Barrio Dreams

I don’t believe true cultural pluralism, the maintenance of distinct cultural identities, is possible in the United States, or rather, within the nation-state system at all. With a few exceptions, culture is intricately linked with specific physical spaces. Thus, unless cultural pluralism is purposefully planned, when the cultures come together on one land, one must dominate or a new one should form. In the case of El Barrio, the Puerto Ricans have managed to assert their cultural identity. But maintenance of this identity has required active effort and action by its constituents, fighting against consumer-centric neo-liberal policies by the City of New York.

Davila mentions that East Harlem/El Barrio has historically welcomed gentrification, a process measured by the level of domestic comfort and the openness of improved cultural places. For the Latinos who have not fled El Barrio, gentrification has been seen as a move towards an improved, middle class Latino neighborhood. But in the wake of the Koch’s administration, El Barrio found itself overburdened with special-needs and public housing, leading the middle class flee. Developers have manipulated the neighborhood’s to meet their economic desires and objectified the neighborhood’s culture as a selling point.

To that, I ask why is preservation of this cultural identity, as tied to the actual space of El Barrio, necessary or even feasible? Yes, this is a place where people grew up, where things happened, but so are most places. What about the cultures that came before the Puerto Rican? Only art has the power to convey the memory of culturally threatened spaces like this one, otherwise, groups like Mujeres del Barrio are fighting a battle they know they will lose. East Harlem doesn’t belong to the Puerto Ricans; East Harlem doesn’t belong to anyone. It looks like a lot of nostalgia here and if you think I’m wrong, please correct me and explain why it is necessary. I just don’t think cultural assertion should be tied to a place any longer, that’s just selfish.