I moved to the States in 2004. During the first five years, homesickness led me to my birthplace time and again. After I became naturalized (and legally cosmopolitan!), I began to travel more internationally. Until very recently, I had not explored the wide world of the United States. Traveling from coast to coast, from one urban center to another deceives one into believing: is this it? Two coasts and nothing in between? Such a conclusion could not be farther from the truth. The U.S. is a vastly diverse land with so many cultures and natural phenomena. These 7 photographs capture but a sliver of the beauty the U.S. landscape holds.

Washington D.C . is befitting of the U.S capital; I don’t base my argument on its museums or Greco-Roman architecture that pays homage to history’s other experimentation with democracy, but rather on its incredible diversity. My short visit to the White House encapsulates its cultural richness and diversity:

…a grieving activist

protesting warmongering policies,

an Indian family posing for photographs

in their colorful Sarees

a Hispanic boy excitedly asking

his mother “¿eso es la verdadera

Casa Blanca?”

 

It’s exciting to be part of such an evolving, pluralistic narrative. Call it America, call it whatever you wish. I look forward to exploring more of D.C in the future. Today, I am thankful to my wonderful hosts for their hospitality: Ms. Yonina Levin and Mr. Eamon Daroogar.

Having read works by Langston Hughes, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Nela Larsen, all part of the Harlem Renaissance, in my undergraduate years, I longed to visit Harlem. The atmosphere of Harlem has dramatically changed and no longer resembles its passionate past: the literary and artistic Renaissance of the 1920s and 30s and the civil rights uprisings of the1960s.

Harlem remains to be an extremely interesting place, its stunning diversity with African-American, West African, Caribbean, and Muslim populations, its beautiful art (graffiti, etc) which is part of the landscape of the neighborhood as well as its friendly and hospitable residents. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring Harlem, most particularly a Jazz performance at Showman’s Club, the highlight of my visit to New York. I will arm myself with more history to return to Harlem for more.