My Neighborhood

I live just west of the Milwaukee River off of Locust street.  My neighborhood is pretty diverse, and walking down the street you see people from all walks of life.  From families to college students to divorced middle-aged men who get drunk and play hair-band-style guitar all day (my neighbor).   The houses also reflect this diversity.  Some of them are in shambles, some are really nicely kept.   The one I live in is slowly falling apart, probably due to the fact that 4 rowdy boys live in it and our landlord is neglectful.  We all work and go to school full-time, so it's super messy, but none of us really mind.

The cool thing about my neighborhood is that I definitely feel more of a sense of community than I did living closer to campus.  Just crossing the river puts you in a totally different world.  No longer do I find myself getting harassed and having to dodge beer cans when I walk around late at night.  And while crime has tended to be an issue in River West in the past, the community has been doing a really great job of trying to prevent it in the future.  It's a thriving mix of artists and local businesses living reciprocally. There is a real sense of diversity and humanity in River West, and I feel that I can be an individual there without being frowned upon.