among her favorite things in Coney Island are watching fireworks from the beach at night, eating...
Grew up a daredevil in New York City
Corinne describes visiting Coney Island in the 1940's as a girl with her family and even taking the train with other children to spend the day. She rode the Steeplechase horses and even the Parachute Jump, which she first tried out at the 1939...
Grew up on 20th & Surf and 21st & Neptune
Shanna Rivera, Rita Fernandez and Pam DeGennaro grew up together in Coney Island. Rita's daughter, Keyniah Romero joins them as they share some of their memories. They all remember the chocolate factory that used to operate out of the Child...
Real estate broker and restaurant development consultant
Paul Fetscher grew up in Brooklyn in the 1950's and visited Coney Island with his family. Today, Paul works as a real estate broker and development consultant for the restaurant business. One of his clients is Thor Equities. Thor owns a sizable...
Runners from Manhattan in the Brooklyn Half Marathon
Diana and Sean describe their visit to Coney Island after finishing the Brooklyn Half Marathon. After running 13 miles, they stopped for drinks at Ruby's and then took a ride on The Cyclone.
Volunteer at Amethyst Women's Project
Priscilla has lived in Coney Island since the late 1990's. She loves her 17th floor apartment that overlooks the ocean and considers Coney Island her home. Priscilla describes the good work Amethyst does for the community and talks about her...
Mother and Son, Residents of Coney Island
Betty Stein recalls telling people her family lived in "the Brighton Beach area," because Coney Island was a bit "honky-tonk." Her son, Gary, however, calls Coney Island his "favorite place on earth." He explains what...
Business Owner and Founder of the Coney Island Sports Foundation
The owner of three businesses on Mermaid Avenue, Edwin Cosme discusses the uncertain future of Coney Island. He is committed to staying in his hometown and promoting the development of more amusements and fewer condominium projects. He describes...