Final Draft
Michel Arias - Querétaro, MX
⁃ 2:21 P.M. GMT
Brooklyn: More Than a Neighborhood,
a Cultural Movement.
Some neighborhoods become symbols, transcending their own borders and leaving a mark on the world. Brooklyn is one of them. It’s not just a district of New York; it’s a movement, a cultural brand that has influenced music, films, fashion, and art on a global scale.
My journey began at the Oculus station, a masterpiece by Santiago Calatrava that looks more like a futuristic sculpture than a transportation hub. From there, I walked toward the Financial District, where the iconic Brooklyn Bridge begins. Built in 1869, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of those architectural wonders that feels eternal. As I walked across its 1,800 meters of suspension structure, I thought about historical contrasts: in that same era (1867), back in my country, Mexico, and my home state, Querétaro, Maximiliano of Habsburg was being executed. While some dreamed of connecting two parts of an expanding city, we were closing the chapter on a foreign empire. These historical parallels fascinate me.
The bridge leads to a corner that Instagram has turned into a must-see postcard: DUMBO. Between its cobblestone streets and the perfect view of the Manhattan skyline, I explored a few galleries, soaking in the area’s vibrant art. But my next destination carried a different kind of symbolic weight: Greenwood Cemetery.
DUMBO x Michel Arias, 2025
Greenwood is not just a cemetery; it’s an open-air museum, with graves that tell New York’s history through its most illustrious figures. Walking through its rolling hills feels like a journey through time, with Gothic mausoleums and headstones preserve centuries of memory. My visit had a special purpose: to pay tribute to someone I share a name with—Jean-Michel Basquiat. Standing in front of his simple grave, I paused for a moment. I took a hit and left a rose, because, as I wrote on my Instagram stories, no matter how big you are, how famous, or how much they profit from your art, in the end, we all end up here, in the same place.
Tumba Jean-Michel Basquiat x Michel Arias, 2025.
I said my goodbyes to Basquiat and continued to Fulton Street, where the legacy of another giant awaited me. Christopher Wallace, better known as Notorious B.I.G., was born in this neighborhood and changed the history of hip-hop from here. His childhood in Brooklyn shaped his style, his storytelling, and the way he narrated the raw reality of the streets. If rap is a universal language today, it’s partly because of him. Biggie drew inspiration from artists like Rakim and the soul music that was played at his home, developing an unmistakable flow that would later influence Jay-Z, Nas, and eventually, the new wave of trap and drill that dominated the charts in recent years.
What makes Brooklyn special isn’t just its history but its ability to transform. From its origins as an immigrant haven to its role as a cultural epicenter, this district proves that a place’s identity is built by the people who live in it.
Casa de Notorious B.I.G. x Michel Arias, 2025.
And this is where I connect Brooklyn to any other neighborhood in the world—to the one you’re reading from. The most valuable lesson I took away is that a place’s culture doesn’t depend on global fame but on the pride of those who live it. Every neighborhood has its own story, its own Biggie, its own Greenwood legends, its own artistic movement waiting to be discovered.
So, if you’re reading this from anywhere in the world, remember: it’s never too late to start feeling proud of where you come from.
With love, @michel___arias.