A Relative Northside Homecoming
Written by Jonathan Logan
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
As I write this, a new family is moving in across the street. A few houses down, another is moving out. These actions represent each family’s opportunity at a new start. So it goes on the Northside, historically a gateway to the city for immigrants from around the globe.
My great-great grandfather moved here from Italy around the turn of the 20th century, settling his family and starting a business on Lodi Street. My grandmother taught English as a second language to new residents of the Northside, assisting them on their journey towards the American dream.
Growing up, visiting grandma afforded me the opportunity to watch the neighborhood transform – for better or for worse. Throughout these changes, the Northside remains a place where people of all cultures come to get a new start.
Now as a Northside resident, I’m calling the same house home as three generations of my family before me. Moving to the Northside is affording me a new opportunity as well. I am looking forward to working together with other Northside residents on activities that will generate stories highlighting the richness of the neighborhood – which I am discovering is a great place to call home.
