Musikfest. Steller. The Great Allentown Fair. Mayfair. Lights in the Parkway. The previous contained a list of events that take place in my city, the city of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Honestly, when I think of Allentown I think of the lack of pride most its residents including myself, have. This is a tribute to the hometown that raised a successful young woman, because there are so many reasons to be proud of where I come from, enjoy reading!
Allentown is not one of the small cities that just ends up on a map. When telling people out of the area where home is everyone seems to know where to find Allentown. It is saying a lot when people from the opposite side of the state could tell you where Allentown is, as well as the other cities that make up the entire Lehigh Valley. Allentown is such an important city that Billy Joel made a song dedicated to it, if you have not heard it, I 100 percent suggest it. Allentown is extremely populated, it is the third most populated city in all of Pennsylvania.
As a little girl, I always though New York City and Allentown were the same place because of the soldiers and sailors momument that stands tall on 7th and Hamilton Street. I later learned that although they are not the same city, only 90 miles separated the two. I recall riding bikes with neighbors and saving all of my change to get candy at the bodegas. I turned the Boys and Girls Club on 66th Street into a second home, it was more than an after school program to me. In the summertime, I remember saving up a few dollars here and there for the Great Allentown Fair that always takes place at the end of August, a week before starting the new school year. I laugh now when I remember receiving clear directions from mom to be home before that street light comes on, because if that is on and I am not at home where “kids my age should be” I would not see outside again for the rest of my summer vacation.
Reminiscing back on my childhood, I would definitely say that coming from Allentown has been more of a blessing than a curse, and I am fortunate to come from a city where I quickly developed some “street smarts”. Anyone from Allentown, more than likely, has a list of negative things to say about the city as a whole, but to say that it is all bad would be silly. One of the greatest things that I can say, which many would disagree with is that there is literally always something to do in my city, especially in the summer.
I look forward to summers and watching the community children attend the Allentown playground program, and watching it provide fun to kids. Allentown is responsible for bringing us the Baum School of Art, Dorney Park, and Allentown’s Symphony Hall. Recently, the new hockey arena/PPL center has revived Allentown as a city. The arena has offered many job opportunities and entertainment to our community. Places like Sneaker Villa, Starbucks Coffee, and Chickies & Petes have bought new heart to Hamilton Street. As a whole, Allentown has truly grown to be a beautiful place over the last few years. I am super excited for future generations to grow up in this city, it has grown beyond anything I would have imagined.
I am not blind to the fact that Allentown is not always peaches and cream, there is so much ridiculousness that happens in these streets and out of them. However, I would be foolish to let that diminish Allentown as an entire city. The truth is where you are from will never define who you are. If I let statistics and stereotypes take control over my life I would have listened when people told me I would never go to college or make my dreams come true all because “I was from Allentown.” Being “from Allentown” has nothing to do with who I will become, if anything it has given me motivation to push through and one day give back to my city. You could be from Allentown and still want to get out and strive to be better, I am certainly not knocking that.
When I think of Allentown, the song “Put On” by Young Jeezy comes to mind. I will never be ashamed or embarrassed to say that center city Allentown raised me to be the woman I am. Allentown is a work in progress, and in my sincerest opinion it is currently in the best condition it has ever been in. So let’s be honest with ourselves for a second, it is so easy to point out all of the things wrong but what about noticing things that are right. The 610 will forever be my home, and I am so proud to say that!
