ARIELIS
http://www.dailypainters.com/paintings?search=barrio
Barrios!
Poorly kept and overcrowded housing--Too many people, no hot
water, no good heating system, unsanitary living-- is what people think of when
people speak about the minority groups. Do you think people ever think about
the positive side of the barrios? Because there is, the barrio is where culture
and heritage are preserved. This picture says it all. Even though these
houses seem to be overcrowded they are not sad houses, they are colorful, which
is one of the best cultural aspects of Hispanic people. Hispanics love colors;
it can be green, orange, and even pink. Not many people can color their houses
these colors.
When speaking about barrios people think of the struggle for space.
I see as the struggle for “Power.” People complain about not having their own
territory for their Hispanic community, due to the limited space they have the
privilege of having everything close by. I have lived in the Latino community
for as long as I can think of. Every time I wanted to buy something, I would
have no trouble because everything was really close. When you walk into a place
like Washington Heights and Dyckman in Manhattan, NY all you see is culture.
They may not have tenements anymore but the Hispanic community is still alive.
They have bodegas, which are basically in every corner. The Latino community have
what’s known as the Alianza Dominicana and many more cultural places that
provide aid for those in need.
This is why when I think of struggles for space, I really see
the struggle for power. Everyone tells you when growing up you have to be
someone to represent the Spanish community, they don’t tell you, you need to
buy more houses or stores. They want us young adults to go to college and have
a career, their overall goal in my opinion is for us the minority to become a
group with more power over the country. However, the main aspect they want us
to follow when actually proceeding with these goals is to never lose our pride
and culture, don’t forget where we all came from.
As I said before they want an education for their children, an
education that includes their culture. As stated in The 13 point program and
platform by the young lords party, number six; we want a true education of our
creole culture and Spanish language. So tell me now do you see barrios the
same?
I've never thought of barrios in a favorable light. They always seemed crowded and the people seemed to be struggling. But, you have a very interesting and well thought out opinion. It is absolutely true that barrios preserve the culture and heritage of the country in which they originated. It seems that regardless of how crowded or poor the living conditions are, they have each other and the culture around them and in a way, that is much more important than anything else. Do you think that will ever change and people will begin to change their identity to a more American one?
ReplyDeleteVery good twist on a lot of negative perceptions. The incorporation of the colors to represent our colorful culture was an excellent comparison. You mentioned a lot of popular barrios that do get viewed in a negative light and did a good job of twisting it.
ReplyDeleteBY CARLOS
ReplyDeleteI really liked this piece. I think that's true that alot of barrios here in the U.S. get viewed in a negative light, even sometimes by fellow Latinos.I think there's good and bad things but unfortunately barrios are portrayed as bad, especially in movies.
I like the light you've shed on the barrios. While they seem to be portrayed as an area infested with illness you have shared the that even in that "illness" the culture and ethnicity of the Latino people can manifest. You've shown that it's not always the space itself but the way in which the space is occupied that truly matters.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Anna's comment: I do believe they will change because as we get older and we have children we start losing our morals and our culture. For example: My grandmother knows how to cook however, my mother doesn't and in the spanish culture knowing how to cook its an important aspect. I don't know how to cook because my mother didn't teach and If I don't learn, I wont be able to teach my children.
ReplyDeleteLike many I first saw barrios as a place that no one wanted to be, a place where there was little mobility because in my eyes it held onto things, like allowing immigrants to hold onto their language because they did not need to learn english to get by. All of these thoughts are shared by many, of all ethnicities and races, even Latinos like myself. i love that you put a positive twist to these thoughts in your blog. I myself often struggle with the fact that I do not connect enough with culture an wish sometimes I was exposed to barrios because maybe my spanish would be better and i could even cook.
ReplyDeleteI myself I'm from a barrio with vibrant colors and beautiful aspects of life. We Those of us who are from the barrios know that not all of it is bad. Even so, most of it is good. I did have the luxury to attending a private school my entire life, therefore I can never relate to the education public system in the cities. However, I definitely agree with you when you say people have such a negative view towards these areas that we grew up in and I guess they will never understand the better qualities. But overall, education is a vast significance that these barrios lack in. We as a community have always come together, for example I was part of Alianza Dominicana for years during my high school years and they have taught me to keep rising and to keep achieving. And if we can accomplish that, then we can accomplish many other things to come.
ReplyDeleteYes Yisury, and one thing I love about the barrios is that most of the time we are able to accomplish these support, programs, and community center without the help of the government. we are able to speak to our people and they are always willing to donate and volunteer for the cause. we are always trying to improve and better our race.
ReplyDeleteTo what Anna asked I do feel like it will change like the example that Arielis gave about her family. But I feel like as Latinos we should work a little harder to keep in touch with our culture because it is sad that we won't be able to teach our kids these things. Like my mother put strong emphasis on me learning Spanish as well as English. Another thing that occurs is barriers between generations.
ReplyDeleteBY EDWARD
ReplyDeleteI enjoy this post because this is our cultural identity. Being Hispanic from the inner city one can cherish the barrios because our culture lasts there. Whenever one goes to Spanish Harlem for example, one will see many people from the island and also see home cooked food and things of that nature. I feel as though as a minority, Hispanics do need to progress in many aspects and move out of these barrios and establish ourselves in better situations. Overall this is a really good post!