In a city as immense and vastly overpopulated it is easy to loose sight of the idea of home. But I find it in small pockets of diverse communities. As an immigrant in America one tends to get lost in the pursuit of a dream, but the expression of other cultures reminds me of the beauty that lies within our customs and our diverse perspectives.
I am a local guide in New York City, particularly in the area of Spanish Harlem because it is here that I find my home away from home. A community of many unique traditions and different cultural norms that still manages to respect and enjoy each others’ uniqueness.
Google Maps has been my platform of choice for expressing the silent voices of the Latin American immigrants whose voices are largely ignored or unheard of. I contribute their stories, foods, and cultural norms through reviews on the small places who are staples within digitally silent communities. I do this because I, like them, dream of a united perspective. We dream of acceptance and totality of expression. We dream of equity within our individual pursuits and recognition despite our differences. But most of all we dream of respect and love for the things that make us who we are.
Maps acts as my outlet for the local beauties within my community—a community filled with immigrants who have dared to dream with small businesses using generational recipes, family-oriented bakeries, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, street vendors with lines that go down the block, and more. A community that is vibrant with culture and passion but would otherwise we seen as dangerous or ignored if it wasn’t represented.
I love Google Maps because it is here where I share the voices of my community.