Cities

Being in the biggest city in Argentina and one of the biggest in South America, I've been thinking a lot about cities, especially after visiting Rio. I've had the privilege to live in and visit some incredibly amazing cities in my life (New York, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Medellin, Rio, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Chaing Mai, Minneapolis, Philly, DC, Miami, Valparaiso...) and they are such a strange phenomenon. Today I was talking with some girls in my program about New York - neither of them are New Yorkers, yet both had spent last summer working in the city. We started talking about how distinct NYU kids are versus Columbia depending on where they hang out/ dress/ act. This is probably not a PC conversation but it happened. I commented that it was upsetting how those of us who actually grow up in the city have a very difficult time moving back there out of our parents house due to the absolutely insane cost of living - yet how kids our age from more affluent families are able to move in, or stay after graduating one of these elite schools (this drives me absolutely insane). Uh, the insane success of GIRLS showcases how prevelent this is due to how many people "relate" to the show. One of the girls told me I can't blame them, it's just how the system works. And yes, this is absolutely true. I can't blame them, it is how the system works but it is still absolutely upsetting because a)rich kids seeking the bohemian dream in NYC have completely eradicated any sense of authenticity there was left in that lifestyle and b)we gotta live somewhere and c)our neighborhoods and communities are being priced out and destroyed. Neighborhood institutions can no longer afford to stay open, families have to move, kids are trying to throw parties in shoebox apartments when kids are trying to sleep next door. These cities are peoples homes, not just playgrounds for the young. Thennnn, tonight, Nadia posted this article which I thought was really interesting - about how now even the elite upper classes are being priced out of their cities. I wanted to copy a quote here but apparently that's illegal from this site so read it yourself, its the seventh paragraph (don't worry, its a short article).
This is, in short, terrifying. When cities become too expensive to live in they will become devoid of the culture and character that makes them appealing in the first place. I can't even go into how problematic this is, and I really don't have the time right now to write a book about how poor people of color are especially marginalized in this process. I immediately think of Rio de Janeiro and the HOSTEL that is on top of Vidigal. I'm sorry, is that real life? Rents are raising even in the favelas and residents are becoming fearful of having to move out of safer favelas and into more dangerous ones (combine this with the fact that many of these communities are high up in the mountains, with some of the most incredible views in the city). While it is an economic game, I absolutely do not think it is ok that people become unable to live in the place where their family has been for generations, where they have grown up, and where their culture is.


Anyway, this was impromptu and not complete at all - just some scattered reactions to my conversation and this article. I'm working on my next obnoxiously political blog post. It's called Not all Latina’s Can Dance: And other reasons I don’t appreciate you essentializing my identity. in response to life as a latina study abroad student in Argentina watching other kids try this shit on for fun. Don't even get me started right now.