“In the 1960s something, a journey began for my family. My grandmother, her husband, and their four kids all emigrated from Ecuador to the US. They settled in NY because they had family here, a support system to help out if things got rough.When I was younger, my grandma would always talk about Lee Avenue. It was where my family first lived when they came here. I don’t remember how long they lived there. But I was always proud that their second home in this country was one that they owned themselves. Especially because, it was my grandma who put down most of the money to buy the building. When she first told me that I was shocked because she came to this country with nothing and now I get to look back on the house and life she built for her family.

My mom used to tell me that when she was growing up on the weekends she would help her dad fix the building. The building I now live in is one that is filled with the hardships and memories of my ancestors. I feel like its a generational thing now, when my mom was a child she would help fix the building with her father. And when I was a child, I helped fix the building with her.

Clearly things are changing now, the neighborhood is becoming gentrified and rents are growing higher. When I was younger, I used to dream about one day owning the building and taking care of it with my children. Even if that doesn’t happen I won’t ever forget about 842 and all the memories and hardships my family has had here.”