Andria Santos

Engl 1100

Professor Young

September 26, 2014

Reading Response Questions

1.      “From architectural designs to cultural activities to the role of local communities in civil rights movements, urban places and spaces are rich in history (147-148).” This sentence means no matter how new or old a building, park or home is, they all have history. History is what makes all of these places rich.

2.      Phillip and Khaleeq talk a lot about 125^th street because there has been constant construction on this street. It went from a street with mom and pop shops to famous stores such as mac. They both also talk about this street because people no longer look at the history of the street such as the hotel Theresa where many people have stayed over the years; people now look at the new stores that are being built. In my town a famous hang out place is pier village. Pier village was once someone’s home until they were gentrified. Now pier village is vacation place with a shopping center and condos.

3.      The use of symbols as identities throughout the reading is important because it gives a reading a better understanding. I have never stepped foot in Harlem but after reading this passage by Valerie Kin Loch, I feel like I’ve lived there practically my whole life.  A part that really caught my eye is when Phillip stated “It’s the art in how we walk… the art in how we talk(150).” This statement shows that Philips identity was affected by where he was brought up, and both walking and talking are symbols within ones identity.

4.      “Follow up conversations with phillip and Khaleeq me new ways to see art as’ action you don’t get permission to create’(Phillip) and as’ what we got inside us that wanna get out” (Kinloch qtd Khaleeq 151). The meaning of this sentence tells readers that where we come from is in fact art. The reason where we come from is art, because it molds every person’s identity that was raised there and gives people different symbols such as the way they walk or talk.

5.      Kinloch discusses community as a sign of history. This means that every community has a history such as in Harlem the hotel Theresa. In my community we have a hotel where a few presidents use to stay over the summer, one in particular was Woodrow Wilson. In honor of his staying we have named one of our public housing authorities after him. We also have statues of each president that has stated in our town.

6.      Digital and documentation help Khaleeq and phillip show residents the effects of gentrification because it gives the residents a better understanding. Visually showing the residents helps them see what is actually happening instead of picturing it in one’s mind. I believe I could have done my response about my community without using digital documentation and photographs, but using it has helped my readers understand the changes in my community and has helped prove my point.

7.      The list of questions Kinloch asks as she closes her essay, tie up everything she has been trying to talk about in the essay. One of her questions state “Now that today’s Harlem is undergoing gentrification, I wonder, “Where are the adults, the black and white and Latino/a and Puerto Rican residents and political leaders, the people who are supposed to protect the community(161)?”  Now that gentrification as taken place what is Harlem now going to represent since it will no longer represent historical struggle.