Discussion: Does the lack of representation of minorities directly contribute to the continued issues seen in this city? Minorities which includes women, Hispanics, and Africa-Americans. Without a sufficient number of structures in neighborhoods, can people of these groups ever really feel a sense of belonging? Does powerlessness stem from, said felling of not belonging?
This week’s readings focused on oppression and the uneven distribution of justice, public spending, and other municipal responsibilities. Once again, the theme of government planners ignoring the inhabitants of low-income, or poverty stricken neighborhoods, was brought up.
The chapter, written by Hayden, D., “Claiming Urban Landscape as Public History” mentioned that initially the spending of tax dollars on non-public spaces, spaces that were “not for you”, was not an issue of race, but an issue of class. However, as a result there was an almost nonexistent representation of African American’s, Hispanic, Immigrants, and woman. This concept is further elaborated in the Chapter “Privileged Places” from The Community Development Reader, in which the author stated “Place and race continue to be a defining characteristic of the opportunity structure of the metropolitan area.” These two chapters caused a domino effect of thoughts to occur. Throughout, these two chapters this idea of “belonging” really resonated. There are groups of people whom are ignored when the plans of the city and the future of New York are being discussed; this is a topic already addressed in previous readings. However, if you do not see these groups as belonging to this city, if there is no historical reminder, or proof, of their previous existence and contribution to this city, then their involvement in the future has a diminished significance. Moreover, a person who feels out of place in a city can feel “powerless”, which is one of the five faces of oppression mentioned in Iris Marion Young’s chapter in The Community Development Reader, “Five Faces of Oppression”.
Scholastically, the history of minorities and their contribution to society is known, but there is a difference in being educated about a subject and being able to see a memorial and connecting it to a direct and necessary contribution of group of people. People need to feel connected and comfortable in their neighborhoods. Part of that connection stems from the municipal government showing a concern for the needs of the inhabitants of an area. Instead of cultural imperialism, another one of the “five faces of oppression”, the government policies should be focused on the needs of the area. One of the best things about New York City is its cultural diversity, and yet members of minorities, whom stimulate said diversity, often are viewed as an issue to be fixed. The class divide within the city, feeds societies view certain races in a certain light. The intention of preserving certain aspects of a society, while ignoring another, may not be malicious, but the repercussions of this way of thinking further divides classes within or city. Something as simple as Urban Landscape can
