Home Away From Home
Freedman’s Ward, Little Italy, Chinatown, and Meyerland—communities in the United States named for the people that live there. You can find these neighborhoods in most major US cities. Move from New York to Los Angeles and it shouldn’t be too difficult to make yourself at home—just find your people. The same situation happens overseas—you just have to make yourself available. In Helsinki, Finland, I found a Black girl from Dallas, Texas and apartment to crash while I renewed my Russian visa. The company sponsoring my visa covered my travel and accommodations in Helsinki for one week. Visa processing for Americans takes at least ten business days (thanks Trump). I would have been on my own except I ventured into an African clothing and grocery store and after conversation with the owner, I learned a girl from Dallas lived in Helsinki. What are the odds? Two Black Texans in this unassuming Nordic country wedged between Russia and Sweden. Freezing cold, white, and for