STRUGGLING FOR SPACE, CREATING LATINA/O URBAN CULTURES

BY STUDENT

I grew in Park Slope, Brooklyn, often considered one of the wealthiest whitest neighborhoods. For me, that was not my reality, yes I lived in a good neighborhood but I have always grown up in a working-class family. Park Slope lacks in creating a space for Latino urban culture but Sunset Park, which is right next door made up for it. At least it used to. How does Sunset Park’s Latino space years ago compare to it now? How has it changed/evolved? I believe that although Sunset Park has undergone changes and will continue to gentrify, it will always be a space for Latinos. 

Sunset Park’s history is very interesting; immigrants built it in the 1800s (Agrawal, 2018). It was first home to European immigrants and then later Puerto Ricans, other Latinos joined soon after as well as Chinese immigrants (Agrawal, 2018). With that said this meant Sunset Park was known to have businesses that catered to Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans, as they took up most of the neighborhood’s population. There were many ethnic restaurants and money transferring locales; as a result of Latinos wanting to keep their families maintained (Agrawal, 2018). I go to Sunset Park often because I feel like it brings me a piece of Mexico. Not just because the population is heavily Mexican but the atmosphere is different. Everyone says hi, most of the businesses are family-owned, and everyone speaks Spanish. Today it is being gentrified and seeking a new crowd. I have started to see minimalist coffee shops, juice shops, and organic markets that are too overpriced for much of its current residence. Latinos are being displaced from a place that is as close to home as they can get. When walking the streets of Sunset Park you see many street vendors as well, trying so hard to bring a taste of back home to their current home. According to Tonkiss, in ”The Politics of Space: Social Movements in Public Space” having space is important for politics and power (2005). Having Sunset Park be predominantly Latinx gives them power. It allows the Latinx population to be more expressive in their culture. This can be seen in the murals located all around Sunset Park. The most well-known mural would be “Soldaderas”, which pays tribute to both Mexico and Puerto Rico (Mural is located above). In the mural we see both Frida Kahlo and Julia de Burgos holding hands and armed with both flags in the background. It is a symbol of unity and strength. There are other murals, mostly of famous Latinx figures. These murals are important, they remind us, that we are important, that there is a place for us to express our culture (Perez, 2012). This reminds me of the article on Chicano Park which is known for some of the most famous Latinx murals. In the article, there is a focus on woman empowerment and expressing the idea of gender balance through art, which can be seen in the “Soldaderas” piece because instead of choosing two powerful Latinx men, the artist chooses women (Perez, 2012). Along with murals throughout the year Sunset Park hosts many fairs/festivals, there is one in May in honor of Cinco de Mayo (photo from 2018 celebration).

But things have changed; in the past recent years, Sunset like many other immigrant neighborhoods is being remodeled. It is trying to cater to the upper-middle class, and rid itself of the image it currently holds. A key marker of this remodel/reshaping would be Industry City. Industry city is home to many small white-owned businesses that are rather pricey. Even with this addition, Sunset Park is what it is because of its Latino population. People are attracted to it because of their culture. It may continue to change but it will always be a space for Latinos. Maybe not in an ideal way but that is okay.

 Agrawal, Nina. “Brooklyn's Sunset Park, Built and Rebuilt by Immigrants, Sees Change Once Again.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, April 20, 2018. https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-sunset-park-gentrification-2018-story.html.

DeJesus, Jaime. “Sunset Park Celebrates Mexican Independence, Culture during Rainy Parade.” The Brooklyn Home Reporter, September 12, 2018. https://brooklynreporter.com/2018/09/sunset-park-celebrates-mexican-independence-culture-during-rainy-parade/.

“Mural- Soldaderas: Historic Districts Council's Six to Celebrate.” Historic Districts Councils Six to Celebrate. Accessed September 15, 2019. http://6tocelebrate.org/site/mural-soldaderas/.

Tonkiss, Fran. Space, the City and Social Theory: Social Relations and Urban Forms. Cambridge: Polity, 2005.

Perez, Gail. “Women Hold Up Half of Chicano Park.” San Diego's Original Latino Community Newspaper, July 27, 2012. http://laprensa-sandiego.org/featured/women-hold-up-half-of-chicano-park/.

URBAN MIGRATIONS AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY BARRIOS

BY STUDENT

How does Mexican migration in the early 20th century play a massive role in the United States’ ongoing manipulation of ethnic people? In this blogpost, I will illustrate the way America continues to use and abuse their immigrants whilst depending on them for the well-being of the country. In the early 20th century, Los Angeles, California had a high population of Mexicans living there. This is in part because of the United States conquest of Mexican land. Another reason for this is the Bracero Program in the years of 1942-1964. The Bracero Program was created in order to bring Mexicans to America to work in the agriculture business. This gave America an opportunity at mass production at a cheap cost and an opportunity for Mexicans to come to the United States and potentially stay. This showcases America’s manipulation because they treated their migrated workers as guest workers. This means that immigrants working in the states does not guarantee them citizenship, which was a goal for a lot of people. They were also paid significantly less than American born workers. American businesses had full intention of doing so because they are aware that a lot of immigrants would not protest it. Another example of the dismissal of Mexicans in the U.S is the tighter restrictions and border patrol in 1924. Americans aimed to push out immigrants and label them as suspicious. History seems to repeat itself. Now in 2019, we are seeing parallels between the way immigrants are being viewed and treated especially due to the presidency of Donald Trump.

This can be compared to the increase of the Puerto Rican population in New York City. There were so many people coming to the city that it was referred to as the “Puerto Rican Problem”. Many Americans began to claim that Puerto Ricans were bringing illnesses and that they do not know how to civilly live in the city. These accusations are all ironic because of the fact that American companies truly relied on their laborers for the fruition of the nation. If these people are so bad then why are they continuously hired? How could businesses thrive if so many of the people working there brought illnesses with them? In class, we watched a clip from the West Side Story demonstrating the desire some Puerto Ricans have to move to New York City. It was clear that a lot people saw America as a place where they can thrive and live a lot better than their homeland while there were some that knew what came with the territory- racism, excessive labor and more. Amerian businesses took advantage of their eager and treated them unfairly. “Young Lords Party: 13 Point Program and Platform” expresses the Puerto Rican fight for a socialist society. They began to voice their wants (and rights) to liberation, free food, education, and employment. It is important to note that their desire was not just for themselves but for every minority living in America.

America continued to perpetuate its ungrateful and racist attitudes through its living conditions. This can be seen through the subconscious creation of barrios. A barrio can generally be described as a low income neighborhood. In some places of the world, they are often referred to as “the ghetto” or “the projects”. As it pertains to Puerto Ricans in New York City, suburbanization became very popular after 1945 and the quest for The American Dream commenced. However, the typical white picket fence and perfect family was only attainable for veterans and the wealthy. All the while needing immigrants to enhance the country, America did its very best to make it as difficult as possible to succeed. While immigrants were living in barrios, Los Angeles realized they needed latin culture to spunk up the towns. They took bits and pieces of Latinx culture while pushing away the people it belongs to. The government also used eminent domain to reclaim spaces and ostracize immigrants for economic benefit. This can be seen today in areas like Little Italy, ChinaTown and more. Cities monopolize on cultures to attract tourists as well as be perceived as an inclusive space while there is an imminent threat of immigrants outnumbering American born citizens.

CAUTIOUSLY CELEBRATING THE LATINIZATION OF CITIES

BY STUDENT

Minority populations have significantly increased throughout the years and it is no doubt that they will continue to increase for years to come. New York City in particular is made up mostly of minorities and it is said that now white people have become the minority population due to such a high volume or ethnic minorities. A record high 3.07 million foreign born immigrants live in New York City, more than any other city in the world (Huff Post, 2010). With gentrification in mind, will New York City continue to be the hub for minority migration especially Latinx’s? In this blogpost I will highlight the importance of minority migration into NYC and what it will look like in the future.

New York City contains a significant amount of minority groups. As seen on the map below, the demographics show that although there is a white population in the city, it is mostly made up of Hispanics, Blacks, Asians and South Americans. They are crucial to NYC’s economy contributing to a major part of the workforce, as well as being the consumer. It is safe to say that without the latinx minority population, the city’s economy will quickly see its negative effects. Without minority migration, New York City will not be the same considering that 40% of the city’s residents were foreign born and that does not include children that they have had here. 

            

http://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/01/23/nyregion/20110123-nyc-ethnic-neighborhoods-map.html 

Although New York City has seen an increase of migration throughout the years, there has also been an increase of people moving out of the city. According the U.S Census Bureau, NYC population continues to decline faster than any other state. It has lost an estimated 48,510 residents between July 1, 2017 and July 1, 2018 (Arnold, 2018). One cannot directly correlate the loss of population to gentrification but one of the driving forces that have residents moving out is the housing costs of living in NYC. Living in the city has become much more expensive and many immigrants that do not have high paying jobs look to other states in order to live a more affordable life. Although New York City remains the hub for minority migration and it will continue to grow, out migration will increase in the upcoming years. 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-york-city-immigrants_n_4475197

http://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/01/23/nyregion/20110123-nyc-ethnic-neighborhoods-map.html

https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2018/12/19/leaving-new-york-population-loss-steepest-u-s/2362167002/

https://zicklin.baruch.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/02/Paper-Series-Feb.-2018-No.-15-New-Yorkers-on-the-Move.pdf

URBAN MIGRATIONS AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY BARRIOS

BY STUDENT

Migration to the United States has always been a difficult journey for most Latinx groups. The Mexican and Puerto Rican communities faced some of the biggest challenges upon arriving in the United States. In this blog, I will compare the treatment between the Mexican and Puerto Rican migrants in the early twentieth century.

The Mexican community migrated throughout the southwest. Puerto Ricans concentrated in different areas of New York City. Both communities were mainly lower and working-class individuals. They experienced poor living conditions such as overcrowded and unventilated rooms. Over time, they were victims of urban renewal, which kicked many out of their homes. Public services such as sports facilities, pools, and playgrounds were limited to the non-Latino population. Mexican immigrants could only use the pools the day before they were cleaned because they were seen as dirty people who lacked personal hygiene. Puerto Ricans would see signs in public places saying, “No dogs or Puerto Ricans allowed” (Bedolla, 2014). Good-paying jobs weren’t open to either group. Mexicans in the south were making about $1.25 a day (Sanchez, 1995). Puerto Ricans worked blue-collar jobs with low wages in low-paying sectors (Korrol, 1983). There were always periods of high unemployment, making it difficult to survive. Poll taxes and literacy tests were implemented to voters, making it difficult for Latino groups to register or pay the fees. As a result, most didn’t vote. States in the south even restricted voting in the primary election to the white population only (Bedolla, 2014). Mexicans were victims of lynching’s, deportations and police harassment. Puerto Ricans came at the peak of segregation and were attacked due to the increase of bodega markets in the city (Bedolla, 2014). The constant mistreatment led these communities to come together to look out for their people. The Mutualistas were mutual aid societies that helped Mexicans deal with economic protection, education and other important types of aid (Bedolla, 2014). Puerto Ricans created several organizations to assist newcomers with employment and housing difficulties. These groups helped newcomers adapt to life in the United States and protected them from violence. It tells you a lot about these people who barely had anything but still did as much as they could to support their own people who were going through similar struggles. 

It’s clear that both of these communities weren’t welcomed with open arms in the United States. They had to fight for their place in society and dealt with the hardships that came with being a Latinx individual in the early twentieth century. As of 2019 it’s very difficult for Latino migrants to succeed in the United States but we have created a better support system for these newcomers. We have grown as a country and will continue to provide opportunities for future immigrants. 

Sources

Bedolla, Lisa García. Latino Politics. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2014.

Korrol, Virginia Sánchez. From Colonia to Community: The History of Puerto Ricans in New York City. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1994.

Sanchez, George J., Charles Bergquist, and Ricardo Penaranda. Becoming Mexican American Ethnicity, Culture, and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900-1945. Cary: Oxford University Press, USA, 2014.

CAUTIOUSLY CELEBRATING THE LATINIZATION OF CITIES

GENTRIFICATION AND URBAN LATINIDAD AS THEME PARK 

BY STUDENT

Gentrification is when there are renovations made to an area to look more appealing. When a neighborhood is gentrified it forces many lower income residents out because they often can’t afford to live there anymore. “One of the most intriguing aspects of gentrification is how communities opposition to developments is often times tamed by the inclusion of cultural initiatives that allege to be representative of these very same communities” (Dávila). When people gentrify communities they often make promises to the people living there claiming the want to keep the culture of the community (Dávila). Then when the gentrification starts changes are made to the community that take away from the area’s uniqueness. How does gentrification affect Latinx communities?

Many communities where gentrification occurs are in minority communities. Gentrification makes inequality more visible (Dávila). Gentrifiers often have the means to use noninstitutional sources of capital (Dávila). For example in New York City, communities of color experience the greatest burden in terms of rapid gentrification (Dávila). In East Harlem aka Spanish Harlem/ El Barrio people in the community worried about the future of the area’s cultural identity (Dávila). As many minorities often do when their neighborhoods begin changing due to urban renewal. When a large commercial development came to East Harlem they planned to include a Latin themed cultural component in its marketing plans so the public would approve (Dávila). 

For gentrifiers to have their plans look appealing to the community they use the people of the community to their advantage. As minorities are often the majority in cities like East Harlem where the population of Latinx is about 41 percent, and 35 percent African American (statisticalatlas.com). In order to even get the public to be interested in their plans they use the minorities cultures to make it seem more inclusive. Therefore, minorities will think their community will be improved and still have its uniqueness. Then, gentrifiers get their plan in motion and start to take over the community, often causing minorities to move away from their neighborhoods.

Works Cited:

Dávila, Arlene M. "From Barrio to Mainstream: On the Politics of Latino/a Art Museums." Latino Spin: Public Image and the Whitewashing of Race. New York: New York UP, 2008. N. pag. Print. 

"Race and Ethnicity in East Harlem, New York, New York (Neighborhood)." The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States - Statistical Atlas. Accessed May 06, 2019. https://statisticalatlas.com/neighborhood/New-York/New-York/East-Harlem/Race-and-Ethnicity.

LATINA/O/XS AND HOUSING POLICIES

BY STUDENT

Latios has made up a large part of new york city, with the population growing day by day space is limited. Everyone has a right to space, but as times goes on will there everyone be equality in housing? Finding a place to live was never an easy task, from racial profiling to various red-lining communities to simply overcharging the minorities. many times the housing policy is against latios that are trying to better their communities. Having more and more people migrate into the city and having less space to put them had become a problem. America solution was to keep from interacting with white Americans. Having segregated neighborhood of simply pushing people out of their homes. A lot of people take space for granted or don’t pay attention to their surroundings. Ever wondered why everyone in your neighbored looks like you? Or have you ever felt out of place in your own community?. “At 50, Levittown Contends with its legacy of Bias” an article written by Bruce. Lambert Sheds light on some of the few challenges minorities face with housing. “The whites-only policy was not some unspoken gentlemen's agreement. It was cast in bold capital letters in clause 25 of the standard lease for the first Levitt houses, which included an option to buy.” This quote speaks directly to the injustice that was happening in certain neighborhoods. It wasn’t a secret that segregation was being enforced. Real estate agents, we’re pushing the agenda of having whites-only neighborhoods or showing certain homes to only those of the Caucasian race. Even after the United States supreme voted against that clause in 1948 that didn’t change much. 

I live in Queens NY  where it is considered to be the most diverse borough in NYC. I can not say the same for neighboring locations such as Long Island. Owning property has gotten more popular not than ever. As stated in the Article “The right to the city” written by David Harvey he argues that “the rights of private property and the profit rate Trump all other notions of rights” Home ownership has drastically become important but minorities are getting the short end of the stick. They are not getting the same housing experiences, they are being sold houses in a “bad” neighborhood and they are being charged double the price. “Of Levittown 53,286 residents in 1990 there were about 51,883, 2,184” people were refusing to black houses if they had black or Latino Neighborhoods. Some would even sell their houses if they knew there were minorities looking to move into their spaces. 

Times have certainly changed, with Long Island now having an 18 percent Latino population. There has Been some improvement but there is still some discrimination when it comes to buying homes. The problem starts and ends with real estate agents and those who encourage it. Everyone should have a right to space and live in diverse neighborhoods has many benefits. As a product of a diverse neighborhood, I have enjoyed the different cultures and love that my neighborhood brings. Growing up with friends from different countries has taught me to appreciate my heritage and also theirs. 

Citation

Bronx Activists Stand Up for Affordable Housing in New York. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://caseygrants.org/evn/bronx-activists-stand-up-for-affordable-housing-in-new-york/

Harvey, D. (n.d.). The Right to the City. The Emancipatory City?: Paradoxes and Possibilities, 236-239. doi:10.4135/9781446221365.n15

Lambert, B. (1997, December 28). At 50, Levittown Contends With Its Legacy of Bias. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/28/nyregion/at-50-levittown-contends-with-its-legacy-of-bias.html

 2018 Year In Review For The Housing Market | Bankrate.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bankrate.com/mortgages/year-in-review-for-housing-market/amp/

LATINA/O/XS AND HOUSING POLICIES

LATINOS AND HOUSING POLICIES IN LOS ANGELES

BY STUDENT

After doing some research about the Latino culture, I have realized all of the 

restrictions and political issues immigrants have faced for a very long time. There are many individuals that look down on Latinos. From the beginning, the Mexican community in Los Angeles never had a chance for an equal or fair life. The country has always put up some type of policies such as not letting Mexicans vote initially, zoning laws that put restrictions on how Mexicans could use their own land, and non-affordable housing which created sections and neighborhoods without much resources which created crime. LA is the second largest city in the country and the Hispanics are the largest ethnic group. Still, we see that they aren't the most wealthy with most being middle to low class. Do Latinx who are born in poverty grow up with an equal chance in LA and how are they doing compared to other Latinx in other parts of the Country? 

Poverty, public housing, and urbanism are all evident in ways in Los Angeles. In my perspective the way our country was set up had flaws and we are still paying for the mistakes of our past generations. Before the United States existed California was apart of Mexico. In 1848, America took over the territory and California became the 31st state to join the United States. It seems as the gold rush started in California from 1848-1855. We can see that the U.S. clearly took over an area being California and started a war because they wanted in on the gold and resources this land had to offer. The US knew it wouldn’t be easy to just get all these native people out of the country so they gave them the option to go to the now much smaller Mexico or be apart of the United States as a citizen. With that being said, you can see how our country beat Mexico out of their rightful money and wealth that could have made a difference in the way they live currently today. After this war was over Mexicans who stayed in the United States saw that they weren’t treated equally. A lot of them lost their rights to own land and had it took because that’s how our laws were set up. 

I do believe housing issues become a vicious cycle that normally doesn’t end easily. The housing that does get provided for people in poverty is considered section 8 living. However, the houses provided aren’t particularly the nicest. For most people with free housing, it’s just the basics a small kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom in an area with high crime rates. Most of the provided housing is apartment buildings which leaves no property for children to grow up and play. In “Tierra y Libertad,” by Steven Barber, he says that Latinos struggle being in large families because they’re placed in small homes. On the other Hand, we can see Los Angeles is growing and improving for the better. It is Ranked 1st in the nation for residents with at least a bachelor degree. It also has the highest rate of income growth in the U.S. With that being said The average income for Hispanics in Los Angeles is only around 42,000 which is less than the 

national household average. We can see that this gap is slowly but steadily closing as the Hispanic community is developing and getting into higher paying jobs. I think as the years go on we will start to see more of a higher income for this Los Angeles area and the Latinos. 

source:

Bender, Steven. Tierra y Libertad: Land, Liberty, and Latino Housing. 

New York. New York university press. 2010. 

LATINA/O/XS AND HOUSING POLICIES

BY STUDENT

While readings ,” Becoming Mexican American” by George J. Sanchez , I learned about how bad the living situation was for the latinos coming to the states . In this reading it is talking about the ethnicity , culture and identity of the chicanos in Los Angeles in 1900-1945. When latinos came over to the states , they came with nothing but a goal to better themselves and a will to do anything to reach their goal. When it came to work, they worked the hardest and dangerous jobs and got aid little to none . You can only imagine the way they lived . They do not have a lot of money and have to live somewhere they can afford . In this readings it says “ poor housing options and unhealthy living conditions were as much of the mexican life in the city as more favorable conditions” ( George sanchez ) This shows that they lived in places that was unfit for living. They could get sick from the filth, mold, and rats. They lived in small housing and alot of them where over populated . However, this was the reality of it all  because of how they had to live based off of their income . How do the people who work long hours and dangerous jobs get paid so little or don't get help finding a good home .

In this blogpost I argue that yes, they are immigrants but should get paid based on their work. If they are working hard long hours ,they should get paid at a higher rate for the work they give. The United States used immigrant labor to create this country to provide equal opportunities and freedom but it denies those very aspects to the minorities that help create it in the first place.  How can the US allow these people to come over here with the dream to better themselves but have them working and living just as bad as they would if they stayed in their home country .

This reading has made me think. The US was willing and okay for having immigrants come over and work and stay here but didn't have a plan how to take care of them. Since they are here in the states and working they should be treated like an american that is working . There are americans who don't work that live better than the latinos who are grinding and working hard. I firmly believe that if a person is willing to get off their couch and is willing to go and work for there money, they should be able to do so and get paid accordingly. 

While growing up I always heard about the American Dream. That everyone gets there chances to be something as long as they put the work . I know for sure the immigrants/ latinos heard the same story. They came over here to chase the dream of bettering themselves . I am putting a big red dot on jobs because in reality the more money you make the better house you can live in. I think that if the lations got paid better , the housing situation would be better and there wouldn't be as much of an issue with the poverty and housing problems.