Meet Michael

Meet Michael, a Harlem native recently returning after moving to Boston for work, then living in CO-OP city in the Bronx, to now moving back to a new high rise in Harlem overlooking the neighborhood.

In our interview Michael reflected on his memory of growing up in Harlem. He says, “From growing up here till now, gentrification is real. Yesterday they had all the people in the Brownstones cleaning the park but when I grew up our community wasn’t cleaning the park. So it is ownership on both sides. I think we didn’t take ownership of it and the State and the government didn’t care because they were like ‘It’s people of color’…And then they were like ‘We put you guys here, you guys have a place to live, don’t ask for anything.’ But obviously we know in other communities, it’s both. Like they're gonna put these people here and going to help them. I feel like we needed to advocate for ourselves, but I think the generation, like your generation, my generation, we started advocating. And, I think our parents [and] our grandparents [felt] the government doesn’t care so they are not going to advocate… because so many times through racism they initially did it and nothing happened so they got tired. But now, we see all these other people who don’t look like us living here, taking Harlem, the Harlem Renaissance that we built. But, you know, we sold it too so when you think about the history we have to take ownership of what is going on now and what we let go.”

“...I always say this, we have to have the younger generation see us living in these big sky rises and these other buildings to say ‘Alright, we can do it too.’”

Through this reflection, Michael shares he is making plans to get more involved through his connection to Miguel, the new aquatics director at Children’s Aid Society’s Dunlevy Milbank Community Center, where he played basketball as a child. He looks forward to being a part of Milbank in a different capacity as an adult, who can give back to kids in the community now.
When asked about his favorite thing about Harlem, he said, “Seeing my own people. Especially the young professionals… up and coming, that are doing stuff, that can afford to live here. Because I always say this, we have to have the younger generation see us living in these big sky rises and these other buildings to say ‘Alright, we can do it too.’”