Sharon Huang

Sharon Huang

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Posts by Sharon Huang

Harlem Tour

0
11 years
by in Blog posts, Neighborhood Visits

While the tour we took last Friday was extremely informative, it was almost as equally disheartening. Many of the stops we made on the tour of what should have been historic landmarks were no longer the buildings and the places they once were, save for the Apollo theater. We were met with run down buildings, chain restaurants, and hair salons.

The Tree of Hope was one site of particular interest for me. After we visited it during the tour, I couldn’t help but wonder why the tree had been cut, and twice, no less. I researched a bit and found that the first Tree of Hope had been cut down to be used as firewood and material for souvenirs, which was somewhat appalling, although I suppose there may have a been a lack of resources in that time period. The reason why the second tree was also cut down is unclear. Again, it’s saddening to see some of the culturally significant objects being made to seem like they were of no real significance.

Despite my disappointment at the lack of preservation of the historical sites in Harlem, it was, at the very least, interesting and somewhat astonishing to see how much these places and the culture in Harlem have changed within the past one hundred years. It also makes me wonder what these places will look like after another hundred years, and if tours like the one we took will still be going to these same places in the future.

Eyes on Bangladesh

0
11 years
by in Immigration Stories

The exhibition did a good job portraying the different aspects of culture in Bangladesh as well as the problems the country currently faces. The series of pictures including the women of the household sitting alongside their maid was especially interesting to learn about. Hearing about families who have served and worked for other families for generations is something I’ve heard, but seeing them in the flesh in these photos was intriguing. It reminds me of how different culture is in Bangladesh and India, since it isn’t something you would imagine to see in the U.S. Seeing the discomfort some of the maids felt even though they were asked to sit on the couch only to pose for a photo was also somewhat surprising. I wonder how the heads of the household felt when the photographer asked to take photos of them sitting side by side on the couch.

The photos of the eroding shorelines of Bangladesh were also very informative. Sometimes it’s hard to see the impact of environmental problems, and those photos showcased the problem in Bangladesh well. Hearing that Bangladesh might eventually become completely submerged underwater was also interesting (and worrying) to know.

I liked how each photographer focused on different cultural aspects of Bangladesh, both the positive and the negative. The photographs allowed the viewer to get a feel for the country, and raised awareness of these issues for people who might otherwise be completely unexposed to Bangladesh’s current state.

The Golden Venture

0
11 years
by in Blog posts, Immigration Stories

The documentary was definitely geared towards garnering sympathy for the Chinese that came on the Golden Venture. It followed the accounts of four people that survived the crash of the Golden Venture.

I was especially surprised to see that some of the immigrants came back illegally multiple times, even after being deported back to China. Rather than save the money, they spend tens of thousands to travel illegally to America. This really showed how desperate these people were. I think this documentary showed that the current immigration laws in place must be reviewed and possibly changed, in light of the fact that there are so many “illegal immigrants” currently in the United States.

Furthermore, after hearing their stories, I believe these immigrants deserve a certain amount of sympathy. The fact that they were detained in prison for such a long time because the government could not decide what action to take was somewhat ridiculous. Additionally, seeing these people realize how different life in America truly was compared to the expectations they had initially was disheartening. Some even had to stay, because at this point they had been separated from their families for so long there was nothing for them to go back to in China, or they would otherwise lose face if they went back. These people are trying to make a better life for themselves as any other person would do, and I am more inclined to believe they should have a chance.

 

Foreigners in NYC

1
11 years
by in Blog posts, Census Data

It was interesting to see just how much of New York City’s population is made up of foreign-born immigrants. As a person who didn’t live in NYC, although there was decent diversity in my high school, it was nothing compared to what I see now in City College. Even in my suite in the Towers, each of the three of us are different ethnicities.

One of the slides also noted that people traveling to NYC from inside and outside the United States are arriving better educated and able to make more money. I find it interesting how, despite being one of the biggest commercial cities of the United States, the education in NYC isn’t as good as even other places in the US.

Lastly, something else I would like to see is data on the types of people moving to NYC from other places in the United States. Are they “native” Americans, or possibly immigrants moving to NYC from another city?

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