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Published: October 31st 2010
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Yes, indeed, I certainly will...this is a magical city with treasures for everyone. This will probably be my final blog until sometime in a week or so after I get to a city that has a different type of treasure to offer...Cairo.
I went to Harlem one day. The first thing I saw when I got off the subway was someone wearing a t-shirt that said, "I'm Black...Please Don't Shoot!". Shocked at first, but more shocked at the incredible difference this area was in comparison to the area I am staying. Very wide boulevards, some stunning brownstones, other buildings that are reminiscent of the public housing we have in Toronto, well-to-do's, artsies, "broken" individuals...it was at times, overwhelming. An area so rich in history, and so steeped in mythology about drugs and crime (at least in my mind before I went) that I really couldn't pinpoint all of the reactions I was feeling at once. The one predominant thing I noticed as I waited for a tour guide I had arranged was how everyone seemed to know each other. People were greeting each other constantly and I was impressed with the strong presence of "community" and pride in their African-American
heritage. The streets of the major thoroughfare, 125th, were lined with so many products reflecting this culture...masks, sculptures, CD's, beauty and haircare products, food...it really felt like I was in a totally different country at times. The tour was aptly titled, "The Harlem Renaissance" and honoured it's history with ghostly places like "The Cotton Club" and "The Savoy", no longer standing, but more importantly, the focus was on how Harlem is transforming itself into the area of greatness it had attained so many years ago. Rough patches still exist as was evident during the tour but you could not help but to feel that "change was afoot".
I began my visit in Harlem, in a museum that reflected solely on African-American history and as I looked at all the "artifacts"..."Whites Only" posters from the South, transcripts from the 1700's listing the names of slaves and the places they were captured and sent, magnificent writings from Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and the poet, Langston Hughes...I noticed that there was a thread in two of the plays I had attended that week..."Driving Miss Daisy" and the unforgettable experience of the Kander-Ebb production of "The Scottsboro Boys ( a musical retelling
of nine African-Americans who were falsely convicted of rape in the '30's) and my experience in Harlem. Somehow, that t-shirt came back to haunt me and I knew that racial equality is still not within reach but at least now, is in a process of transformation.
Oddly enough, the next day I visited the Statue of Liberty and grand as she was (and looking very polished!), I was mesmerized by the museum that has opened on Ellis Island. This was the island, close in proximity to Miss Liberty, where millions of refugees and immigrants were "processed" as they landed in America from the late 1800's until the late 1950's. My grandmother actually landed at Ellis Island before she came to Canada . As I stood and looked at the vast cavernous hall where the processing took place, I could somehow feel her presence and felt a strong connection to this place as a result. The museum was unbiased in its analysis of the cruelty of the process and at the same time, how allowing this immigration contributed to the building of such a powerful and diverse nation.
This country has so many "stories" and this tiny island alone has
volumes to tell.
I really cannot describe how I am feeling...in less than 24 hours, this journey will have ended and I am experiencing so many emotions. I have tried, as best I could, to bring you to a place of magnificent architecture, a showcase of incredible talent and culture, a population that is so vibrant and energetic. I have also taken you on my own personal metamorphosis with the Strasberg Institute and the indelible mark it has left in my heart. I have sometimes felt very guilty about having so much "fun" but I also know that I grabbed New York by the hair and pardon the expression, made mad, passionate love with this intoxicating creature.
More importantly, it has taken me nearly eight years, years that were marked by the tragic loss of both my parents, to realize that it is ok to be happy again and to celebrate life. I know that somehow, my parents sent me on this voyage and it is my job now to move forward and instill that excitement in somebody else.
I thank them for their continued love and I thank all of you dear readers, for your patience,
your kind words and the encouragement you have shown as I continue this incredible "chapter" of my life.
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Laura
non-member comment
I Love New York
She will be hard to leave but Cairo is waiting with all of her treasures for you to enjoy. I am thrilled for you. Thanks for taking me on your journey. Laura xxx