Good or Bad or Just Lost

Recently, while working on a visual storytelling project in a nearby Texas city, I went looking for a Hispanic neighborhood where I could enjoy the culture and local vibe of the community. In this particular large city where I knew the population to be over 2/3 Hispanic, I looked forward to discovering a barrio or colonia where the residents, the shops, or the culture of the early Spanish/Mexican settlers were present. Each time I asked locals where I might find a geographic location to experience the original flavor of the city, I was directed to a well-known marketplace downtown. In this non-residential area, I found only businesses targeting tourists’ dollars. The shops, stores, and eateries boasted tacky T-shirts, chotchkes, Anglicized Mexican food, margaritas and Alamo themed souvenirs.

Where was the original culture of the city’s Hispanic people?  Had we “melting potted” it away?  In visiting New York City earlier in the month, I was able to visit many beautiful areas of the city where the culture of the early inhabitants was abundant.  The language, food, spirit, and vibe of these neighborhoods were plentiful and proud.

In my own city of Austin, Texas I know the culprit to be blamed for the dilution of heritage is gentrification.  Progress has appeared in the form of high-end condo developments where modest single-family homes once stood.  Boutique businesses, Target, Whole Foods, and workout studios replace family-owned bodegas and service businesses.  As property taxes escalate and elderly family members die, homeowners find themselves with tangible reasons to sell and relocate to suburbs that are comfortable and modern but devoid of the flavor of their original neighborhood.

I am not the one to assign “good” or “bad” to any situation. But what it is, is sadness. The pot has grown large and the contents are truly melted. And gone.