People of Chelsea Project
Chelsea Black Community
GRINDY, 2020
Mom: “I’ve lived in Chelsea for three years. Before that I lived in East Boston. I come from El Salvador, in the countryside. I came alone to the US. My three daughters were born here. Four of us live together, me and my three daughters, aged 12, 7 (almost 8!), and 4-month-old baby.”
Oswaldo A. Gil 2021
I've been in Chelsea since 2000. I am a chauffeur. Today I'm the chauffeur for the [COVID] testing van, [driving] almost one month for this project. Before the pandemic, I drove one of the big buses that take people to the casino from Londonderry, that was the route I drove for about a year before the pandemic. They've canceled it for now.
Our kids were born in Colombia. At nine years old, we brought our son [here], and our daughter was twelve. Now they are more than thirty years old. We started early. I was twenty-one years old. The good thing is you finish early too!
XBonnie Woods, 2021
"I started using the "X" professionally in 1978 as an artist. At the time I was working on folded paper with ink. They were maps, treasure maps, realistic maps of specific places, certain cities. This was Pre-Chelsea. For instance, if I were making a map of this porch where we're sitting now, there would be a little rectangle there where you are, and there would be a little square where I'm sitting, I would be an "X" on where I'm sitting right here on this chair, and then I'd sign my name next to it to show that's where I was on the map. Up to that time, I would sign my paintings with my last name, Woods, but in this show, because of where I placed my name, rather than at the bottom of the piece, they started calling me X Woods. I started getting fan mail to X Woods, and I just thought it was cool because I was getting letters to X Woods. From then forward, I kept using it, and I like it. The X can mean so many different things to different people. W can look mysterious, X marks the spot, X chromosome, female. I just liked it and kept it.”
Brian Downing, 2020
“My father rode bikes his whole life. When He died I had a service for him at Smith's funeral home. We had 25 bikes and Hotrods. I rode his bike to the funeral procession. We dragged raced behind the hearse!”
Majorie DeLorey - 2019
Chelsea Senior Center
I was born in East Boston, but I moved to Chelsea because I was having trouble with my husband, he was an alcoholic and he tried to kill me so I had to move. I moved to Chelsea 25yrs ago. I have three kids two boys and a girl, and they’re all good kids, thank God.
I'm 91 years old, and I'm very active. After my husband died, I became a ballroom dancer [at Wonderland] for 15yrs, so that saved me really brought me back to me, and I love my life. I also paint ceramics and exercise a little bit. That's why I'm so spry! I don't think people should stay home and do nothing. I'm out every day when I can
2019