Denita Bell

This interview with Denita Bell was recorded in Hudson, New York on July 18, 2014 at the Hudson Public library around the corner from Denita’s home. Denita Bell is a single mother with two children. A phlebotomist (a medical professional who draws blood from patients), she is studying to be a nurse. She brought her nine year old son, LeBron to the interview where he read books downstairs until it was his turn for an interview (LeBron Frazier interview).

In the two audio files making up the interview, some of the subjects include: race relations in Hudson, racism and prejudice, unemployment, single mothers, divorce, food and home-cooked dinners, children, raising sons, family, the role of grandmothers, the antique stores on Warren Street, the Boys and Girls club, the mayor, her reflections on the problems of Hudson and her critique that it lacks activities for children and seniors, religion, spirituality and church community, the African American community in Hudson and most beautifully, reflections on happiness and unhappiness.

This interview—full of candid criticisms of Hudson and heartfelt reflections on the experiences of single mothers—will appeal to people interested in stories of raising children, the stress and worry of unemployment, the warmth and stability of the kitchen table and the shared family dinner, the conflict in Hudson over the meaning of Warren Street’s antique stores, and a thoughtful consideration of the nature of community, “togetherness” as well as a personal reflection on what she feels is a stratified and segregated society.