Good Preservation in Harlem
Item
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Title
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Good Preservation in Harlem
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Creator
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Bossa, Sergio
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Alvelo, Miguel
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Date
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2025-12-26
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Description
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Fall 2025 Radical Preservation Final
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Language
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English
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Subject
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Capitalism
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Cultural Preservation
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Identity
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Abstract
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In Harlem, the preservation of historically Black buildings often prioritizes real estate value and the survival of tangible forms only when they are deemed aesthetically “valuable.” This approach can result in lifeless facades—buildings stripped of their social and cultural DNA, while community authorship and identity are erased or displaced. Harlem teaches us that preservation without community participation risks becoming another form of erasure, ultimately clearing space for institutional or commercial interests.
