Response Posts (Expository Writing)
In this expository essay, I will be examining the ethnic character of Northeast Philadelphia, nicknamed Northeast Philly, the Northeast, and the Great Northeast. It is located on the north-eastern side of Center City, Philadelphia. Northeast Philadelphia is bounded by the Delaware River on the east, Bucks County on the north, and Montgomery County on the west. The southern limit is given as Frankford/Tacony Creek or Adams Avenue. I will be highlighting three ethnically distinct neighborhoods in this region namely: Somerton, Rhawnhurst, and Kensington. I have identified 3 ethnic factors for these neighborhoods that make them distinct from each other which are: Location from which residents have immigrated, pet amenities, religious affiliation, and drug epidemic.
The population of the Somerton neighborhood is a mix of diverse racial and ethnic populations with many immigrant groups represented including people from Russia and Ukraine. The neighborhood consists of predominantly white residents but in recent years there has been an increase in foreign immigration, especially Russian and Indian individuals.
Rhawnhurst is a quiet neighborhood consisting of mostly families. The residents come from many different spiritual backgrounds, so this area is home to a lot of different churches including The Church of Resurrection of Our Lord and Philadelphia First Church of the Nazarene. The major draw of Rhawnhurst is Pennypack Park. This park offers a lot of recreational activities including jogging, biking, and hiking. Bradford Park, located near Roosevelt Mall, is the perfect place for taking the dogs out for a stroll or a romp in there.
Located between North Philadelphia and the Lower Northeast, Kensington is an older Philadelphia neighborhood. Once, a major part of the textile industry, the neighborhood is now considered one of the poorest in the nation. Today many of the buildings are abandoned or just in terrible shape. The crime rate is high in Kensington with assaults and murders making headlines at an alarming rate. In recent years, Kensington has experienced increasing social issues primarily related to drug abuse. The area is frequented by a significant number of people experiencing drug addiction and/or homelessness. Both locals, as well as non-locals, converge and constantly dwell in the streets to obtain and consume drugs.
As documented by the 2010 Census, Philadelphia has experienced significant changes in its ethnic and racial composition over the last two decades, with many neighborhoods undergoing sweeping transformations. Since 1990, the city’s white population has fallen by nearly a third. The black population has shifted to new parts of the city. The Asian population has more than doubled. And the rapidly growing Hispanic population has expanded far beyond its traditional home in eastern North Philadelphia.
