Alanna Leung

Alanna Leung

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Posts by Alanna Leung

Harlem tour

0
10 years
by in Neighborhood Visits

I haven’t really explored the area around City College too well, so the tour took me to both familiar places and ones I hadn’t been to. One of the more interesting landmarks to me was the replacement Tree of Hope. I like that people create their own kind of mythology: that rubbing a certain tree before a performance would help them get a job.There was neither evidence nor basis for this belief, but people were so invested in it that after the removal of the tree, they tried to preserve it by replacing it and relocating an original branch to the Apollo theatre. This sort of behavior seems unique because other areas shaped by a large influx of (im)migrants lack this kind of innovation. I haven’t seen evidence of other ‘popup’ migrant culture.

It struck me as odd that there were expensive townhouses and ruined buildings in such proximity to each other. The townhouses were well-maintained and still inhabited. Like Max pointed out, a lot of the historical sites were in various states of decay. This suggests a kind of disconnect between the people and their community, or at least their surroundings.

Eye on Bangladesh

0
10 years
by in Blog posts, Immigration Stories

There was a surprisingly vivid burst of culture on the third floor of an unassuming building in the rather industrial Long Island City. Visiting Eye on Bangladesh exhibit felt like a throwback to the Arts in NYC seminar. There were several exhibits that sought to portray the life of the average Bengali citizen.

One of the first was a collection of photographs taken in a more rustic part of the city. A lot of it was in a state of greying decay. The people in the photographs stood out as the focus due to their colorful clothing. One photograph that stuck out to me was the fleet of small boats floating in shallow water. They were small rowboats that have been rendered near useless by technology. Bangladesh still utilizes what we consider relics. It’s incredibly charming that there are still places like this that exist.

One of the last exhibits was a series of portraits in which the subjects posed in scenes that represented their dreams. Most people dreamed of wealth. This manifested itself in the subjects posing with butlers, mansions, airplanes, and other luxury items. The people who live in an “Old World” setting dream of the things that are more prevalent in America. I find this interesting, as I wouldn’t mind spending a few days in that ancient city. My takeaway from the exhibit is that people seem to want whatever they lack, rather than the necessities.

The Volden Genture

0
10 years
by in Immigration Stories

How much does it really cost to get to America for a better life? Surprisingly, a lot. The Golden Venture followed four Chinese men and their attempts to reach America as undocumented immigrants. Illegal passage to America cost each passenger the equivalent of 40,000 USD, approximately the cost of an Ivy League education. They were held in inhuman conditions, and guaranteed neither survival nor residence in America. Friends and family contributed their savings or the passengers went into heavy debt in order to pay the bill. Ironic and sad for men who need the money so much.

The documentary forces the watchers to reconsider their positions on undocumented immigrants. Should we really turn away people who have put so much effort into reaching America? The documentary takes a very sympathetic stance on immigration, legal or not. I would find it useful for the video to have explained more about the funding and measures the men took to pay for their passage to America. The video never elaborates on the men repaying their debt. I’d like to have seen more about that.

 

Census Data

1
10 years
by in Census Data

I apologize for the lateness of this post. For some reason, I thought this was due by next Friday, Feb 14.

It seems that the majority of the audience was surprised by the relative decreases and increases of foreign and local immigrants respectively. Residents of the United States seem to have a preconception that New York City’s desirability will unerringly remain in the top tier of places to live. While New York City is still one of the main entry points to a country whose currency value is higher than most, unemployment is notoriously high due to both a bad economy and increased outsourcing. Jobs (and steady income) are becoming more accessible in other places.

On the other hand, people already in the US would continue to flock to NYC as large metropolises are a beacon for those in smaller cities. I spoke to someone who attends City College after growing up in Michigan. While there are plenty of excellent schools there, she chose to attend CCNY for the opportunities the city provides in the field of advertisement and business. No matter what, large cities such as New York will always have appeal.

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