The City is For Everybody

This week's class was an eye-opener to what happens when the authorities become dictators and force themselves upon people; how they make them suffer by being deaf to their voices. The city of Pittsburgh saw this when the black population was displaced out of their neighborhoods against their wishes. Their homes were taken away and culture robbed. Sala Udin, a civil right activist and a political figure came to our class to share with us the real story of the black people in Pittsburgh, how they were discriminated against. Individuality of the black people was suppressed and they were given a fake identity with a 'white' environment where streets had english names to 'beautify' the city of Pittsburgh.

The civil rights movement of America brought in a giant wave against discrimination. It’s when the black people stood up for themselves and said 'no more'! The people united against the discrimination halted this cruel assault. The bulldozing of the houses stopped immediately but unfortunately what was left behind was a district devoid of culture and a large spread of vacant land in the center of the city, the development of which is still on debate.

The lessons to be learnt from this:

The city did not grow in sync with the life and aspirations of its residents but was laid out by a bunch of people with a racial and discriminative mindset.

A preconceived image was tried to put upon the city, ignoring the distinct culture and identity of the black people. The city is a place for everybody; its image is a collective whole of culture of its residents. An attempt to create a fake image, brought about the black people to loose their 'naturally evolved environment thereby choking their life. 

A sensitive approach was missing. The plan of the city is therefore racially divided, interrupted and, non- cohesive. It very clearly mirrors the ruthless process of its growth.