Being able to visit the many historical places in Harlem was truly an inspirational and fun experience. One thing that really stuck out to me though, was when our tour guide began to talk to us about the public's general idea of Harlem. He started to explain to us that people were usually scared to walk into Harlem because of the wrong movie portrayals and negative feedback on the area. He seemed to be really hurt by this and it was obvious that such ideas have been created due to Harlem's past. What made me realize the happiness and pride that he carried was when he proudly exclaimed that the crime rate was rapidly decreasing, and there were few reasons for anyone to be scared to visit the city. I have to admit that entering the city did make me nervous. It was a new place and I was seeing things that, in our safe little town, I normally would not have.
As journalist Lylah Holmes has written, a young man named Julian Joseph has experienced the lows and the quickly increasing highs of Harlem.
http://www.lylahholmes.com/2008/02/27/harlem-crime-drops-amid-revival/
This article shows that people are realizing that enough is enough and the crime throughout not only Harlem, but places all around the world.
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