It is interesting how many negative connotations are associated with the Harlem community. Harlem is a community filled with a rich history and a bright future. It is a neighborhood full of raw memories, yet it inspires dreams.
For some, Harlem is a neighborhood worth investing in not just financially but also culturally. It is a neighborhood of contradictions where on one block youth aimlessly roam the streets but on another grassroots organizations like Brotherhood-Sistersol and HarlemLive nurture and guide the youth in a different direction.
When focusing on Harlem, it serves the community best to try to expand our range of vision to acknowledge what is good and what still has room for improvement. We can be and should be critical of the neighborhood, but constructive criticism is what will drive Harlem to blossom into the gem that it has the potential to develop into.
Below are links to video documentaries that focus on Harlem. We plan to include more in the future. The first is an iMovie about the Harlem Defenders S.T.A.T.E. program for Harlem youth. The second is a nice vignette about Harlem. Both of these pieces were produced through the Manhattan Neighborhood Network.
S.T.A.T.E. (watch)
Harlem 125 (watch)
Photo credits: Eli Reed via AOL Visions
Related: Amsterdam News
Posted on September 21, 2006 by D. Bell