Little Girl From Harlem

"As a little girl living in Harlem, I always knew that Harlem was some kind of exile; what I didn't know was why I had to be there. There were happy times as well as sad times but, in order to escape, I would always daydream. I daydreamed of a backyard, of growing up and going to art school, and of moving away. As an adult I was always embarrassed to say that I was born in Harlem and that I had lived there until I turned fourteen because people were quick to judge me. Most people assume that I grew up middle class and came from a middle class neighborhood. Little do they know that there are lots of people from Harlem that are just like me."

Soraida Martinez

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