apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Hi Violetsrose,

IÂ’ll tell you why I believe that there are racial and socio-economic inequalities in New York City. Let me preface this by saying that the following observations are based on my own experience (just me, one white young woman from Canada).

In New York City there seems to be a strong correlation between the color of your skin and the amount of money in your pocket.

The service industry seems to be largely comprised of non-white people (mostly African Americans and Latinos). If you walk into a Starbucks or a McDonalds it is unlikely that a white person will be serving you. Additionally, our neighborhoods and our schools are divided by race (the Upper East including Park Avenue seems to be made up of mostly white people, whereas in the Bronx and in Harlem, whites seem to be the minority). It seems that, in New York City, most white people have more money than most black people. White people are more likely to have the money needed to send their children to private schools and colleges and as a result rich (mostly white) kids get more opportunities in life and work than poorer (mostly Latino and African American children) and the cycle continues. I could go on (and I will if you would like me to).

It is difficult for me to express myself clearly without writing an essay (and I doubt that you want me to!).

This was my experience growing up in Canada:

I went to a very good public school with people from many different cultures and social-economic backgrounds. My neighbors and friends were French, Indian, African, Chinese and Japanese. Immigration wasn’t a point of contention – Canada welcomed immigrants! After highschool I went on to a public University (there is no such thing as a private university in Canada – all schools are funded, for the most part, by the government). I paid only four thousand dollars a year in tuition. All of my healthcare was paid for. It was living in a social democracy (that is now swinging more in the direction of the US Conservative politics). There were fewer billionaires, but (based on my own observations) there were many more happy, healthy people (and different races and cultures living together happily!). In terms of race and culture differences, these things were celebrated. Many Canadians describe the ethnic diversity as ‘a beautiful mosaic’ rather than ‘a melting pot.’ People of different cultures weren't expected to change in order to be considered 'real Canadians.'

I donÂ’t mean to bash the US, I really donÂ’t. I truly love New York City for so many reasons (and I do have American citizenship by the way).

Well, to conclude, despite all of the great things about this New York, I truly believe that racial minorities get a bum deal in this City.

In honor of Mr. King - his vision his dream and not just the day off. We still have a long journey in front of us.

Well said cielo.
Are we living his Dream? It is not enough to honor Dr. King through our memory of his acts. We can only truly honor him by thinking about how we, as individuals, can improve our own interactions with every man and woman.
His mind and his heart truly had no limits.

I think that we have gotten away from Dr. King's Promise Land. Instaed out working toward a peaceful resolution and understanding, we are working at hate and death.

What would Dr. King want us to bring our focus back to and work on?

Food for thought:

"Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows"
---Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Would King be content with the current actions of the US government?

As a Canadian living in New York, I must say that I was shocked when I moved here. The racial inequalities that exist in this city are stunning and unacceptable (I say this not to bash the US, but just to be truthful). We have a long way to go, but luckily the memory of M.Luther King provides us with amazing inspiration.

Thaks AT for reminding me why I have a day at home to work on all my AT inspired projects!!

Half my closets are re-organised, and I'm painting a canvas!

I was shocked and as an American more and more embarassed at the clear display of inequality in NYC that I saw after moving there. Somehow, the problems in our social construction are so much more readily seen in the City compared to other places I have been/lived but know that it exists everywhere. Thanks AT for posting this - not enough people know more about MLK than his "I have a dream" speech, if you ask. I hope one day soon we can all be inspired to rise above the hate and anomosity and love one another as equals because in our differences we are so much more similiar to one another than different. Peace.

Thanks for this entry, and for the link to that wonderful piece (I'm going to try to read it all now -- don't think I've ever done that before).

As for keeping it real, I heard Andrew Young speak for an MLK day rally here in Atlanta on Saturday. He worked with Dr. King for years, and said it's tempting as the years pass to turn MLK into some regal, otherworldly persona who was not connected to reality at all. He told a story about the first time he met Dr. King, in the basement of a church where a potluck supper was being held. MLK had a bath towel tucked into his shirt and was eating on a neck bone ("sucking on a neck bone" is how Young put it). What a jarring and funny image that was.

My favorite Martin Luther King quote:

"Love is not the answer. It's the assignment."

And my second favorite:

"Anyone can be great. Because anyone can be of service."


This is a great day to remember that it takes energy to live our dreams. But not as much energy as it takes to live our fears! So here's to dreams, large and small, and making small obscure corners brighter. It's not indulgence, working to make any system--even a personal living space--more functional and more human friendly and more satisfying. And it's great practice for taking on larger challenges.

I remember so clearly the desolation and grief I felt when Dr. King was assassinated. Today we will hear over and over his 'I have a dream" speech, which those who despise everything Martin stood for use as a way to support continuing social inequality. Nevertheless, the spirit of this great American continues to remind us our better selves.

"The war in Vietnam is but a symptom of far deeper malady with the American spirit, and if we ignore this sobering reality, we will find ourselves organizing "clergy and laymen concerned" committees for the next generation. The will be concerned about Guatemala and Peru. They will be concerned about Thailand and Cambodia. They will be concerned about Mozambique and South Africa. We will be marching for this and a dozen other names and attending rallies without end unless there is significant and profound change in American life and policy..."

I'm really proud of AT and and the AT's readers after reading this post and the attached comments. It's comforting to know our readers share the same core values and ideals inside, despite out different walks of life.

Here's one of my favourite MLK quotes that seems appropriate for the AT community:

"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."

Awww....aren't we all just wonderful?

Just one big happy family of smarmy, condescending, Canadian aesthetes! We're so much better than everyone else!

Not really, Franklin, but we're doing what we can. That's all.

Thanks for observing the day that helped to make it possible that I got to artschool and have the ability to create and display my work with my peers of other races. Big Up AT! and Thanks Dr. King for leaving a legacy.

HI all,
I am so often surprised and delighted at how kind and good people are everyday... it just seems like the people who are interested in being powerful are not, and do not, reflect these people. I am so grateful for leaders like Mr. King and wish we could find more leaders representiive of how good most people really are. (Including Candadians and Americans I am neither)

Apologies to the Canadians you are just as kind as the Candadians :-)

Two commenters above have mentioned racial inequalities in New York City - can you be more specifc as to what these are as I don't know what inequalities you're referring to...