Rally Calls for Residents' Support to Keep Harlem Local

Over one hundred protesters—some still dressed in their Sunday best—carried signs with phrases like “Harlem is Our Mecca,” “Stop Cultural Genocide,” and “Stop Bleaching Harlem” on Sunday.

The advocates were marching in the “Save Harlem” rally at the New York State office buildings’ outdoor pavilion at 125th street. The rally, sponsored by the Harlem Tenants Council, was organized to protest Kimco Realty’s purchase of a strip of property that includes business from 2331 to 2349 Frederick Douglass Boulevard.

Adam Leitman Bailey, who has represented the Harlem Tenants Council for the past two and a half months, spearheaded the rally.

“Once they tear down the building, the lot will be empty for years, unless legislation goes through,” Bailey said. “[Harlem] is the African American epicenter of the world—socially, politcally, and civilly­—and it’s going to be an empty parking lot unless I can do something about it.”

Bailey met with Kimco last Thursday. Kimco offered “relocation expenses” to the business, but according to Bailey “for the tenants, it’s not about the money. It’s about saving their land.”

He hopes to initiate what he calls a “domino effect,” explaining, “if I can stop this one building’s injustice, I might be able to stop the injustice of all these other buildings.”

Bailey has initiated legislation that will be applicable “river to river” and would require that 20 percent of the space within any building that is knocked down and rebuilt be set aside for Harlem residents - either for low income housing or for small businesses like the “mom and pop” stores for which the rally was organized.

According the Bailey, the efforts of the protestors were similar to those of Martin Luther King Jr.

“Martin Luther King had the people and organized peaceful protest. We’re trying to do the same thing,” Bailey said. “Before January first, we will be in court - in the Supreme Court of New York - to ask them to stop the demolition of the building.”

A Harlem resident of 54 years expressed her concern for the drastic changes that have occurred in Harlem in the past few years.

“I grew up in the fifties. To me, Harlem was in the prime then,” she said. “Today all the boroughs are affected. The cost of living is constantly increasing. Health care is a disaster.”

When asked what she thought the rally could accomplish, she responded “I think it’s too late, but it’s bringing people together.”

But Ron Sullivan, the pastor of Christian parish for spiritual renewal and a seven year Harlem resident, said he does not believe that it’s too late to make a change.

“I believe we should utilize whatever channels necessary to accomplish this goal,” Sullivan said. “Most of Harlem is not owned by Harlem residents. These places were here when Harlem was a depressed area. They held it down when no one else would.

And now that Harlem is a desirable place, they have to leave? Residents should not have to be pushed out by name-brand changes. They should continue to live and make a living here.”

According to Nellie Bailey, co-founder of the Harlem Tenants Council, it is crucial that the anti-gentrification movement in Harlem be free of the involvement of local elected officials.

“It is crucial that we have indigenous leadership to lead the anti-gentrification movement. Any attempts to substitute indigenous leadership on the part of the elected officials is doomed for failure,” she said. “The elected officials of central Harlem have failed the Harlem community and will continue to do so unless they are confronted.”