I have grown up in the South End of New Bedford, Massachusetts my entire life. New Bedford has always been my home, even when I lived in Florida, and I'd like to set some things straight about my city. I acknowledge that in 2014, New Bedford was named by the FBI as the "most dangerous city" in Massachusetts, but I don't think that statistic is reflective of the city as a whole. Many people will disagree with me; every day I see people complaining on Facebook about how New Bedford is going downhill and that they can't wait to move away. There are so many things that make New Bedford a unique city and I've grown to appreciate the Whaling City for all it has to offer.

Everyone from the area knows that at one point during the 19th century, New Bedford was a city known world-wide. It was the greatest whaling port and richest city per capita in the world. We've obviously changed a lot since then, whaling is not our most popular industry anymore and we've gotten a less than stellar reputation, but the city is so filled with history that there's something new to learn all the time. Historical Downtown New Bedford is one of my favorite places in the city. Some streets still have cobblestone, the buildings date back hundreds of years, and there is rich history to be found everywhere. For example, 21 Seventh Street served as refuge to Frederick Douglass after he and his wife escaped from slavery in Maryland. The house and several surrounding houses have been designated as a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior. New Bedford is home to dozens of historical homes if you're willing to do some digging into their history.

Another thing I love about this city is it's proximity to the ocean. I'm fortunate enough to live on the South End peninsula and can walk right down the street on either side and reach a beach. Sometimes I like to take the long way home just to see the ocean the entire way around the peninsula. Our beaches may not be as pristine as those in California or other warm, sunny states, but we're lucky enough to live somewhere where the beach is only a few minutes away. Even in the midst of winter you'll find someone running along the beach or walking their dog or simply sitting and enjoying the ocean breeze. It's also pretty nice to be able to watch the boats go in and out of the harbor, unless you're stuck at the New Bedford/Fairhaven bridge because of them.

Something New Bedford has to offer that other cities and towns around it don't have is it's art scene. Downtown New Bedford is filled with creative people spreading art into a city filled with old brick buildings and a lot of Dunkin' Donuts. Since 1999, Downtown New Bedford has been putting on AHA! Nights every second Thursday of every month. AHA! Nights feature "over 60 downtown museums, galleries, arts organizations, merchants, restaurants, The New Bedford Whaling Museum, The UMD CVPA Star Store and the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park." The events are themed and attract many people to see what unique things New Bedford has to offer. Even when it isn't AHA! Night, you can find artistic expression all over Downtown New Bedford and throughout the entire city. Photographers, musicians, painters, and poets all thrive in the city's environment. I might be a little biased, but I think New Bedford produces some amazing talent.

One thing that I've found New Bedford does better than most surrounding towns is make successful local businesses. While there are many open spaces throughout the city waiting to have a new business open, the ones who are here usually do pretty well. Ask anyone in New Bedford where to get the best burrito in the area and they won't answer with Chipotle because No Problemo always does it better. Solstice, a skateboarding shop Downtown, has been a staple for years. The store is host to some seriously creative people and you can hardly go anywhere in New Bedford without seeing some of their merchandise. Calico is a high-end clothing store Downtown that manages to do great business even with New Bedford's proximity to the local mall. It might have something to do with "Champagne Tuesdays" but it doesn't hurt that they've always got a deal going on. Slave of the Sea products are always in demand because New Bedford is host to a large fishing port with hundreds of fishermen and their families. On almost every major street there is a local business; don't get me started on all of our amazing Portuguese restaurants.

Speaking of Portuguese restaurants, New Bedford is host to the largest Portuguese feast in the world and the largest ethnic festival in New England. The Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, whether you love it or hate it, is something New Bedford can say no other city has a claim on. Entrance is free and every year the entertainment and food becomes bigger and better. Most of the city's residents have attended the feast at least once in their lives and while it can occasionally get a bad reputation for the attendees' habit of overindulgence, it's something that makes New Bedford the city it is.

New Bedford is lucky enough to be host to hundreds of events every year. There is always something to do here, if you just do a little looking. In New Bedford we have the Zeiterion Theater, the Working Waterfront Festival, the New Bedford Folk Festival, the Buttonwood Park Zoo, the Whaling Museum, the New Bedford Half Marathon, and more. If you're bored here, it's because you aren't looking at all of your options. New Bedford has so much more to offer than crappy statistics and misconceptions.

I was inspired to write this article after seeing comments on Facebook calling New Bedford a "hell hole." I used to feel the same way as the people who write those comments until I realized just how lucky I am to live in a city with so much to love about it. We have one of the top vocational schools in the state if not the entire country, an amazing history, artistic and inspirational people, local businesses that are able to thrive, and a hell of a lot more to offer than a bad reputation. I'm pretty happy to have grown up here, and I don't see a reason to be ashamed to tell people, "Yes, I'm from New Bedford."