As the holidays arrive, and I have been spending more time with my family, I’ve found myself thinking more about my own childhood.
Growing up in NYC in the 1970s was idyllic in a lot of ways. I was fortunate to catch the tail-end of Harlem (where I was born) when it was still a thriving, all-Black community. Rather than feeling segregated, the community felt self-sufficient. I remember being a young boy, walking up and down Lenox Avenue with my parents on the weekends. Errands took all afternoon, stops for conversations included!
We moved to the Upper West Side to an integrated, rent-controlled apartment in 1968. From my 18th floor bedroom window, which faced north up Columbus Ave., I remember looking out into a sea of other high-rise apartments that spanned the area for as far as you could see. Looking at the windows of light, I felt a sense of oneness among all of the lives that existed in all of those apartments. My time here inspired my 2012 album “Upper West Side Story.”
I cannot imagine a more perfect childhood, and I am incredibly grateful I had the opportunities I did, thanks in large part to my local community, family, and friends. As the holiday season presses on, I suggest you remember to cherish every moment of your journey from pre-teen to present day.
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