Make The Bronx Great Again:

How Keith Rubenstein, Jeffery Epstein, The Heir to Alexander’s and NYs Democrats conspired to destroy the Bronx

“Let’s make The Bronx great again!” This is what you can imagine spilled from Keith G. Rubenstein’s mouth as he sat reminiscing in his apartment with long-time Jeffrey Epstein associate and heir to the now defunct Alexander’s Department Store empire, Jonathan Farkas. You might be more familiar with Somers Farkas, Jonathan’s wife, popular NYC socialite and recently appointed as US Ambassador to Malta by Donald Trump. According to emails recently released by the Department of Justice; on May 29, 2015, Jonathan met with the then, up-and-coming developer at his $35 million Gilded Age mansion to discuss his plans for the South Bronx waterfront, among other things. The interaction is described in very little detail, yet the interaction was significant enough to warrant an email to his notorius associate, Jeffrey Epstein, about it the next day making sure to include how “very smart” Keith is.

In our previous article regarding Keith, we left off with some questions, most notably: Why did the former attorney get disbarred? Why and how was he able to pivot so successfully into real estate development? Why did he choose The Bronx? Before we address all of the above, we now must also ask… how involved was Jeffrey Epstein in the development of “The Piano District” and the consequential gentrification that followed the project?

To begin, Keith was disbarred by the Brooklyn appeals court back in January 2008 due to “professional misconduct.” Apparently, after Keith graduated from Widener University School of Law, he was allegedly struggling as a personal injury lawyer. However while working for Gem & R Management Corporation, its reported Keith began to come into quite a bit of consistent money. After filing scores of personal injury lawsuits under his name Keith would eventually lose his license while working at Gem & R for splitting fees with non-lawyers, aiding the unauthorized practice of law, and several other offenses. During the hearings, Keith acknowledged the“patently foolish arrangement” but argued for leniency on the grounds that his “misconduct was an aberration in an otherwise unblemished record that took place while he was going through a divorce and facing financial difficulties.“

The year before (2007), as pressures began to emerge in the finacial market for asset-backed commercial paper and investors became weary of subprime exposure, Keith, via his firm Somerset Partners, sold a former Nabisco Factory from the early 1900’s in Manhattan (85 10th Ave) for $430 million to RELATED Companies. The sale marked a roughly $130 million profit for Somerset if you don’t include the nearly $200 million in capital improvements invested by Somerset while it owned the building. Somerset originally acquired the property back in 2005, and at the date of sale, included tenants such as the U.S. Government, Lehman Brothers, Moet Hennessy, and the State of New York.

That same year, Jeffrey Epstein was about to be indicted by a federal prosecutor after his arrest in 2006 for soliciting a prostitute unveiled a history of sexual abuse and child endagerment, among many other troubling discoveries. This was our introduction to the now infamous New York money manager and his secret world of affluent debauchery. The once “mysterious, Gatsbyesque figure” was finally emerging from the darkness after nearly 30 years of discreet exploitation. His first big splash into the public eye being in 2002 when he lent his Boeing 727 personally to Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation for a trip to South Africa.

Speaking of Bill Clinton, lastly but equally as significant, in 2007, Andrew Cuomo had sucessfully been elected as the New York State Attorney General after attempting to but then ultimately abandoning a run for Governor back in 2001. Both of Cuomo’s campaigns recieved substantial financial support from none other than Mr. Farkas. Not Jonathan Farkas from Keith’s apartment, but Andrew Farkas, Jonathan’s nephew, another descendant of the prominent Alexander’s family fortune, founder of Insignia Financial Group as well Island Capital Group, long time friend and former employer of Andrew Cuomo. The two Andrews first publicly met while Cuomo was the US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development back in 1997, during the Clinton Administration, when Andrew Cuomo personally authorized the filing of a civil suit by federal prosecutors that accused Farkas’s company, Insignia Financial Services, of paying $7.6 million in kickbacks to the owners of 17 federally subsidized projects that Insignia managed. Their relationship rebounded after Farkas paid $7.4 million in settlement fees, a drop in the bucket to the billionaire and what many of the deemed as just a slap on the wrist. The two Andrews went on to form an incredibly close relationship, with Farkas onboarding Cuomo to the very company he had sued just a few years before, in 2003. Andrew Farkas also just so happens to be closely aquainted with Jeffrey Epstein, just like his uncle Jonathan. It is recorded that within the span of a decade the two billionaires had exchanged roughly 2,000 emails, some arranging meetings while others were of a more personal nature.

Interestingly enough, the Cuomo and Farkas familes go back even further than the two “Andrews” and their decades long bromance. Mario Cuomo, the elder, and Robin Farkas, son of George Farkas; founder of famed Alexander’s department store in 1928 publicly established their “friendship” back in 1986 when then Governor M. Cuomo appointed the second generation Farkas, Robin, to the Dormitory Authority of the State of NY as a final act before his term ended that year. The function of the DSANY is to act as New York’s public finance and construction authority, financing, designing and building infratstrcuture for health, education and other public facilities like SUNY, CUNY and healthcare systems. It is a major builder and bond issuer for state-related projects. Kind of sounds like real estate development right?

For context’s sake, it’s important to note the same year Robin Farkas was appointed to the powerful DSANY, Donald Trump purchased 20% worth of stock in the Alexander company. He later increased his stakes to 27% in 1988 and joined Alexander’s board of directors. Donald’s role was in an advisory capacity as he attempted to push his goal of unlocking the value of the flailing department stores prime real estate locations. In 1992, Alexander’s filed for bankruptcy, shuttering all 11 of its locations which included 2 in The Bronx: Fordham Road and Grand Concourse and Third Ave & 149th street-The HUB. In 1993, Alexander’s announced it’s transition from a discounted designer goods shop to a real estate investment trust.

Let’s flash back to the near recent “future”. In April of 2009, Ruben Diaz Jr. would leave his post at the NYS Assembly and his “Rainbow Rebels” to run for and be elected as Bronx Borough President. A special election was called when the former BP, Adolfo Carrion was tapped earlier in the year by the Obama Administration to serve as it’s first director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs. The role, often referred to as the “Urban Czar” is meant to act as a bridge between local leaders and the federal government, advocating for comunity development, regional planning and economic growth. The Obama Administration would again dictate New York affairs when advisors to the President reached out to then Governor, David Patterson, urging him to not run for re-election, in favor of none other than Andrew Cuomo.

In November 2009, Ruben Diaz Jr. would have to do it all again, and he did, successfully winning his first full term bid as Borough President. On March 5, 2010, during his first state of of the Borough address, Ruben would begin his speech talking about Dutch settler Jonas Bronk, the borough’s colonization and it’s contributions to American society from what he dubbed the locals as, Bronx Natives. Boldly, the Puerto Rican politician he would continue to state “Our land…our most important and valuable natural resource-has been taken from us through zoning and the sale of air right!…If you want charity, you must be charitable. If you want a public benefit, your project must benefit the public.” This was an invitation. Ruben Diaz Jr. officially declared The Bronx was open for sale… at the right price of course.

Just a few weeks later, before marching in the annual “Salute to Israel” parade, Andrew Cuomo would tell the Associated Press, “When I was growing up, state government was a source of inspiration, this state government has been a source of degradation.” On May 22nd 2010, the NYS Attorney General would offically launch his campaign to run for Governor. On another occasion, as he stood in front of the Tweed Courthouse “I have a plan to rebuild New York from the ground up.” And thus one of the main pillars if not the main focus of Andrew’s campaign was revealed: Economic and Fiscal policy first, questions later. Andrew promised a nonpartisan approach to fixing New York’s economy and on January 1, 2011 Andrew Cuomo won his second attempt at the New York State Gubernatorialship with the help of his dear friend, Andrew Farkas, who served as the fianance chairman for Cuomo’s political campaign.

This is where our story begins to pick up a bit because in 2011 Andrew Cuomo lays the ground work for our cast of characters thus far to begin to conspire. On July 27, Andrew launches the Regional Economic Development Council as cornerstone of his economic development strategy. The initiative which replaced old methods with a competitive regional funding system was established to create regional, long term strategic plans for economic growth. There would be 10 councils in total comprised of local experts from business, academia and government. The inaugral New York City REDC included:

• Matthew Goldstein– CUNY Chancellor
• Kenneth Chenault-Chairman and CEO of AMEX
• Stuart Applebaum-President of the Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union
• Marcel Van Ooyen-Executive Director of GrowNYC
• Kathryn Wylde– President and CEO of the Partnership for NYC
• Wellington Chen-Executive Director of the Chinatown Partnership
• Cesar Claro– President and CEO of the Staten Island EDC
• Carol Conslato– President of the Queens Chamber of Commerce
• Douglas Steiner– Chairman of Steiner Studios
• Kinda Younes– Executive Director of the Indsutrial and Technology Assistance Corp.
• Robert Duffy-Lt. Governor and statewide chair for all 10 councils
• Ruben Diaz Jr. – Bronx Borough President
• Marty Markowitz– Brooklyn Borough President
• Helen Marshall– Queens Borough President
• Scott Stringer– Manhattan Borough President
• James Molinaro– Staten Island Borough President
• Robert K. Steele-Deputy Mayor for Economic development

Lesser known to the public as Andrew Cuomo made his giant leap into rebuilding New York, the PalmBeachDailyNews.com continued to report on Jeffrey Epstein, especially after only serving 12 months in jail for a single count of prostitution despite mounting evidence of otherwise more insidious crimes. On March 11, 2011 the online outlet announced names listed inside the billionaire sex offender’s little black book included political figures such as: Bill Clinton, (Now formerly) Prince Andrew and Duchess Sarah Ferguson, Donald Trump, John Kerry, George Mitchell, Mike Bloomberg and Andrew Cuomo. Unfortunately, like the case in 2007 nothing would come of the revelations.

In 2014, Andrew Cuomo announced his campaign for reelection and once again Andrew Farkas took to the helm of supporting his long time ally acting as the lead on fundraising efforts as well as providing him with in-kind travel contributions valued up to $72k. Alhough our team could not verify the connection, it is reasonable to presume that based on Andrew Farkas hands on role with Cuomo’s fundraising he would task himself with hiring a fundarising firm considering he himself was under the consistent watcful eye of the press regarding the two Andrew’s longstanding and inappropriate financial relationship. Walter Swett, a well known fundraiser and partner at Dynamic SRG, was brought on sometime during the beginning of the campaign and on March 3, 2014, Walter cordially invited Jeffrey Epstein to a fundraising event held at the Dream Downtown Hotel. The event was the “3rd Annual Spring Gala” and was a joint affair co-hosted by Bronx/Queens Congressman Joseph Crowley and Cuomo’s re-election campaign. This was the first in a series of “Unity” campaigns that highlighted the growing alliance between the Governor and both The Bronx and Queens Democratic leaderships.

On May of 2014, Ruben Diaz Jr. was tapped by Andrew Cuomo’s campaign team as a co-chairman for the 2014 re-election campaign. The platform that was launched throughout the year emphasized economic development through infrastructure and increasing “affordable housing” projects. Later that year, in September, Ruben Diaz Sr. would have lunch with the Governor, a significant moment in shifting alliances considering in 2010, then NYS AG Cuomo had indicted his close friend and ally Pedro Espada Jr for money laundering. By the end of 2014 it seemed like the “Unity” Campaign was a success and the entire Bronx Democratic Party was all in for their “quarter back” Andrew Cuomo with key endorsements from Ruben’s Rainbow Rebels Jeffrey Dinowitz and Carl Heastie along with the rest of the Bronx County Democratic Comittee.

During his hist first state of the borough address back in 2010, Ruben Diaz Jr also said “I welcome development, and I am ready, willing and able to work with everyone that wants to do business within our borough. But we must raise the standard of that development.” In December of 2014, Somerset Partners and Chetrit group (Slumlord Millionaire) purchased 5 acres along the Harlem River in the South Bronx. On March 8, 2015, after a year of championing the redevelopment of industrial areas alongside Andrew Cuomo; Ruben Diaz Jr via The Wall Street Journal broke news surrounding the new luxury development project soon to be underway. As we have previously reported, then “Director of Special Projects and Governmental Relations” for the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp, Michael Brady (for more read: our article about Michael Brady here), said, “Once the Somerset [Chetrit] project gets underway, I think you will see a total turnaround of this area…I think you will find this area becomes Williamsburg meets Dumbo.” Ruben Diaz Jr. adds, “The Somerset-Chetrit project is a potential catalyst that would allow developers to reimagine the South Bronx.”

And this brings us full circle right back to where we began, Spring 2015…we’re back in Keith’s apartment where long time Epstein, Cuomo and Trump associate Jonathan Farkas is sitting, reminiscing about the good old days back “Uptown”, the days of Alexander’s. The days before Hip Hop and Salsa, you know the days? The days when the immigrants were a tad bit lighter and all came from Europe. The days that inspired Donald Trump’s entire platform and Ronald Reagan’s before him. This nostalgic conversation is undoubtedly when “The Piano District” was born. “Just imagine a luxury housing project meant to evoke memories of when The Bronx was both a titan of industry and leisure, of when The Bronx was “great”, middle class and white.”

On August 1, 2015, Jonathan messaged Jeffrey again to keep him updated on the Somerset project stating “Lots of activity in real estate in the bronx lots of assemblages google Somerset Partners”.

A couple months later, Somerset and Chetrit would host a tone deaf Halloween party for their A-List invites now dubbed “The Bronx is burning”party in an attempt to draw attention to the new project. The party drew ire from local community members and other electeds like Chirstine Quinn. Celebrities like Baz Lurhman, who coincidentally enough is yet another associate of Jeffery’s having personally invited him to the premiere of none other than his adaptation of “The Great Gatsby”, as well as Nicky HIlton Rotshchild and Carmelo Anthony were in attandance. Local politicians, Ruben Diaz Jr. and Michael Brady were also guests for the evening. At one point, Michael, with dollar signs glimmering in his eyes, took a moment to quip to reporters “The minute the shovel goes in the ground here, their property values go up 15 percent.”

In January of 2016, Donald Trump would begin his first term in office as the President of the United States. In February, after months of correspondance about Keith Rubenstein and the South Bronx development project underway, Jeffrey added Keith to his client list, under the category of prospecting. In financial operations, prospecting is the proactive, strategic process of identifying and engaging potential clients (leads) to convert them into long-term business relationships. It serves as the initial stage of the sales funnel, where professionals sift through a large pool of leads to find “qualified” prospects who meet specific criteria and have a high likelihood of buying whatever it is they are selling. This suggests either Keith had been a prospective client since August 2015 or since November after all the attention the party garnered. Regardless Jeffrey saw value in the project and would continue to groom the relationship.

During his State of the State address, Governor Andrew would propose the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and officially launch it later on April 7th, 2016. This initiative expanded on the REDC’s initial work, to identify areas throughout the state that would serve as Economic drivers. Also in April of 2016, Keith Rubenstein would host a $2,500-a-head fundraiser for Andrew Cuomo in honor of Ruben Diaz Jr.’s birthday at his UES mansion. In total, Keith would donate $84,500 to the Governor in 2016 and roughly $15k over the span of several years to Ruben Diaz Jr. from 2015-2021. Diaz Sr would recieve $2750 for his city council race the following year, 2017.

In the 2011 New York City REDC Strategic Plan, the South Bronx was identified as an “Opportunity Zone” noting: “A 30-block area around the lower end of the Grand Concourse was rezoned in 2009 with the goal of transforming a waning industrial waterfront area and the lower Grand Concourse into a vibrant, mixed-use, mixed-income community with new housing, waterfront open space, and an array of retail services. The completion of the South Bronx Greenway by 2013 will also help attract investment to the neighborhood.” In June 2016, The Bronx would officially submit it’s application for the DRI with the following listed as endorsements/supporters of the application as it was submitted:

• FreshDirect
• Hostos Community College
• Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center (“Lincoln Hospital”)
• Pregones Theater
• Youngwoo & Associates
• 161St Street BID
• State Senator Jose M. Serrano
• Assembly Member Carmen Arroyo
• Assembly Member Michael Blake
• Assembly Member Latoya Joyner
• Council Member Vanessa Gibson
• Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
• Hostos Community College
• Third Avenue BID
• Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, REDC member
• Borough President Diaz, REDC member

The application heavily empahsized the investments the Bronx had received over the last couple of years, making sure to highlight Somerset Properties throughout and as their #2 highest investor with a total of $349,120,250 poured into the Mott Haven waterfront as of 2016.

While The Bronx was desperately seeking more development, Donald Trump was creating the economic circumstances to ensure it happened, for better or for worse. During his first year in office, Donald would push for and succesfully implement a sweeping overhaul of the US tax code. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts some times reffered to as the “Trump Tax Cuts” would permanently reduce the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, doubled the standard deduction and increased the child tax credit. It would later be identifed as perhaps the most detrimental policy change to have taken place, leading to a significant increase in the federal deficit and increased transfer of after-income tax wealth that benefitted wealthier earners over low income earners. The TCJA would also establish something called “Opportunity Zones”. These zones are disginated as economically distressed areas that, in order to attract investors and spur development, would provide an array of tax benefits.

With the incentives already in place from both Andrew Cuomos and Donald Trumps administartion it was only a matter of time before a larger corportaion moved in to finish off what Somerset and Chetrit began, what Keith Rubenstein began. Just a month after aquiring the lease to 666 fifth avenue from Jared Kushner and Kushner Companies, in 2018, the real estate firm Brookfield Properties would purchase 101 Lincoln Avenue and 2401 Third Avenue from the Chetrit Group and Somerset Partners for $165 million. Please note Brookfield also contributed heavily to Andrew Cuomo’s fundraising in 2016 with a whopping $100k donation to the butt-chined Governor. Following the sale, Keith Rubenstein would announce plans to launch a $200M South Bronx investment fund under the new “Opportunity Zones” recently established by Donald. Keith stated the initial money invested would come from the sale to Brookfield and he would commit 10% or $20 million to the fund and raise the rest from outside investors. “I consider myself to be pretty well versed in a lot of opportunities in the South Bronx and thats what we’re going to focus on”. The flood gates to the borough had finally faltered and in would pour the developers, the new non-nyc based nonprofits, charter schools etc.

In 2019, Jeffrey Epstein was rearrested, this time on federal charges of sex trafficking minors in both Florida and New York. He later died while in custody on August 10. A few months later, a virus named SARS-CoV-2 was identified, and after a series of pneumonia-like cases, on December 31, the World Health Organization was notified of the outbreak. The disease would be renamed Covid-19 in February 2020.

March 20, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo would issue the excutive order shutting down all non essesntial business and banning non essential gatherings of any size. Businesses that were not affected included “essential constrution” such as AFORDABLE HOUSING and HOMELESS SHELTERS as well as businesses that operated with a single occupant or employee, businesses like Somerset Partners. Banks, among other things, were also deemed essential during the shutdown. The shut down was extended several times since it’s initial announcement but finally on June 24, 2021, the pandemic related state disaster emergency was declared over.

On August 10, 2021 Andrew Cuomo would resign in disgrace after the state investigated him and found that the Governor had sexually harrassed multiple women while in office coupled wih the gross mishandling of nurshing home deaths during the peak of the pandemic. Ruben Diaz Jr, would see his term end on December 31 after a failed attempt at the New York City Mayors race, ultimately withdrawing his name before the primary the year before. Unfortunately for us… the damage had already been done. Now the consequences to their actions would finally take firm hold.

In 2024, the National Library of Medicine published their findings, afirming the blatant medical and financial neglect Bronx residents faced from 2020-2023 during the once in a lifetime calamity. According to their report, The Bronx served as an early epicenter for the virus, particularly because of the very densely populated make up of the borugh coupled with one of the highest if not the highest rate of asthma and respitory disease in the counttry, making the population extremely vulnerable to the illness. As a result, over the course of the first three years of the pandemic it is estimated that 1752 hospitalizations and 470 deaths occured for every 100 000 individuals living in the Bronx. That’s about 7,000 people and still counting today.

As a result of the prolonged and ineffective shutdown known as “New York State on Pause”, the Bronx was soon to assume to the unfortunate disticntion of being the epicenter for a plague of another kind… the black wave of evictions beginning in 2022. January 2022 was when the states moritarium on evictions expired and rather than extend for the sake of their constitutents, local electeds such as Kathy Hochul and newly elected Bronx BP at the time, Vanessa Gibson, chose to race towards reopening the state. This came at the literal expense of Bronx residents with regards to New York City. Bronx county ranked second, only after Rensselaer County for having the highest rate of evictions filed within the state. This trend continues today, with the Bronx continously outranking the other boroughs for the last 4 years in eviction filings. As of August 2025, the Bronx has one of the highest eviction filing rates in the country at 38.2%.

January 2022 also marks the devastating anniversary of the Twin Parks North West fire where 17 people were killed and 32 were left with life threatening injuries. This also marks the aniversdary of the day Bronx fires reemerged throughout the borough, like red ghosts from the past. Accrding to the FDNY’s annual reports, since 2022 there have been over 1500 building fires within The Bronx. This includes the horrendous gas explosion that took place at NYCHA’s Mitchel Houses October of 2025.

During the Democratic National Convention back in 1984, Mario Cuomo issued his now famous address around the tale of two cities:  The shining city on the hill, the one representing prosperity and opportunity, and the other, representing poverty and struggle. He acknowledged Reagan’s description of America as a “shining city on a hill” but argued that not all Americans were sharing in this prosperity, not all Americans are enjoying the warmth of the shine. In 2026 The Bronx has seen more private investment than any other borough as well as has seen the most evictions. The Bronx has seen record shattering housing devlopment as well as record shattering levels of diplacement which has lead to surging homelessness as well as substance abuse through the borough. Despite the efforts of grassroot movements and community care, The Bronx has been plunged back into the scars of the past, plunged right back into circumstances that eerily echo that of the 1970s and 80s all while trying to recreate the so-called greatness of the 50’s and early 60’s.

Diaz Jr, who continues to hold various positions throughout the Bronx such as Board Chair of the Universal Hip Hop Musum, Vice President of Montifiore Hospital as well as Founder/Ceo of Nuevo Diaz & Associates, a real estate development company, is also still quite active in Bronx politics, specifically its land use and development despite no longer serving as an elected offical. It’s important to note that Diaz Jr. has not issued any statement regarding Cuomo’s close ties to Jeffrey Epstein nor has he acknowledged the connection between the Farkas Families, Epstein and Somerset Properties but we do know that in 2025 he endorsed Andrew Cuomo for New York city mayor even though, almost a decade earlier “Come back Kid Cuomo” was publicly connected and continues to be connected to a high profile child sex trafficker. Ruben’s favor for sexual offenders is not lost on us and we’d be remiss if we did not mention, that he previously endorsed Eric Adams during the 2021 mayoral election, another accused sexual offender as well as actively uplifts prominent Hip Hop figures who have been accused of sexual violence such as Fat Joe, Rocky Bucano, and Afrika Bambaataa through the Universal Hip Hop Museum.

Since the 1980’s The Cuomo and Farkas Families have been privately collaborating to dismantle low income neighborhoods for the sake of personal real estate profits. Alongside figures like Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, The Cuomo and Farkas families orchestrated an elaborate scheme designed to infiltrate the government under the guise of urban development. To help further this scheme while also enriching themselves, the Diaz Family, both Sr and Jr., helped advocate for harmful policies created by equally harmful men. Policies proposed by proposed by Cuomo and of course bankrolled by Farkas and presumably Epstien considering their deep finacial intersections. Policies that would allow developers like Keith Rubenstein to knowingly increase the property values within low income neighborhoods thus ushering in a new era of displacement, this time via gentrification.

Mario Cuomo, Andrew Cuomo, Robin Farkas, Jonathan Farkas, Andrew Farkas, Donald Trump, Jeffery Epstein, Keith Rubenstein, Ruben Diaz Sr., and Ruben Diaz Jr… These are the architects of The Bronx demise. These are the people to hold accountable including all of their affiliates including but not limited to the entire Bronx Democratic Party: Carl Heastie, Jeffery Dinowitz, Eric Dinowitz, Oswald Feliz, Michael Blake, Ritchie Torres, Kevin C. Riley, Jamaal Bowman, Fernando Cabrera, Gustavo Rivera, Marcos Crespo, Rafael Salamanca, Vanessa Gibson and unelected policticians such as Michael Brady, Lisa Sorin, Tomas Ramos, Marco Shalma, Amaurys Grullon, Majora Carter, Nilka Martell, Jay Medina, Max Michael Knobbe, Angel Hernandez and Sandra Lobo.

If sex trafficing capitalists who can unite behind their shared interests and goals the question now remains, what the fuck are we doing uptown and when are we getting it together?