Harlem Trip 3

Hey I know it's a couple of days after the Harlem trip actually took place but I thought I'd express my feelings about the unique trip that I participated in.  The reason why the post is a couple of days late is because I was slightly sick and incredibly busy with lacrosse and schoolwork.  To be quite honest, I had mixed feelings about the trip when I got home from Harlem.  I greatly enjoyed the tour and the visit to the Apollo Theater but I was a little disappointed with the food at Sylvia's.  The only reason why I was disappointed with the food was not because the food was unpleasant, but because I was unable to eat more.  Due to the fact that there were so many people, everyone was only able to have one piece of fried chicken and that disheartened me.  The reason I enjoyed the tour was because it gave me an opportunity to see a face of Harlem that I never would have been able to see had I not gone on the trip.  For example, had it not been for this trip, I would never have been able to be inside the temple at which Malcolm X once preached in (Below is a picture of the temple from outside).

Though the tour was a once in a lifetime opportunity, I must confess that my favorite part of the trip, by far, was the visit to the Apollo Theater.  I had heard of the Apollo Theater previously, but this trip was the first time in which I actually saw it firsthand.  The trip provided an opportunity to see the Apollo Theater while the sets were being set up and without the usual hustle and bustle of the thronging crowd.  It felt strange to be walking and touring the same streets that Malcolm X used to preach in.

Oh and I can't forget my connection!  Wow what am I thinking!  One of the guides on our trip was Neil and he told us how a lot of Harlem was going through change right now.  Here's a link that explains about the economic changes taking place, http://www.urbandigs.com/2008/07/harlem_reality_check_still_hot.html.  I personally don't think it's right for rich folks to come in and take the homes of the people already living in Harlem.  I feel as if it's not fair for the people currently living in Harlem to be kicked out of their homes just because rich people are willing to pay more for the complexes.  The original civilians of Harlem have been living in Harlem through thick and thin and they deserve to continue to live there.