Seeing one, 30 ton flags, on one end of the block, going down six blocks, and seeing another 30 ton flag was really life changing. I mean, the flags are massive. But, they are not just for looks; they mean so much more. The neighborhood between these flags represents the Puerto Rican neighborhood; their culture, their family, their territory… And they want to keep it that way.
First hearing the story about how the Puerto Rican neighborhood wanting to stay within their area, mainly because of not wanted to be gentrified, I did not understand. With times somewhat changing and people becoming more opened to different cultures, I believed they should be willing to want to be one with everyone else. Then, hearing about the Puerto Rican situation first hand from someone who has had to deal with his neighborhood being relocated within Chicago, Edwardo, I changed my views. Chicago has already took over one Puerto Rican neighborhood, Lincoln Park, and made it so upscale that not only can Puerto Rican’s not afford it but, no one would ever know it was a Puerto Ricans area unless they were told. They highly fear that they are going to loss their culture and have to be relocated; of course they do not want this to happen. So, they have fought to stay together within a six block radius in order to prosper within.
Hearing stories about my ancestor and seeing how my hometown has been torn down and rebuilt to the point that it is unaffordable to the people that were their first, I hope that the Puerto Ricans can maintain their area and their culture.
BB