I was strolling around East Harlem after my Central Park run (I'm active and I get around the neighborhoods--sometimes), when I encountered the first bit of sidewalk chalk art. I work in Spanish Harlem and have never heard or seen the geographic zone referenced as Spanish Harlem, except in the Elton John song quoted above. On maps it is always labeled as "East Harlem." According to Wikipedia, the source of all human knowledge, it is the neighborhood with the highest crime rate on the island of Manhattan (do not tell my mother, please), but I work with so many great people at the school and in the surrounding community organizations that it is hard not to see the good in the place. There is struggle, sure, they have one of the highest concentrations of public housing (read: projects) in the nation--and world for that matter--but there are so many good people.
Anyway, I thought it was peculiar seeing "I <3 Spanish Harlem" written on the ground. Not because I don't think someone could love the place, but the nomenclature was off. Spanish Harlem feels forced and outdated. That's why I was so happy to see, several blocks from the first chalked-up declaration of love for the zone "I <3 El Barrio." "El Barrio" is Spanish for "the neighborhood." And for some reason that just felt more authentic to the place than Spanish Harlem.
Nevertheless, I was very happy to see so much love for the place on a Sunday afternoon.
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