<![CDATA[PAINT A NEW WORLD WITH ME - Thought Pieces]]>

<![CDATA[PAINT A NEW WORLD WITH ME - Thought Pieces]]>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 22:13:22 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[New Kids Fever Strikes Again with a Healthy Dose of New Edition]]>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:22:48 GMThttps://www.paintanewworldwithme.com/thought-pieces/new-kids-fever-strikes-again-with-a-healthy-dose-of-new-editionby Sabrina Acloque

Apparently, New Kids nostalgia hits me every few years.  Which probably does very little to show how much of a fan I actually was in my early youth.  But it hit me again recently, and I went down multiple rabbit holes to learn more about my favorite boy band from the Bean.  And yes, I can confidently say that I know now that they are all from within Boston, and not that some of them were from the suburbs, as I remember thinking when I was a wee young Blockhead (see my prior article about the NKOTB here).[1]  In fact, the majority of the New Kids are from the same neighborhood that I grew up in, Dorchester, which makes me even more proud to know where the different places that they’ve mentioned as being formative in their upbringing are located.

What I love about music is how timeless and barrier-breaking it is.  New Kids were huge in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and today, over 30 years later, their songs are still bangers (there’s hardly an NKOTB song that I dislike).  And I find it so endearing that a newer generation of music lovers are discovering their music for the first time and becoming fans (as evidenced by a slew of NKOTB reaction videos that I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve seen more than once ;-).[2]  So, not only does the New Kids’ music reach people across generations, but the influence of their music – which was heavily rooted in R&B – spans cultures.  What this also means for me, personally, is that I’ve been able to discover more about the different musical groups that have influenced the New Kids members as well.

For example, in a 1990 interview for youth quake, Jordan Knight told fellow band member, Donnie Wahlberg, that he was vocally influenced by the Stylistics.[3]  The Stylistics?  Who were they?  So, I naturally started looking them up and was amazed by the heavenly vocal harmonies I heard from the members of this group – not to mention Russell Thompkins Jr.’s angelic falsetto that is characteristic of their ballads.  The Stylistics were before my time, and I had never before heard of them before discovering this interview of Jordan (which was only recently).  But after listening to the Stylistics’ songs, I immediately recognized their classic, “Betcha By Golly, Wow.”

In case this is also your first time hearing about them, the Stylistics is a group of Black men who sang R&B/Soul music and rose to fame in the 1970s.  They actually still continue as a group to this day.  “Betcha By Golly, Wow” (which I learned is a cover) was released in 1972.  This song is smooth.  I imagine that its popularity must have lent itself to becoming the soundtrack to many aspects of people’s daily lives back then – whether it be through commercials, advertisements, or tv shows.  I can just imagine “Betcha By Golly” being played on Dynasty, which my childhood memory recalls as this dreamy soap opera about rich people and fancy-looking chandeliers.  Which surely must have meant that there was a family in that soap named Buchanan, just because.

Thus, my love of the New Kids led me to discovering the Stylistics and a bunch of the latter group’s songs that I have come to really enjoy, such as “People Make the World Go Round,” and “Hurry Up This Way Again.”  My fever to learn more about the New Kids also led me to learn more about another band from Boston: New Edition.  It’s so cool to know that this legendary band also hails from the Bean, and that the majority of their members grew up in Roxbury, the neighborhood next to mine.  New Kids have stated countless times that they grew up listening to and loving New Edition.  Donnie, himself, has said that there wouldn’t be any New Kids without New Edition,[4] and as I stated in my first post on the New Kids, I love how they always pay homage to their influences.[5]

What I also love is how both New Edition and New Kids came together to perform at the 2021 AMAs and successfully showcased Boston’s impact on the music world.[6]  What I dislike, in my learning more about New Edition’s story, is how it appears that New Edition members were exploited by certain powers in the music industry and not given their fair financial share when they first started.[7]  And it is a sad irony that Maurice Starr, who had first produced New Edition and then created and produced the New Kids, himself stated that he felt that New Edition would have been more successful if they were White.[8]  Which leads me to question the foundation of the marketing infrastructure that operated back in the ‘80s and ‘90s when it came to promoting music by Black artists, which is a whole other topic in and of itself.

Still, it is interesting to note that even in their 1990 autobiography, Our Story: New Kids on the Block, Donnie mentions the contrasting experiences of Black and White entertainers and how they were treated in the industry.  He noted that the existence of separate Black record and pop music charts limits the well-deserved recognition that is owed to successful Black artists, simply because they have not “crossed over.”[9]  Thus, whether or not the music industry has changed enough to remove these barriers, and to finally allow Black artists to be promoted and marketed with the same resources and support as White artists definitely merits further review.  However, according to a damning 2020 article by former Rolling Stone reporter, Elias Leight, we still have quite a ways to go.[10]

Nevertheless, despite the racial dynamics of the music industry that could have set these two groups to be pitted against one another, what I love and admire is how both New Edition and New Kids respect each other as artists,[11] and have come together in support of one another and to perform together.[12]  New Kids not only – and rightfully – reminds the world of New Edition’s influence on them, but also on today’s generation of boy bands.  In light of the two groups’ parallel histories, their joint performance in the Battle of Boston at the 2021 AMAs was a wonderful event to witness – both as a win for Boston and for the placement of these groups in the annals of music history.  Both groups represent Brothers from the Bean who, to this day, continue to make great music and/or tour together.

And, how cool was it that I got to go to Novara, the Italian restaurant that Jordan partly owns, and have dinner with my sisters to celebrate the holidays?  Because, one of the special things about being from Boston and a New Kids fan, is that the places that are special to them are also part of my stomping ground.  So, you bet the holiday drinks at Novara tasted that much sweeter.

Happy 2026 and May the New Kids, New Edition, and overall music fever strike you!

[1] Acloque, Sabrina. “Going Down the New Kids Memory Lane.” Paint a New World With Me, 20 Aug. 2020, www.paintanewworldwithme.com/thought-pieces/going-down-the-new-kids-memory-lane.

[2] “New Kids on the Block, Ne-Yo – Single | Reaction.” YouTube, uploaded by MAJ!, 6 Nov. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6Fbm4Z5zaw. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

[3] “1990 New Kids on the Block on Youth Quake ~ NKOTB.” YouTube, uploaded by Drina’s Video Vault, 22 Feb. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=br3E9Gu04B4. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

[4] “2021_1122 AMAs – THEEE Battle of Boston / NKOTB x New Edition.” YouTube, uploaded by Kristie Bedgood, 22 Nov. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=kre3wB_Ik7M. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

[5] Acloque, “Going Down the New Kids Memory Lane.” See also “NKOTB: AMA Performance with New Edition ‘So Emotional.’” YouTube, uploaded by Associated Press, 22 Nov. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLh2kxtMgSk. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026; “New Kids on the Block on Arsenio..Part 3!” YouTube, uploaded by Used2ThePain, 4 Dec. 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPNReyXmYIE. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

[6] Bedgood, “2021_1122 AMAs – THEEE Battle of Boston / NKOTB x New Edition.”

[7] Law, Shelby. “Everything You Need to Know About New Edition.” The Grio, 14 June 2023, thegrio.com/2023/06/14/everything-you-need-to-know-about-new-edition/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026; see also Sterling, Scott T. “New Edition: The Videos, The Music, The Drama.” Vibe, 17 Jan. 2017, www.vibe.com/music/music-news/new-edition-the-videos-the-music-the-drama-480802/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

[8] Givens, Ron. “Starr Maker.” Entertainment Weekly, 22 June 1990, web.archive.org/web/20150108194310/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317626,00.html. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026; Kennedy, Gerrick D. “New Kids on the Block.” Los Angeles Times Hollywood Star Walk, 14 Oct. 2014, projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/new-kids-block/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

[9] Catalano, Grace. Our Story: New Kids on the Block. Bantam Books, 1990, p. 116

[10] Leight, Elias. “‘Separate and Unequal’: How ‘Pop’ Music Holds Black Artists Back.” Rolling Stone, 17 June 2020, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-problem-with-pop-1013534/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

[11] “Ralph Tresvant Reveals His Feelings Abt Maurice Starr Startin Other Groups ie New Kids on the Block.” YouTube, uploaded by Comic Pierre, 23 Aug. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7905AvUh7I. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.  See also “AMAs: Watch NKOTB and New Edition’s HISTORY-MAKING Performance.” YouTube, uploaded by Entertainment Tonight, 22 Nov. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgX5y6-FR4o. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

[12] “Boston Strong – NKOTB & New Edition – ‘Poison’ ‘Please Don’t Go Girl’ – LIVE.” YouTube, uploaded by Justice Through Music Project, Inc., 1 June 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe6EZxO6Vq0. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

Bought this book second-hand and I big read it in about one day!

:-D

Further Reading

Monahan, D.S., “New Kids on the Block.”
Music Museum of New England, 20 Oct. 2023, www.mmone.org/new-kids-on-the-block/.

Sumpter, Edwin. “Maurice Starr.”
Music Museum of New England, 1 Apr. 2021, www.mmone.org/maurice-starr/.

Sumpter, Edwin. “New Edition.”
Music Museum of New England, 28 Dec. 2012, www.mmone.org/new-edition/.

For Your Information

The articles below discuss more about what happened to the Dorchester Youth Collaborative (DYC), where many of the New Kids members hung out as youth before they became members of their iconic group. The DYC, through its founder, Emmett Folgert, was a safe-haven and provided a number of resources and support for at-risk youth in Dorchester. Unfortunately, the DYC had to close in 2021 as a result of the pandemic, but it emerged again after joining forces with MissionSAFE, another nonprofit organization serving youth and their families in Boston. Read more about the DYC and MissionSAFE below:

Cotter, Sean Philip. “Dorchester Youth Collaborative to Close After 40 Years.” Boston Herald, 26 Feb. 2021, www.bostonherald.com/2021/02/26/dorchester-youth-collaborative-to-close-after-40-years/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

Jonas, Michael. “Dorchester Youth Collaborative Reopens – Under New Agency.” CommonWealth Beacon, 22 July 2021, commonwealthbeacon.org/criminal-justice/dorchester-youth-collaborative-reopens-under-new-agency/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

Sheehan, Dan. “Dorchester Youth Collaborative Is Back; New Name, Same Mission.” Dorchester Reporter, 8 July 2021, www.dotnews.com/2021/dorchester-youth-collaborative-back-new-name-same-mission/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

MissionSAFE’s website: www.missionsafe.org/overview

]]><![CDATA[Connecting Students With Our Past, Reminding Them of What a Better Future Looks Like]]>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:53:26 GMThttps://www.paintanewworldwithme.com/thought-pieces/connecting-students-with-our-past-reminding-them-of-what-a-better-future-looks-likeby Sabrina Acloque

There is negativity all around us. In the news. On social media. In the world. In our country. These times are dismal, to be very frank. But, when I think about what I have been able to do within my power, I feel excited and optimistic. I have been lucky enough to welcome students from my high school, Boston Latin School (BLS), to Washington, D.C. for the past few years and talk to them about the impact of working in public service. I have had many meaningful professional experiences in my life - from working for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia while in law school, to enforcing the international human rights of people living in the Western hemisphere, and to ensuring that people within the U.S. are protected against discrimination. I have also worked as a prosecutor in Fairfax County, Virginia. Currently, as a Consultant, I train law enforcement officers on creating trust within the communities that they serve, which I really enjoy doing. The weight of doing this work in our current political climate is definitely not lost on me. I hope every day that my training sessions continue to resonate with the recruits who I speak with and who leave the sessions telling me that they are thankful for having had the training.

While 2025 definitely presented some challenging moments for me, I am happy to have had the chance to connect with students from BLS once again. During the summer, I welcomed students from the John William Ward Public Service Fellowship Program to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, where I discussed my experiences as a student at BLS and what my career path has been like. I also used to be a Ward Fellow, and participating in the Fellowship program greatly influenced the trajectory of my life. As a high school student, I knew that I wanted to become an attorney, and as a Ward Fellow, I was assigned to work for a U.S. District Court Judge as my summer internship.

Most of my career has been spent working in government, but I also informed the students that there are many ways one can make a difference in our world, such as through consulting or pursuing your artistic passions. What really matters is how you can influence people in your immediate circle or surroundings and from there, the effect of what you do can continue rippling outward.

There are so many examples of people who have made a difference in our society all around us. Civil rights activists. Lawyers. Judges. Politicians who lead with compassion and who care about our mutual progress. Teachers. Singers, and many other artists from other artistic fields.

Thus, it was very meaningful to host students at the MLK Jr. Memorial Library, because it is a space that reminds us of the hard-fought victories of the past, and the importance of continuing to fight for all that we hold dear in the present. Even if certain people in power fail to model what civility and proper governance should look like, we can always share the knowledge we have with young people about the better ways that our world can and should be.

Equity and inclusion are not bad words, regardless of how the uninformed try to spin it. It is the base of how things should be. The reason why diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work exists is because there has been so much inequity and exclusion in various areas of our society. DEI is simply calling out the injustices that have been perpetuated for so long. That is why we have a place like the MLK Jr. Memorial Library to show and educate people on what was done to address and correct our societal inequities. Cue the Voting Rights Act. Cue Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other similar laws. These laws were enacted to stamp out the racism that prevented people from being able to do things they should be entitled to do, such as vote for a leader that would govern them, and have access to job opportunities like the next person. In an ideal society, we wouldn't need to have these laws. Equity would just be the way of our world. But as long as biases exist, we will always have to work to ensure that we are treating people with the dignity, respect, and fairness that we would want for ourselves.

Finally, another huge bonus of welcoming students to D.C. this past summer was meeting them for dinner at Busboys and Poets. I have been performing my poetry at Busboys for the past few years. Both the missions of Busboys and of the Ward Fellowship Program are to inspire people to make a difference in our society. On the night of our dinner, it was truly amazing to see and feel my worlds converging there in that one space: being with students who reminded me of my past and the difference I hoped to make in the world in the space where, today, I am hopefully moving people with my poetry.

When I interact with students of today, who know that the way things are isn't right and who care about improving our world, I feel optimistic for our future. Especially now. We must help young people lead the way. And we should also remember that in times when things feel frightening, to always lean on the people who form part of our community. We may not have everything, but at least we have each other.

See pictures from the students' visit to D.C. here. ]]>