Segregation

Segregation 's existence in our own neighborhoods because of societies idea on what class a neighborhood should be.

I grew up in a lower class neighborhood that to this day is segregated. Separated by a park, the back and the projects are like two different neighborhoods. The back consists of low or working class people where the projects consist of low or working class people. What makes us different? Well, today its the yuppies who moved here to be close to the city and then you have the projects whose majority consists of African American and Hispanic population. When I was growing up I was bused to school because my parish school closed and we went to a clustering parish school along with other kids from the Hook including kids from the projects. We seemed to conform because the kids from the school didn't want us there and treated us all like out caste whether we were black or white. Eventually, we all mingled together and I made some lasting friendships even to this day. My best friends were Irish, Italian and African American. My friend who lived in the projects would have us over while her mother worked and I remember loving how she had the privacy of her own room. My apartment was railroad and I shared a one bedroom with two of my sisters while my older sister lived downstairs and my brother with my parents on the top floor. To me we were crowed and to my friends, we had a lot of space. The neighborhood back then was a mix of whites, blacks and hispanics.

Reading Fences and Neighborhoods:Segregation on 21st Century America takes me back to those days. I guess I forgot how segregated our neighborhoods are. To think of the disadvantages people have because of race/ethnicity is just sad. To work so hard to achieve a goal such as buying a home and be limited to where you can or would want to live because of societies categories just breaks my heart. I recently went to a friends house in the projects for a memorial for his wife who passed away. I was with my priest and as we entered the building a Hispanic woman approached us and told us to be careful that we would be robbed. I laughed and told her I grew up in this neighborhood and she laughed as well.

My parents took pride in our neighborhood for its variety. My dad's friend Ms.Barbara sending us the best fried chicken on Sunday's was something I will always remember. My neighborhood has changed and it seems more white folks are moving in but I notice the integration  that seems to be working well and pray for unity and equality that will allow for everyone to own a home or even rent wherever they want and feel welcome and comfortable in what they are paying for.