They Call Us by Destiny Corporan

Wahi


or


Hudson Heights.


Call us


Bachata on a Thursday night,


Life of the party.


The cat in la bodega.


They like our prices but don’t support our business.

Investors buy us out from our own homes,

Laughing with a Starbucks grande in their hands,

Celebrating what they just sold,


60 years, 3 generations growing up in one home.

They stare like a deer in headlights when we show face past Harlem.

We drift to Florida or Pennsylvania


Tied down by their limitations


Because a few thousands are enough to keep us quiet.

Leave behind our community;

Platanos


Las botànicas


$20 blow outs

Picnics in J. hood


Day trips to Fort Tryon


Shopping sprees on 181 street


Dollar avenas that have now gone up two quarters more

thanks to the Marshalls that’s right next door

Sweet beans,


Sweet dreams in this urban city.

Washington Heights is my home,


Just like Chicago or Boston may be yours.

Be gentle and caress this gem.

I, the third generation, need the Heights,

need my heritage to survive.


Destiny Corporan was born and raised in Washington Heights, New York City. She received her Bachelor of Science in Music and Acting at Hunter College. Since graduating, she published her chapbook “Blankita” in 2017. She writes about her experience being Dominican-American in New York City. Destiny has performed her poetry in the 2019 KAVDA Art By Youth Exhibition, the #MiLittleDR Social Run/Walk In, and the Little Dominican Republic/Will Power Cool Off. Destiny is producer and host for Serotonin Vibes Podcast which was featured in Remezclas “5 Podcasts by Afro-Latinx You Should Be Listening To” article. She discusses spiritual healing, self development and mindful techniques in both her podcast and blog. Her mission is to create a conversation on mental health for people of color and break ancestral limitations on self worth.