It’s finally summer again. The reality of breathable weather has, to this point, began to sink into our minds as we add slight changes to our weekends and weekday evenings. The colors are changing too. The sky, usually grey clouds full of white freckles, become sunny yellow; always putting on a show at sundown. Gaze down to the streets below, and you will see we have changed our wardrobe as well. It’s finally summer time. Time to let go of the infamous black and white that emanates out of the Barclays center. It’s time to portray the real Brooklyn. The Brooklyn that struts down the New York Broadways rocking gold, green, red, royal blue, sky blue, etc. The real Brooklyn, in which “two-thirds of the foreign-born population is of Caribbean origins.”
A West Indian melting pot if I have ever seen one.
The culture of the islands has unarguably ran deep within communities of Brooklyn such as East Flatbush for a long time. From the food, to the music, religion, and night life, you can find it all without ever buying a ticket to travel past Florida. Brooklyn is the West Indies. This is one rare fact that could be proven without the need of pure stats and analysis, just by taking a stroll down Church Ave. Explained by the number of flags hanging from store fronts, the term assimilation runs faint during the summers of Brooklyn. It seems that residents just recreate the feeling of home even through businesses.
While most immigrates of Caribbean decent come here for economic reasons, they have found a way to run off of their lifestyle instead of being Americanized, bringing unique goods and services along the way. The 'dollar van' service is a perfect example of a way of life being translated here. I call them the original Uber, running down various avenues for only two or three dollars. Outside of transportation you can easily find hair salons(my cousins own a barbershop in Canarsie), food spots(sugar cane right from the sidewalk) and clothing stores owned by West Indian immigrants who live in the neighborhood.
The immigration of West Indians have also produced generations that experience the best of both worlds. While not through businesses, you can find plenty of events to see what kind of pride Brooklyn has. In Canarsie, there is a Barbados Festival Day event happening on the same day a Caribbean street fair will be held in Flatbush (July 9th). These events happen on a weekly basis. They also show how easy it is to ingratiate yourself in any or all culture when living in this borough. Throw in the parades and J'ouvert and you'll find it hard to keep up. Not to mention the amount of 'wet fete' you can get into when you need some real fun(and speed).
So as the summer continues, take this as an opportunity to gain some color before the fall. If you’re looking for a summer full of flavor, energy, and good vibes, look no further than the borough you live in or live nearby. Don’t waste money when an ideal tropical vacation can be two dollars away.
