Ashley Vargas

Spring 2025 SP Writing for Humanities

When I first approached this assignment, I just started writing from the heart. I didn’t really plan anything out—I just let the memories come to me as I typed. I knew I wanted to talk about East Williamsburg and the people who shaped me, so I focused on being real and honest. For the final version, I went back and made the structure more organized, added better transitions, and fixed some grammar to make it sound cleaner without losing my voice. I also added more details and examples to explain my values better, like loyalty and hard work. What I’d still like to work on is knowing how to connect my personal story to bigger ideas or themes, maybe even bringing in outside sources or research. I think that could make my writing feel deeper and more complete. But overall, I’m proud of how this piece shows where I come from and who I am.

Feb-04-25

Community essay

Topic: How my community shaped mine values growing up.

My community is East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York.  I have been living in this area for about 20 years, which is my whole life. I have never moved from this place. This area is part of me. This community has always been there for me since the day I started Elementary school to still today in college. Everywhere I go I am proud of it.  It has shaped me in ways I don’t always think about until I step outside of it. My community is the best. Things have changed since I was young. A lot of the people left the area or maybe they have passed away but I still value my area. 

One of the best things my community has is that all of us are close. Growing up in my community everyone knew each other. It was like we were all family. We may not be blood related but the area we lived in united us. Whether it was families who had lived on the same block for years or the lady from the deli who remembered my usual order, there was always a feeling of familiarity and warmth. Growing up I saw what their values were not just as neighbors but as someone I wanted to be growing up. From them I learned how to have loyalty. As I was growing I saw that in my community we had loyalty. For example, if someone had problems we would try to find a solution and help them. If one family was struggling we all as a group would go help with food, rent,clothes. Or seeing the neighbor kid in a bad place or hanging out with the wrong people we would go and help the kid out.  We created a space where everyone was welcomed. It is rare to find people in an area you live who care about you.

East Williamsburg which before was Bushwick but now it is East williamsburg. It  has always been a good neighborhood, and that environment taught me the importance of hard work.  Many of the people I grew up around worked long hours to provide for their families, often juggling multiple jobs or running small businesses. From working in the chocolate factory for 15 hours to then going in the area to find soda cans and beer bottles to sell and get money.  Seeing how far these people worked and my parents have motivated me to be hard working. 

I tell people I live in east williamsburg they think it is the rich side of brooklyn but it is not. It’s just an area where you can find affordable housing options next to manhattan. People call East Williamsburg now the “white people area” but it is just a community that has a little piece from everywhere. It is a community with amazing art and the best place to find second hand clothes. “Before it became one of Brooklyn’s trendy neighborhoods, East Williamsburg was an industrial area, and a few factories still remain. Many have been converted into lofts, which has drawn artists to the neighborhood”

One of the issues we have in my community has faced gentrification. Over the years, I have watched as new businesses replaced older ones, longtime residents moved away because paying 2000k a per month was too much and the culture of my neighborhood started to shift. The tight knot feeling I grew up with isn’t as strong as it once was and I had to take it that way. Even if these things have happened I still remember my values. No matter how much East Williamsburg chances are, it will always be my home. The memories of block parties, local traditions, and the people who shaped me will never leave me. 

Even though things have changed, I remain proud of where I come from. My community shaped me, and I carry its lessons with me wherever I go. I wish other people would be able to experience this. It was the best feeling ever.