Welcome to Metro Mosaic

Welcome to Metro Mosaic, the blog dedicated to examining prevalent issues in NYC and sharing ways to enhance the city for a wider audience.

Nearly 9 million people call NYC home, while some treat it as a pit stop, others embrace it as their forever abode. The city attracts many people for a multitude of reasons and here are a few:

1. NYC is very diverse: It’s a place where newcomers and natives collide. With over 200 languages spoken and immigrants owning almost half of the businesses, NYC is a symphony of cultures. A simple 30-minute bus can take you on a cultural rollercoaster of sights, sounds, and aromas.
2. NYC has an abundance of opportunity: In addition to ethnic diversity, NYC also showcases diversity in thought, where artists, bankers, and everyone in between can cohabitate in harmony. With its economic prowess and a smorgasbord of industries, innovation thrives across boundaries. The fruits of these industries can be enjoyed via museums, theaters, classes, and more all across the city. Quoting the legendary Alicia Keys, “Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, There’s nothin’ you can’t do, Now you’re in New York.”
3. NYC is filled with beautiful landmarks: Alongside incredible economic prospects, you can marvel at the city’s magnificent architecture. The Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Station, One World Trade Center, and many more serve as enduring symbols of NYC’s rich history, adorning its iconic skyline.

I could keep going on about NYC’s greatness and why it attracts a revolving door of dream-seekers year after year. But let’s face it — amidst the beauty, we’ll stumble upon jaded New Yorkers and weary tourists bemoaning the city’s woes. It’s natural; NYC is fantastic, but it has its imperfections. Let’s start with obvious:

1. NYC is an expensive affair: The cost of living is significantly higher than the national average, with the largest expense being housing costs.
2. NYC can smell: Get ready to hold your nose and join the rats for their happy hour special on garbage-filled streets.
3. NYC is can feel unsafe: The reports of crime in NYC can definitely instill fear. This is especially true when public officials and others start predicting doomsday scenarios, causing our our apprehensions about the potential for violence to amplify.

Sure, NYC has its fair share of issues, and it may seem like not everyone can revel in its opportunities, beauty, or diversity. It may also seem as if these problems are beyond repair. But that is not true. The good news is that NYC’s troubles are solvable, and the fruits of this metropolis can be savored by many more people.

I am motivated to start this blog after taking the Foundations of New York Course at Maximum University. The class provided a technical understanding of how the city government is structured, with deep dives into issues such as housing, transit and more. The class afforded me a lot but in particular it empowered me with the knowledge on how to engage with the political system and drive change.

Through this blog, I am going to dive into the issues plaguing our city, including housing, education, or transit. I’ll shed light on the truth behind NYC’s misconceptions, share insights, and offer thoughts on transforming NYC into a better place for all to relish. If this is interesting to you, hit follow and let’s pave the way to a better NYC — one mosaic piece at a time.