My name is J.G I am seventeen years old, and I live in Norwood, Bronx. I have been living in this area my whole life with my father, mother, and brother. I am currently attending the High School for Environmental Studies. I saw how my neighborhood changed from being a serene place to live in to a gang and drug infested area. I realized that this change was taking place when I was mugged on the block that I live in at the age of fifteen. Now I have a sense of insecurity when I walk in my own neighborhood and I have to be aware of what is going on around me. My area can be described as diverse, but segregated. I feel like there’s a connection with the issue of the area not being safe and segregated and that is that certain individuals that belong to a specific race are responsible for dangerous actions occurring in the neighborhood. Often times an individual will stick to having relations with people that are only of the same race because they get a sense of comfort from this. Dangerous issues like these are less likely to occur in areas that are integrated because it allows people to know one another.
This is a picture of the tennis courts at the Williamsbridge Oval Park. When I go to Oval Park during the winter there isn’t one person playing, but when summer comes there might be two courts occupied, and there are eight courts in total. It leaves me thinking why these fields are empty. Does the area have an influence on why people don’t play tennis. Is tennis a more middle class sport? In contrast to the soccer field the tennis field during the summer is abandoned. If two courts are occupied they seem to play for recreational reasons. The park program doesn’t promote playing tennis instead they motivate people to play football, basketball, or soccer. During the summer the turf field is occupied by soccer players and they divide themselves based on skill, ethnicity, age, and gender. On one side you might find Ecuadorian women playing soccer and on the other side you will find adolescents who playing the sport competitively. I go to the side where the adolescents play, and I remember when I was younger they didn’t make me play because they would say I am too young and won’t be able to play as well. But now that I am older them make me play without hesitations. Age seems to play a big part if you want to play but your skill also determines if you play or not. This group of adolescents want to play with people who know how to play soccer well, and this sometimes gets annoying because if you make a mistake they easily get mad at you and start insulting you. The park is a perfect example of a public place that is diverse but segregated.
This is a picture of the tennis courts at the Williamsbridge Oval Park. When I go to Oval Park during the winter there isn’t one person playing, but when summer comes there might be two courts occupied, and there are eight courts in total. It leaves me thinking why these fields are empty. Does the area have an influence on why people don’t play tennis. Is tennis a more middle class sport? In contrast to the soccer field the tennis field during the summer is abandoned. If two courts are occupied they seem to play for recreational reasons. The park program doesn’t promote playing tennis instead they motivate people to play football, basketball, or soccer. During the summer the turf field is occupied by soccer players and they divide themselves based on skill, ethnicity, age, and gender. On one side you might find Ecuadorian women playing soccer and on the other side you will find adolescents who playing the sport competitively. I go to the side where the adolescents play, and I remember when I was younger they didn’t make me play because they would say I am too young and won’t be able to play as well. But now that I am older them make me play without hesitations. Age seems to play a big part if you want to play but your skill also determines if you play or not. This group of adolescents want to play with people who know how to play soccer well, and this sometimes gets annoying because if you make a mistake they easily get mad at you and start insulting you. The park is a perfect example of a public place that is diverse but segregated.
All throughout my neighborhood these places with signs of “we buy gold” or “compramos oro” are popping out everywhere. These signs can be found on Jerome Ave and Gun Hill Road. People are handing on papers advertising these places where you can walk in and sell your gold without any questions. I feel as if this is promoting burglary in my community because ever since these stores started to pop. Burglars have the easiness of selling the gold they might steal without any problems. I have seen my community turn into a dangerous area where drugs are everywhere. People get robbed where I live, and at night its very dangerous depending on what block you are located on. I have experienced this because I was robbed by two teenagers, around the same age as I. This left a mark in my life because I am now more aware of my surroundings and it has allowed me to see all the trouble that exists in the streets. Going back seven years these stores never existed and crime rates weren’t as high. For example on my street block going towards 209th street it was safer than it is now. Hull Ave and 209th street was always dangerous but we didn’t hear about people getting robbed so often. And you felt a little safer; however, now you have to be careful where you are walking and at what time. I wish something would be done in order to lower the crime rates in my neighborhood, but I feel as if a better solution would just be moving out. Its sad to see a good neighborhood fall to drugs and gangs.
This picture shows Gun Hill Road, and right now it appears to be empty and for the most part it stays that way. Except when nightfall hits and gang members come out and the bodega is packed with them drinking and smoking. For the most part the people that are inside are blacks and they usually hang out on Gun Hill. You don’t see them inside Decatur or Hull Ave. It shows how there is segregation of different races in my neighborhood. All along Gun Hill, beginning on Decatur Ave, you see certain groups of black standing at street corners or on the steps leading into a building. They might be opposite sides as you move up Gun Hill. This also gives you a sense of insecurity as you walk up and down Gun Hill road. I really don’t hangout on this street because it’s unsafe instead I go to the park and play with friends. I keep off the streets because simply they are not safe and nothing good come from them.
I gave this picture the nickname of “Shady Corner” and there is a reason for having this name. On this corner where the deli is located people just stand there and sell their drugs. They sell right in the middle of the day in front of everybody. I feel as if they do this to flaunt what they have and feel superior than everybody else. They must want a sense of security in their own world and want to show a fake power that they supposedly have. It just gets me mad when I see them do this because I wish a cop was right in front of them and take them away far away and never come back. The restaurant to the right is home to all the drunk people that live on my street. The restaurant ruins the image of the community as well because all people do in there is drink and supposedly its a restaurant.
This is a picture of my street. During the summers outside the buildings there will be tables set up with food on them and music playing so loud. This is all done by the Jamaicans that live in those three buildings. They will bring their chairs outside and make noise all day and night long. However, it usually ends in a fight with bottles being thrown around. The partying gets annoying when nightfall hits and they start putting the music even louder, smoking weed, and screaming when your trying to sleep. Thats when I get annoyed and wish they would disappear. I would like to live in a place where people aren’t loud and no type of burglary takes place. Where people know each other and greet each other. On this street I know a couple of people but everybody else is a stranger because people keep moving in and out so quickly. Throughout time my neighborhood has changed drastically and new businesses and buildings have popped out here and there, and it all has had an impact on my community.