Activism from Storytelling

Garcia Conde’s unbiased storytelling propagates social, political, and personal activism — simply by revealing more layers of the world around him.

He is reversing not only self-perceptions of the Bronx but also the borough’s incomplete outside image. While activism comes with many extraneous connotations due to today’s conversations about societal engagement, activism’s core is a “practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action, especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue.” 

Therefore, Garcia Conde’s consistent writing to support his improperly represented community through media serves as his personal activism. Although his blog might not seem as impactful as The New York Times, which garners around 400 million online viewers per month, the perception for people consuming information about the South Bronx is enhanced simply by the availability of this information.

And the stories he shows add a greatly human side to all the statistics and numbers and figures tossed around to characterize a place with life. The information’s prominence challenges developments such as gentrification, since the exposure makes it harder for people to ignore the existing culture they might displace.

As Garcia Conde gains greater readership, he attains a platform where tangible change can happen, and he can use his impact to disseminate ideas that benefit the community. So expanding his compendium of articles that tackle human interest stories and influential news stories, Garcia Conde could pen longer and starker pieces that factually convey the impacts from people outside the Bronx.

He used to hold a license for real estate appraisals, so he understands the market and its constituencies. Therefore, Garcia Conde said that for the sustainability of small businesses, he hopes to see more of them owning their spaces within Melrose instead of renting.

“They have a lease for 10 years and then now that the market is looking rosier for landlords now when they go to renew their lease, they get an increase and then they don’t get another 10-year lease, they get like a 3-year lease,” Garcia Conde said. “And after that 3-year lease, the rent is probably doubled again. So I think I would love to be able to work with the community to find creative solutions to — not solve that problem completely, cause that’s not something that’s going to go away — but to come up with creative solutions of how can we keep our mom and pop shops around.”

To him, these stores are the “fabric and life blood” of the community, especially since most of the people living in Melrose also work there. Displacing people — particularly those who built lives around this community — is an acute form of gentrification, so if Garcia Conde can tell that story on his blog, that could affect distinct change. But in addition to the replacement of mom-and-pop shops, he is also passionate about the various displacements in the South Bronx.

“You know, displacement doesn’t necessary just happen by you being evicted or being priced out of your apartment, but it also happens when your landlord buys you out and says here’s $5,000, move out, and then they’ll raise the rent: double the rent or triple the rent,” Garcia Conde said. “But what’s $5,000 in New York City? You can’t start a new life like that, and you’re not going to get what you were paying.”

He characterizes this money-driven agenda as a plan to effectively push people out, even though the exchange seems equitable by the fiduciary compensation. This is a reality that happens beyond just the South Bronx, and it will unfortunately not change unless tactical and far-reaching appeals formulate. That can start with something as simple as a well-researched and thought out piece on the borough’s displacement.

As scientist and author Doreen Massey looked at space, similar to The New York Times, Garcia Conde could delve into the ties to physical places beyond what a government document declares. He, the insider, knows the emotional and physical ties community members hold to places that just seem like spaces to others. Or vice versa.

Gentrification is a multidimensional matter without a one-action-fits-all solution, and it might take combinations of efforts and generations of fighting. But people like Garcia Conde are in positions to recognize the problem and its efforts, while having a platform and voice to enact change to topics that drive their passions. He just wants Melrose to maintain its beauty for those who see it and not for those who come in only when it is placed on top destination lists.

“For me, it’s like they’re undeserving of our beautiful neighborhood and our hard work,” Garcia Conde said. “You’re basically standing on those shoulders, so respect them. Ask them. Ask the people who’re here, ‘What do you need? How can I be of help?’ Understand your privilege basically and use it for the greater good.”

A Comparative Narrative
Activism from Storytelling