The Minority Report — A White Dude’s Guide to Harlem
When we told our friends we’d return to the United States and move to New York City, many were excited. When we followed up by saying we’d move to Harlem, there was a pregnant pause. I guess many people who have never been here still believe this part of New York to be crime ridden and outright dangerous. Granted, it is not as clean and safe as, say, the Upper East side but there are differences. There is West Harlem – which has significantly changed over the last decades. Proximity to Columbia University on the Upper West side helps. It also helps that Brooklyn has become too expensive and the gentrification bulldozer has moved on to Harlem. We don’t live in West Harlem. Our new home is Central Harlem and one way I first realized the difference was by walking southwest from my home. At around West 118 th St towards Morning Side, I noticed I wasn’t the only white dude on the block anymore. A recent conversation with an old African-American friend had me reflect on some of my...