Harlem Review

A place I always found deeply interesting and highly value adding to the Harlem neighborhood is the Mirabal Sisters Cultural and Community Center. It is named after the courageous Mirabal Sisters from the Dominican Republic. They were political activists sisters who strongly opposed the tyranny of dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo who governed the country in a hateful and oppressive manner from 1930 to 1961 (his death). He ran the country as his own business and even managed to privatize it as his own. Due to this, he was the 6th richest man in the world. They participated in clandestine acts rebelling the oppressive government. On November 25th, 1960, after visiting their husbands who were jailed for also being against the dictator, the sisters were abused, beaten and brutally assassinated by Trujillo’s henchmen. Due to their bravery and courage to speak up against injustice, the United Nations declared that every 25th of November to be observed in honor of them. 

 The Mirabal Sisters Cultural and Community Center was founded in 1990 when a group of Dominican immigrants wanted to create a place that can help people. The group has devoted itself to helping people in the Harlem community which is comprised mostly of people of colour and working-class families. One of the things I really liked about the Center is the willingness they have to help the youth. For example, the partnership with public schools to create more after-school activities in order to keep kids busy and the cultural program that focuses on the arts and crafts in the Harlem area. 

One of the heads of the institution commented that gentrification is one thing that greatly concerns them because thousands of lower- and middle-class families are affected daily as rental prices have skyrocketed to an alarming level, especially after the pandemic in 2021. One of the things the center does is fight for these families, either seeking financial assistance or helping to negotiate a more economical rent for those families who do not have many resources.

According to the internet, the center is a sacred and joyful place for Luis, the founder, since it is one of his deep passions, helping others. Something that has caused their impact to not be amplified as much is that they are self-financing since they are a small organization, and this causes them to get little support from the larger community and the government. A phrase that I really liked that the founder says a lot is “Work like this can only be done from the heart.” Since it’s nothing you are going to get rich on. It is something you do because you are genuinely interested in helping others.

Simply put, the integral work of the Mirabal Sisters Cultural and Community Center is to inform working class families of their rights as tenants or renters and involve themselves in the community like high school activities. This organization is extremely important to the community because many people are not aware of their rights, and other people try to take advantage of their lack of education, so the Center helps them in that sense.

Sources:

CCNY Library: https://cuny-cc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=cdi_crossref_primary_10_15290_cr_2016_14_3_03&context=PC&vid=01CUNY_CC:CUNY_CC&lang=en&search_scope=IZ_CI_AW&adaptor=Primo%20Central&tab=Everything&query=any,contains,mirabal%20sisters&offset=0

Google: https://sideways.nyc/discover/5Ndx8Gt1uqjtirFgDt88t1/mirabal-sisters-cultural-community-center