Heritage in Liberty City

My experience in Liberty City was also a life experience, I know it sound cheese and professor Reisner you are welcome to yuck, but I stand by what I said.

When I went to LC by the first time I was so lost that I could believe that after almost six years of living here in Miami, I didn’t know were this city was. Now, I can say that I move around better than before, maybe not ready yet to help with directions but definitively more confident and secure.

Picking a place were I didn’t feel safe was an amazing experience. It made me get out of my bubble and get a taste of what is outside. It is good to be push to what we fear or what we think we fear. If I have to pick something that I learned of this class, is that fear will always be there with us but once we face it, we will discover something new about ourselves. Fear is there until we feel safe. It is important to not let stereotypes dictaminate our actions and ask what we don’ t know, that is our best sword, when we ask we learn and therefore we feel secure.

I think that been different is a plus, is what makes us unique but at the same time we want to be treat equally, we want to have the same benefits and we get offended if we feel that we are getting less than the rest.

During Multi-Ethic class, I experienced how important is for most of us, the concept of identity. In my case, I don’t have a cosmopolitan mixture as other classmates who were born here but their parents are from other countries, or the ones who had moved from city to city. I am Colombian, born and raise. I lived in Colombia until I was 19 years old, I was a grown up already and we moved because we have to, no because we wanted, but that is another story.

Going back to identities, it was shocking for me to see how passionate we are when we have to defend our culture or explain a stereotype. During class, one of the most “informative” answers and the one I think I remember the most, is the one that explained how African American people feel about black people from the Caribbean and vice versa. My classmate who is from Jamaica said that African Americans think of blacks from the Caribbean that they didn’t suffer as much as they did during slavery and blacks from the Caribbean think of African Americans that they haven’t let go the time of slavery and racial segregation and that is time for them to move on.

I am a person who doesn’t really care about the color of the skin; in Colombia I didn’t see many cases of racism or discrimination. When I started to take classes here in the US and I learned about the times of segregation I couldn’t believe how people could be so cruel. It was hard for me to understand that people with black skin had to use different buses of even have to use different restrooms. I really admire the people who fought for their rights and the ones who sacrifice their life.

In Colombia, I think that we don’t care as much as here about the blacks or whites, off course there are some cases but we care more about the social status and the region of the country were we are from. For example, people who live in an island call San Andres feel that they are not part of Colombia; they even have another language, a Creole language that combines English with French. They also prefer the Baptist church rather than the Catholic Church, which is the one that most of Colombians follow. Another example is the rivality between regions, as the Coast and the interior and also the coffee zone. Inside Colombia the culture of the regions it is very different, some are more conservative and others are more open, but once we are in another country, we are one, and we defend our country from the typical idea that people have about Colombia. We hate when people just talk about drugs and violence, Colombia is so much more that is painful to hear that we are drug dealers and hores.

Multi-Ethnic it’s what we are, and its good to talk about it, is good to ask and to clarify concepts. I think that is important to stop for a second and hear the other person, understand why he or she is saying something that for us could not have any importance or be the most painful thing we have ever heard. Most of the times we don’t agree with others but at least should respect and hear them.

Google maps application in my phone, checked. Camera and notepad checked. Wiliness and high expectations also checked.

Getting to Liberty City it’s not that complicated, but as soon as I took the exit I found out that I was not in My Miami anymore, and I said this because for me, Miami is a beautiful and very stylish city. I have to admit that I don’t move around that much, but it is not because I don’t want to it is because I don’t have to. I just drive where I have to go, and I always use the same routes, because I get lost very easily and I prefer to follow the same roads.

As I was saying before, Liberty City was not part of my idea of Miami, the business, the buildings, everything looked different. Something that I noticed was that almost none of the business didn’t have big signs, most of them were painted with vivid colors. The buildings which by the way, doesn’t have a creative design, are simple and boring cubes that do not provide a nice stimulation to the eye.

The main streets are very busy. I saw traffic all the time and the public transportation seemed to work pretty well. Something that I really loved was the numerous restaurants around the city, they are everywhere, and the food is super cheap, perfect for my budget. In Liberty city you can have a full meal for less than $4.00 the only thing that I recommend is having cash to pay because not all the business have credit card machines.

One of the places that I visited was Jumbo’s located at 7501 NW 7th Ave. Here you can get fried shrimp, fried chicken in all their forms or you can pick soothing else from their extensive menu.

Other places to go and find food are the BBQ restaurants, I had seen a lot but I haven’t had the chance to try them, I think that I will do it next time.

Being able to go to different places, and get to know special people are two of the reasons that made me chose journalism as a career, but usually, when you picture your dream you pick the place, the time and the characters.

If I have to confess, Liberty City was not on my list of places to go and find a great story, but it didn’t hurt at all and I got a surprising result. I consider myself, a person who it’s very flexible and easy to adapt. I love new things and I hate routine and that it’s why I always try to shake my world to see if I get something new.

When I registered for this class, I already knew that I would have to pick a place where I felt “uncomfortable.” In my case I thought that I didn’t have a problem, as I said before that it’s what I prefer, well not “uncomfortable” moments but new and exiting things.

Anyway, after two classes and some place restrictions, I pitched for a place in Liberty cit that I had already picked. The selection was accepted and I had to start my blog.

Last Wednesday, January 20, 2010 I went to the African Heritage Arts Center for second time but this time I actually had the chance to see the installations of this place.

Mr.Davis gave me a tour of the center. He told me about the paintings and ceramic work that is part of the decoration of the buildings and also took his time to showed me the art gallery, dance studio, performing room, music hall and classrooms.

At the Amadlozy Gallery, I saw photographies, paintings and sculptures that are part of temporal exhibition organized by Kuumba Artist Collective, an informal organization of South Florida African World artists established by the Miami Black Arts Workshop and the former Kuumba Artists Association of Florida.

Next to the art gallery is the Wendell A Narcisse Theater that was getting ready for the Melodious Echo show that will happen next Saturday. The theater can seat 200 hundred people and it has an electronic screen,spotlights, sound system and a movable stage.

According to Mr. Davis, the association receives the work from local artist and organizes the exhibitions during the whole year. The pieces are also for sale, so people can buy the pieces of art.

The dance studio occupies almost all the first floor of one of the buildings and its one of the main reasons people from different ages come to the arts center. The music hall is another big facility of the center, people here can take classes of piano and classical music and some of the rooms that are now use for practice will be recording studios.

When we finished the tour, I was surprise by all the classes and services that the arts center provides to the people of Liberty City and surrounded areas. Another thing that cough my attention was the collection of art that artist from the community had donated and how most of them are now stories of success.

My visit to the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center was great. I had a private tour guide, Mr. Marshall Davis who answered all my questions and gave me lots of information about the community and their desire to keep growing. I saw and understood African paintings and I was also invited to the Melodious Echo Show. Definitely a good experience I highly suggest this place.

Wendell A Narcisse Theater

Board of Activities

Music Hall

Don’t get me wrong, I already knew a little bit about the city itself, for example that it’s population is mainly African American and that most of its residents had lived there for generations. I know! It’s not a big thing, but believe me, after reading for hours the history and facts of this place I just wanted to go, see,taste, hear, smelland feel the real Liberty City.

It was a Monday that felt like a Sunday. The sun was out and the temperature was perfect, in addition to that, it was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr day. Everybody was out, enjoying the activities that vendors and volunteers had put together to celebrate this holiday.

I was a little overwhelmed by the number of people walking on the streets. Everywhere seemed packed with families with small children, teenagers dancing next to hugemongous speakers and old ladies sitting around big tables of food. It was hard to drive without getting distracted by the customized cars and colorful outfits, but safety is first, and I think that I chose well and I kept my eyes on the road.

As usual, I was carrying my journalist kit, which includes a little notebook, pen and pencils (just in case something happens with the ink) my camera and the hope to find something amazing. As an extra “tool,” I also brought my FIU hoodie sweater, because I thought will help people to identify me more easily and thank God it worked.

After driving around trying to find an open street I found The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center located at 6161 NW 22 Avenue. Professor Reisner had told us to pick a place, specific and potentially good to get the sense of the people. After doing some research I found this place, which according to different websites, has a music hall, a dance studio and multipurpose classrooms, so I thought it would be a great place to find the artists of the community.

Because of the holiday the place was closed, but I parked outside and I took some pictures of the building. I was disappointed. I really wanted to see the place and maybe find a teacher or somebody who worked there.

Right before going back to my car, I saw a young man sitting in front of a house, I asked him about the arts center and he said that it was a place for people of all ages.

He told me that he had performed there, so I instantly pulled out my little notebook and asked for his contact information. His name is Deterion Woods but he is better known as DayDay, which is his “Street name.” After talking for a while he gave me a CD with two songs that I later played in my car. I have to confess that rap is not the type of music that I usually hear, but this “FIU girl” is open to new musical interpretations. By the way, and for now on, “FIU girl” is my street name, people called me “FIU girl” all day long so I think that I will use it if somebody ask for it.

Today, I couldn’t get inside of the arts center, but I got what I wanted, a example of Liberty City’s culture and the opportunity to know talented people. I can’t wait to go back, who knows and maybe I will meet the next R&B star.