I grew up in Newark in the 1960s on Ridge Street. My Italian immigrant grandparents, aunts, and uncles all lived within walking distance. I went to Ridge Street School for a short time until the riots started, and because of the danger my parents sent me to Far Brook school in Short Hills, a very expensive elite private school that I went to on scholarship.
I was the poor kid from riot-plagued Newark. I spent many years feeling shame among my wealthy schoolmates, no friends could visit us, and my mom desperately attempted to give our Forest Hills neighborhood a safe and beautiful reputation.
She was friends with Liz Del Tufo, who helped found the Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival was a turning point that changed the reputation of Newark. Thank you for highlighting that in your story Cherry Blossom Festival Turns 50.
It was the only time she would beam with pride and brag to everyone about our wonderful neighborhood and where we were from. Over the years, it became a source of pride to be from Newark and Cherry Blossom Land for all of us and still is. Across from the Visitor Center you’ll see a bench in my mother’s name, Gloria Torrice, to honor her passing at age 98, and how the cherry blossoms made her so proud of being from Newark.
Liana Torrice Volpe, West Orange resident
