South Phoenix! Not so scary.
Deborah Jenkins
The words “Don’t go into south Phoenix!” is what you hear when a person moves to Phoenix for the first time. It is that forbidden dangerous place where the majority of crime happens.
Today I went to South Phoenix and WOW did I have a good time! I experienced a south Phoenix market that made me feel like I was in Mexico instead of Phoenix. The Mexican music, the smell of fresh baked goods, the wonderful variety of ethnic foods to choose from at the deli and the Spanish speaking employees gave a wonderful ambiance of being in another country.
Trying to order lunch when I know little Spanish was an enlightening experience. I now know what it must feel like to be a foreign speaking person in our country trying to order lunch and having the English speaking person look at you like you are strange. I felt out of my comfort zone and at the mercy of others to help me get something to eat and drink. I was a minority in this “other” world; it is an experience that all white Americans should go through. What a humbling experience this was today.